{"id":6688,"date":"2025-05-14T18:27:59","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T18:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/14\/20k-e-pickup-truck-made-by-bezos-backed-startup-is-surprising-popular\/"},"modified":"2025-05-14T18:28:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T18:28:00","slug":"20k-e-pickup-truck-made-by-bezos-backed-startup-is-surprising-popular","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/14\/20k-e-pickup-truck-made-by-bezos-backed-startup-is-surprising-popular\/","title":{"rendered":"$20K E-Pickup Truck Made by Bezos-backed Startup Is Surprising Popular"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The EV company offers a low-cost pickup truck. \u00a9 Slate Automotive<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Slate Auto, an electric vehicle startup based out of Troy, Mich., has garnered the attention of high-profile investors like Amazon<\/a>\u2019s Jeff Bezos<\/a>. But its product is far from flashy: a no-frills, two-seater pickup truck with a base price under $20,000. The vehicle doesn\u2019t have a touch-screen display or stereo, standard features seen in new cars today. Still, potential customers seem to appreciate the affordable price and retro approach. Slate received over 100,000 reservations less than three weeks after unveiling its pickup truck in April, TechCrunch first reported.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe are truly humbled by America\u2019s response <\/a>to Slate\u2019s brand launch and the launch of our truck,\u201d said Jeremy Snyder<\/a>, Slate\u2019s chief commercial officer, in a statement to TechCrunch. \u201cWe are excited for what the future holds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Investors have also taken notice of Slate\u2019s unconventional approach. In addition to support from Bezos Expeditions, Jeff Bezos\u2019s family office, the company has reportedly raised $700 million<\/a> from backers including General Catalyst and TWG Global\u2014the holding company led by billionaires Mark Walter<\/a> and Thomas Tull<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Slate\u2019s minimalist truck is designed as a \u201cblank slate,\u201d giving customers the freedom to customize it. Instead of traditional paint, the vehicle is made from gray molded polypropylene, but buyers can choose from a wide range of colored vinyl wraps. The standard battery offers a 150-mile range, with an option to upgrade to a 240-mile pack. Customers can also purchase more than four dozen add-on accessories\u2014such as integrated speakers, seat covers and door cubbies\u2014though pricing for these extras hasn\u2019t been disclosed.<\/p>\n

Slate\u2019s base model is a compact truck, but the company plans to offer DIY kits that allow customers to transform the vehicle into different configurations. One kit converts the truck into a five-seat SUV, while another adds van-like cargo space to the pickup.<\/p>\n

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Customers can opt for specialized kits to turn their trucks into a five-seater SUV. \u00a9 Slate Automotive<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More than 100,000 people have already reserved a so-called \u201cSlate Truck,\u201d but that number doesn\u2019t guarantee actual sales. Reservations required only a $50 deposit, which is fully refundable if buyers change their minds.<\/p>\n

Still, with a starting price under $20,000, Slate\u2019s vehicles are among the most affordable EVs on the market. They\u2019re significantly cheaper than the nearly $30,000 Nissan Leaf or $28,000 Ford<\/a> Maverick, and cost a fraction of luxury models like Tesla<\/a>\u2019s Cybertruck or Rivian<\/a>\u2019s R1T, which start above $70,000.<\/p>\n

Slate\u2019s retail price tag is actually in the mid-$20,000 range, but the vehicle is expected to qualify for a $7,500 federal EV tax credit. The company\u2019s U.S.-based supply chain may also shield it from many of the Trump administration\u2019s tariffs on imported cars. Production is slated to begin in late 2026 at a former printing plant in Warsaw, Ind., with a goal of manufacturing 150,000 trucks annually by 2027.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea for Slate goes back to 2022 when several visionary thinkers asked: could we build a radically affordable and simple car?\u201d said Chris Barman<\/a>, Slate\u2019s CEO, during the automaker\u2019s truck unveiling last month. \u201cThen we took it a step further. Could we build it here in America?\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"A<\/p><\/div>\n