Slate has officially confirmed that its long-awaited electric pickup will start at just $24,950, making it one of the cheapest EVs on sale in America. In a market where electric trucks have become increasingly expensive and packed with unnecessary gimmicks, the newcomer is taking a radically different approach.
Instead of massive touchscreens, luxury features, and supercar-like acceleration figures, the Slate Truck focuses on simplicity. It offers basic transportation, modest capability, and a high degree of customization, all while maintaining a price tag that undercuts virtually every other electric vehicle currently available.
That formula could make established automakers nervous. As brands like Ford and Tesla continue to push upmarket, Slate is betting that there is still strong demand for affordable, no-nonsense work trucks, and it may have arrived at exactly the right moment.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites.
Slate’s electric pickup has a confirmed starting price of $24,950
It’ll be the cheapest EV on the market
We’ve known about the Slate pickup for some time now, with the new automaker giving us teasers of their stripped-back electric truck over the last couple of months. Until recently, it was unknown just how cheap it would be, but it has just been confirmed that it will start at a very reasonable $24,950. At that price, it should definitely make some other EV manufacturers a little nervous.
It undercuts every other EV on the market
The expected pricing of the Slate truck has gone up and down over the last couple of months. Initially, back when the $7,500 federal tax rebate was still available, it was expected to be under $20,000. After the rebate was discontinued, it was expected to sit at around $27,000. Earlier this month, the company actually accidentally leaked the now-confirmed price of $24,950.
At under $25,000, the Slate truck should make every EV automaker a little nervous. It undercuts every other EV on the market. While Slate Auto has yet to announce destination charges, it should still be cheaper than even rivals like the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Bolt.
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An EV that delivers simple transportation is just what the market needs
Sleek and minimalist in all the right ways
The whole basis of the Slate Truck is that it is simple transportation. It doesn’t try to be fancy or wow you with gimmicks. Instead, it focuses on the basics. This is the main reason that people have gotten so excited by this EV. Slate has seemingly kept costs down in all the right places without making it feel cheap and unappealing.
Three different body styles to choose from
Slate offers their truck in three distinct body styles. The base model features an open bed and a cab with two doors and two seats. For more money, you can get a bed cap that turns the truck into a bit of an SUV. For even more money, you can get what slate calls a fastback bed cap, which makes the trunk lid more angular. The SUV-like models can be equipped with a second row of seats, but the Slate is a two-door-only affair.
The truck bed is likely one of the most important factors for buyers. Without the bed cap in place, the bed can carry up to 35 cubic feet of cargo, which is pretty reasonable. The truck bed is around five feet long. Opt for the model with the SUV bed cap and cargo space expands to a maximum total of 58.4 cubic feet.
A dashboard without a massive touchscreen
Simplicity is the main idea behind the Slate truck, and the massive touchscreens that you get in most modern cars are anything but simple. Thus, Slate has opted to not have one at all. While the automaker is yet to release specific details on the truck’s tech, we know that it will come with a digital gauge cluster and a mount for your smartphone.
Slate has revealed a couple of the options that are on the table, though. You will get a couple of dials for the climate control system as well as a USB port to power your mounted device. They also say that you will be able to add a dedicated tablet to the dash if you wish. Even speakers will be an optional extra.
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Despite its affordable price tag, it still comes with a decent amount of power
It’s also set up to tow from the word go
At a price of under $25,000, you shouldn’t expect the usual insane EV acceleration here or a massive battery pack. However, for the money that you’re paying, the Slate Truck is plenty capable. The automaker has released details on the powertrain you’ll get as well as the standard battery pack, and we’re quite impressed.
Performance specifications
- Base Trim Engine
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Electric
- Base Trim Transmission
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Single-speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Rear-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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181 hp
- Make
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Slate Auto
- Model
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Truck
- Segment
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Compact Pickup Truck
The Slate Truck will come equipped with a single electric motor that is rated for 181 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. While not mind-blowing, these are pretty decent figures for the price point. This electric motor exclusively powers the rear wheels. Slate claims that the Pickup will be able to go from zero to 60 miles per hour in as little as eight seconds.
Those that plan to use the Slate Pickup as a work truck, which we expect is the case for most buyers, will be interested in the towing and payload capacity. The automaker claims it will be able to tow a maximum of 2,000 pounds, and it will have a payload capacity of 1,550 pounds. While not stellar, it’s enough to get most jobs done.
Battery, range, and charging
- Battery size: 63 kWh
- Claimed range: 205 miles
Every truck comes with the same sized battery pack. Slate claims that the truck will be able to go around 205 miles on a single charge, though we imagine that will differ depending on body style and optional equipment. An on-board 11-kW charger is standard, and will charge the battery from 20 to 80 percent in 17 hours on a level 1 charger. Level 2 charges drop this down to a much more reasonable four hours. You do get a standard NACS port, though, meaning you have access to Tesla superchargers, where it should only take 30 minutes to achieve the same level of charge.
Slate is bringing back cheap work trucks
While other automakers are more concerned with making their EVs bigger, fancier, and much more expensive, Slate has gone in the opposite direction. At its roots, a pickup truck should be cheap and simple, built to tackle dirty jobs without complaint, and we think that Slate has certainly achieved that here. In fact, we think that other automakers should be taking note as we could use more simple vehicles like this.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
