As night fell on a beautiful SoCal day, a buzz of electric energy was brewing. Down a quiet, darkened road, near the Long Beach Airport, a giant hangar was transformed from empty space into a hub of excitement as new EV startup, Slate Auto, unveiled their compact EV truck…or SUV…or…whatever you want it to be. And that’s the whole point – Slate built the vehicle, but YOU make it.
This American-owned and American-built EV could be the preemptive strike that the US auto industry needs to prevent an onslaught of cheaper alternatives from foreign countries. It has a starting price of just $25,000 before any federal incentives (the company is saying under $20K with incentives if they still exist when deliveries begin). But that’s just the start of what makes this truck so cool, and why I want one.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Slate Carries a Low Price And High Customization Capabilities
For $25,000, buyers can buy the base vehicle—a two seater truck with 150 miles of range, manual wind up windows, and a relatively spartan interior. There’s not even a multimedia display; instead you plug your phone into the dash mount and use that for navigation.
Want to upgrade your screen size? You can opt for a tablet mount instead and attach the device of your choosing. It’s interesting to consider that you could have the potential to upgrade your multimedia display independent of the vehicle but it does beg the question whether a shiny detached tablet would present an enticing treat for unsavory characters passing by.
Read: These are the Best Budget Trucks and SUVs Under $30,000—or Really, Sub-$27K For Wiggle Room
What’s In a Slate Auto Pickup Truck? The Framework for Your Dream Truck
So what exactly is included in the first vehicle from Slate, the pickup truck? It’s basic but good:
- The Slate truck is available in rear wheel drive only
- The base truck is a two-door cab with seating for a driver and passenger
- Upgraded models include a 5-passenger pickup truck and a 5 passenger SUV
- Accessories offer the opportunity to customize the truck however you’d like
- Available with 150 or 240 miles of range
- Comes with the Tesla-style NACS port built in (North American Charging Standard) and will charge from 20-80% in about 30 minutes
- Has a max payload of 1,400 lbs. and a towing capacity of 1,000 lbs.
- Comes with a suite of safety features including traction control, automatic emergency braking, airbags, remote keyless entry, backup camera, pedestrian identification, auto high beams, and forward collision warning
Read: Looking For the Ultimate Budget Ride? These are the 8 Best Cars Under $25,000
The Custom Possibilities are Pretty Dazzling
As the Slate Auto press conference got underway in the bustling airplane hangar, a throng of enthusiastic media clustered around a slanted stage where a simplistic silver Slate EV truck silently climbed into the spotlight.
And then came the countless customization options, which they highlighted as the plain truck paraded back down the ramp followed by a train of colorfully wrapped siblings in a dazzling variety of styles: A boxy SUV that seats 5, a fastback, a 5-seater pickup with an outdoorsy open frame. Lift kits, decals, wrap styles, and lots and lots of accessories. The options are endless.
Read: Which 2025 Ford Maverick is Best: Hybrid AWD or Lobo Street Truck? We Drove Them Both
We Watched as the Pickup Truck Morphed into an SUV
We followed the parade of Slate models as they rolled into position around a lively courtyard where the silver base model pickup truck took its place, literally center stage. Soon a gauzy curtain drew across the stage as a team of Slate engineers began to convert the truck. Through the veil, prying eyes could see as a group worked to reconfigure the rear from truck into a 5 seater SUV while another team applied a glimmering ocean blue wrap. Within an hour, CEO Chris Barman unveiled the formerly base-model truck now transformed into a whole new configuration.
How Comfortable is this Basic Pickup Truck?
We were invited to the stage and I immediately clambered into the front seat. As a right leg amputee, the first thing I do in a new car is hop in and see how comfortable it feels pressing the pedals with my left leg crossed over, since that’s how I drive. The Slate truck felt really comfortable and part of that was because the cabin is completely open. There’s no bulky driver footwell to encroach upon my space. Just a long, flat dash with 3 big analog dials for various AC and air settings. You can add a center console to your Slate, but it’s not something that comes by default. Even with the console in, it looks like the cabin is still very spacious and open.
Customization Options Are Designed to Be Simple
It’s actually overwhelming how much you can customize. There are the big things like truck or SUV, tower racks or open bed, wheel style and tires, and even a power windows add-on (essential in my book!). But there are also things like door trim and panels, air vent style, decals on the mirrors, front, and sides, tail light covers, built in speakers or mount your own portable one, and of course every wrap style you could dream up. The wrap kit itself is $500 and you can do it yourself or take it to a shop.
The idea of doing your own wrap might be daunting but Slate designed the vehicle with simplicity in mind and the panels are extremely simple shapes. I’ve done some of the Paint Protection Film on my Mach-E before and those curves and corners are extremely difficult.
A New Look for the Price of a Detail? I’m In. I Placed a Reservation!
Wouldn’t it be cool to know how to easily switch out the look of your own car? If you feel like it’s time for a refresh, then $500 and a Saturday at home is all you need for a whole new look. Granted, I’m sure it’s going to be harder than it looks, but I’ll let you know. I feel confident that the Slate will be MUCH easier to work with and I’m excited to try to wrap my own when I get it. After seeing it at the event, I made a reservation.
Don’t Like Slate’s Custom Options? Print Your Own
You can even customize the key itself. The bottom cap of the key can be easily swapped out with different colors and even different inserts. I especially enjoyed the ones with little screw driver inserts. These demo parts were all clearly 3D printed so I asked Slate team members whether they were ok with people printing their own parts. They’re not just ok with it. They ENCOURAGE it.
Slate reps were enthusiastic about the idea of people getting the design files and making their own key customization or mounts or whatever. To that end, they even had little clip-on buttons that they call Slatelets that are just little decorative features for you to clip on the dash. You can add on one of the designs they offer, like a paw print for dog parents. I’m definitely going to try to get my hands on the 3D design file (STL file) and make some Slatelets of my own!
This is a Basic Truck Designed for Creative Fun
The stats for the Slate truck are not as remarkable as its customization capabilities. Its range is lower than others in this segment. Its charging speed is a bit slower. It’s only rear wheel drive. But what IS remarkable is how truly versatile Slate is. You’re presented with a simple truck. Old school, almost. The design is straight-forward and almost comfortingly familiar. It harkens back to a time of compact trucks that anyone and everyone could use for EVERYTHING. Work, life, whatever.
And that’s where Slate really stands out. It can grow with you and your needs. There might be a time in your life when a simple, two seater truck is exactly what you need. But then you might need to expand your seating to suit a growing family. Suddenly you have ONE vehicle that’s capable of changing with you as your needs change. Maybe you only have the budget for the base truck but you dream of a built-in stereo system. You can get your truck and easily add that later.
The bad news is we’ll have to wait. Slate is slated to come to market by the end of 2026 but, in the meanwhile, you can head on over to https://www.slate.auto/ and play around with personalizing your dream car, and make a reservation for one. That’s where you’ll find me, exploring all the ways I can customize my own Slate.
