Slate’s upcoming 2027 electric pickup aims to shake up the EV market by offering extreme affordability, radical customization options, and a return to simplicity. The Slate Truck will start at just under $27,500, and with the federal EV tax credit, the price could drop below $20,000, making it one of the cheapest electric vehicles available in the United States.
The Slate Truck comes from Slate, a company born out of Re: Build Manufacturing, a conglomerate founded by former Amazon executive Jeff Wilke and Cannon Capital’s Miles Arnone. Founded in 2022, Slate secured over $111 million in funding by 2023, reportedly with investment support from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Slate’s vision focuses on practical electric vehicles that prioritize manufacturing efficiency and modularity.
The Slate Truck delivers on this philosophy with a stripped-down design, offering only basic standard features like a digital gauge cluster (which doubles as a rearview camera), power locks, cruise control, forward collision warning, and automated emergency braking. It intentionally omits luxuries like built-in audio systems, electric windows, or even speakers. Instead, Slate encourages drivers to use their own smartphones or tablets for navigation, music, and communication, offering optional docks through its accessories lineup.
Customization is the heart of Slate’s approach. Over 100 accessories will be available at launch, allowing buyers to tailor the truck to their exact needs. Options include installing power windows, adding sound systems, lifting or lowering kits, vinyl wraps for body panels and steel wheels, and even an SUV conversion kit. This SUV kit, one of Slate’s most ambitious options, adds a rear roof panel, a three-across bench seat, a roll bar, and additional rear airbags, transforming the minimalist truck into a functional utility vehicle.
Performance-wise, the Slate Truck is powered by a single rear-mounted motor delivering 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, achieving a manufacturer-estimated 0–60 mph time of around eight seconds. It will come standard with a 47-kWh battery offering approximately 150 miles of range, with an optional 75-kWh battery extending that to about 240 miles. Fast charging at up to 120 kW will be supported, helping to keep charging times competitive.
Physically, the Slate Truck is compact, measuring 174.6 inches in length, making it shorter than a Subaru Crosstrek, yet it offers a five-foot bed and a sizable 7.0-cubic-foot front trunk. Payload capacity stands at 1433 pounds, with towing capacity rated at 1000 pounds. Compared to the Ford Maverick, the Slate Truck provides competitive hauling capabilities, albeit in a simpler, two-passenger format.
Cost-saving measures like unpainted composite body panels help keep production expenses low, while optional vinyl wraps allow customers to personalize the truck’s appearance. Slate’s factory, described as a “reindustrialized” facility in the U.S. Midwest, will focus on streamlined production, sending out nearly identical trucks except for battery size variations.
While the Slate Truck’s bare-bones equipment may be a tough sell for buyers seeking traditional EV luxuries, the combination of affordability, practicality, and massive customization potential makes it an intriguing option for a different kind of consumer. Especially when factoring in federal and state incentives, buyers could see final prices dip below $16,500 in some regions, making it an unparalleled value proposition.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in late 2026, with Slate expected to provide more detailed information about accessory pricing, service partnerships, and possible financing options closer to launch. As Slate positions itself to offer one of the most affordable and flexible EVs in the U.S., the 2027 Slate Truck could very well carve out a new space in the evolving electric vehicle landscape.
