Slate Automotive made a stir last year when it promised to give buyers a back-to-basics, stripped-down electric truck that would provide all the money anyone would need for a complete car, for less than $20,000 to start. That promise has, perhaps inevitably, been modified somewhat to date. However, some good news also awaits eager buyers.
Peter Faricci, CEO of Slate Automotive, told detroit free press The company will start printing designs for its customers from next year. “It’s mass customization. You do that,” Faricci said.
slate truck
Base trucks start with a two-door, rear-drive layout with a lithium iron phosphate battery with a range of about 150 miles. From there, the world is your oyster. The Slate offers nothing but a ton of wrap colors, three other body styles, and effectively no climate control inside. “You choose the accessories and colors. We will have 54 basic wraps and 45-50 with metallic finishes and other designs. We will also print designs for people starting in 2027,” Farisi said. The slate will also be able to match specific colors.
Two to four seats, a phone mount, and crank windows comprise the total list of features, though you can add options like integrated speakers, seat accents, and power windows.
However its price has increased. The promised sub-$20k price point is now a “mid-20s” figure. Options and personalization, which is what the Slate has built its business on, will likely push prices past $30,000 very quickly.
slate
After that point, it’ll be about whether buyers who spend that kind of cash on historically cheap gas cars are willing to go for an EV with 150 miles (or less, if you add the Slate’s lift kit and all-terrain tires). The brand’s argument is personalization over performance, but at a time when EV sales are declining following the expiration of federal tax credits, the slate has an uphill battle to fight.
