Cover The Slate is a single EV that can be configured as a pickup or an SUV. (Photo: Slate Auto)
The Slate is a single EV that can be configured as a pickup or an SUV. (Photo: Slate Auto)
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Modular like Lego, this small and affordable EV pickup is doing what the big boys can’t
The Slate’s base price might be mistaken for a typo. It is an electric pickup truck with a starting price of under US$27,500. Made in America by automotive startup Slate Auto, it costs less than half of other, more established electric pickups from Ford, GMC, Chevrolet, Rivian and Tesla.
While other carmakers try to pack their vehicles with every tech imaginable, Slate’s strategy is to move in the opposite direction. The pickup’s powertrain may be all-electric but everything else is decidedly tech-free. There are no fully autonomous driving features, no powered seats, no infotainment system and even no powered windows.
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Above The Slate comes in a base pickup form with two seats. (Photo: Slate Auto)
The Slate comes in a base pickup form with two seats. (Photo: Slate Auto)
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This barebones approach is the core of Slate’s philosophy in building a basic two-seat electric pickup truck. The vehicle gets its name from being a blank slate that can be configured with several options by the customer. Unlike anything else currently in the EV pickup segment, the Slate can be upgraded as a five-seater SUV with three body styles.
How big is the Slate?
The very compact single-cab Slate is 174.6 inches long and 70.6 inches wide. By comparison, it is even smaller than compact pickup trucks such as the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. It is dwarfed by mid-size pickup trucks from Nissan, GM and Toyota. The Slate is even shorter than a Tesla Model 3 (185.8 inches). This compact size makes it very manoeuvrable in tight spaces, unlike bulkier pickups and SUVs.
What’s underneath the Slate?
Above The online configurator can be used to create a fully customized Slate (Photo: Slate Auto)
The online configurator can be used to create a fully customized Slate (Photo: Slate Auto)
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Powering the Slate is a single 201-horsepower electric motor that drives the rear wheels. It can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 8 seconds with a top speed of 145 km/h. There’s no all-wheel-drive option.
Two battery packs are available, with the standard pack good for 241 km of range and the extended pack that gives 386 km of range. Charging the Slate takes 4 to 8 hours on AC charging and 30 minutes from 0 to 80 per cent using a DC fast charger.
The Slate can carry up to 635 kg on its bed and tow up to 453 kg. The specs aren’t exactly class-leading when placed beside comparable pickups, but the large 5-foot long bed with 35.1 cubic feet of cargo volume in pickup configuration is larger than a Ford Maverick or a Hyundai Santa Cruz. The frunk has room for two carry-on luggage.
An SUV that you can DIY
Above With removable door and roof panels, the Slate can be configured to be an open-top 5-seater SUV. (Photo: Slate Auto)
With removable door and roof panels, the Slate can be configured to be an open-top 5-seater SUV. (Photo: Slate Auto)
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According to the Slate website, there are over 100 options available for the vehicle, beginning with an SUV kit that gives it an additional three-person rear bench seat, roll bars and a traditional square or fastback roof. The doors and roof can be removed to make it into an open-air SUV similar to a Jeep Wrangler or a Ford Bronco.
Inside the dash, the only basic equipment is a small digital display. There is no infotainment system, but instead, thanks to a modular interior, there are dash mounting options available for either a cellphone or a tablet. There are also rails in the dash and glovebox compartment area for mounting other accessories such as add-on speakers.
Above The Slate’s dash uses a modular system so users can mount either a smartphone or tablet that doubles as the infotainment system. (Photo: Slate Auto)
The Slate’s dash uses a modular system so users can mount either a smartphone or tablet that doubles as the infotainment system. (Photo: Slate Auto)
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The A/C and window controls are all manual, but they can be upgraded later. Outside, the grill panel can be replaced as well as the front and rear bumpers. Seventeen-inch steel rims come as standard wheels but can be configured with larger and more fancier wheels. The Slate’s exterior only comes in grey because that’s the default colour of its composite panels. Further customisation comes in the form of vinyl wraps and stickers that the customers can order. The Slate website has an online configurator that allows users to easily visualise their customised Slate.
Eye on safety
Even with the entry-level price, the Slate’s engineers didn’t skimp on safety when they designed the vehicle to have a 5-star US NCAP rating. Slate comes with traction control, electronic stability control, forward collision warning, front and side curtain airbags, backup camera and even automatic emergency braking.
Deliveries of the Slate are expected to start late 2026, with more accessories in the pipeline, such as a lift kit that raises the vehicle by 2 inches for better clearance or a lowering kit for cruising city streets. All vehicles will be assembled in Slate Auto’s Indiana plant.
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