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What Slate Auto’s $25,000 Electric Pickup Truck Is Like in Person
The New York Times • • business
Key Points:
- Slate Auto is launching a minimalist electric pickup truck priced around $25,000, aiming to attract buyers with affordability amid a market where average new pickups exceed $64,000.
- The truck features basic amenities, such as manually cranked windows and a single gray color option, emphasizing simplicity to keep costs low.
- Despite challenges like fluctuating tariffs, material costs, and the loss of federal EV tax credits, Slate has received 180,000 reservations and 10,000 confirmed orders with a $300 nonrefundable deposit.
- The company plans to sell the vehicle directly to customers online, targeting annual sales of 150,000 units, though questions remain about its ability to compete with better-funded electric vehicle manufacturers.
- Slate recently revealed the updated price of $24,950 at its Carson, California design studio, indicating it absorbed some costs due to the disappearance of the anticipated federal subsidy.
