Cheap And Practical: The Slate Truck Finally Debuts

Jeff Bezos-backed automotive startup Slate has finally revealed its little truck which supposedly was going to cost under $25,000. We covered before how the project was shrouded in secrecy, but we now finally see what’s underneath the covers and it’s honestly intriguing.

Shaq is auctioning off one of his custom Dodge Hellcats.

Roughly the same size as a 1985 Toyota SR5 Pickup, the Slate is small and simple at a time when trucks, not to mention other vehicles, have become huge, complicated, and expensive. However, the price is slightly higher than the rumor, with the base price reportedly sitting just under $27,500.

Slate is advertising its truck will be going for under $20,000 once you add in the federal incentives. It is an EV, after all.

Just remember the Ford Maverick was supposed to be something similar and now they’re not only hard to get, but you’ll probably shell out around $40,000 for one. There’s enough yearning in the market for something simple and cheap, especially with all the economic turmoil these days, this could be a runaway hit.

As a true blank Slate, the truck has gray composite body panels. You can paint it yourself or add a wrap if you want yours to have more flair. Or there are wraps available for purchase from the factory.

The Slate can be customized all sorts of ways from the factory, including lowered, lifted with 32-inch tires, and even with a squared-off or fastback SUV shell over the bed. Yes, you can get a rear bench seat. You can even get a chase rack and take the doors off, making it more like a Jeep Wrangler.

There are many more customization options. Plus, the Slate is supposed to be simple enough for owners to modify later.

Your smartphone or a tablet runs the audio and navigation for the Slate, something we think should be more standard. After all, people usually like and are comfortable with their phone while proprietary systems from automakers are often frustrating, plus they don’t get updated like your phone’s software.

There are also no speakers in the truck, at least unless you add some from the factory or plug in a Bluetooth speaker in the dash cubby.

The Slate also comes with window cranks and manually adjustable mirrors. It’s a no-frills vehicle at a time when people are spending over $1,000 a month for a behemoth loaded with luxurious amenities.

That bed you see is five feet long, making the Slate more utilitarian than the Ford Maverick, in that respect. However, the towing capacity of 1,000 lbs. is honestly laughable, as is the 1,433 lbs. for the payload rating.

One of the big obstacles we can think of for the Slate is the fact the company is a huge unknown. Will build quality be a problem? What’s the post-sales customer service like? Can these trucks hold their value well enough? How reliable will they be?

All that remains to be seen, but with such a low price point, we think a lot of people will just take the chance and try this truck out.

Since it’s an EV, people are going to ask about range. Being a simple vehicle, its range isn’t great at an estimated 150 miles. But for in-city duty, that’s not too bad. A longer-range version will be released, which undoubtedly will cost significantly more.

The Slate will be released for the 2027 model year with deliveries set to start at the end of 2026. You can pay $50 to reserve a Slate right now, a cost that’s fully refundable if you cancel later.

Maybe this will kick off another era of compact trucks that are simple, utilitarian, and cheap.

Images via Slate