Slate Auto, a Michigan-based EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, is promising to deliver something no automaker has managed to do so far: an affordable electric pickup truck for as low as $25,000 — and even less with tax credits.

Slate Auto’s $25,000 Electric Pickup Could Upend the EV Market

With the average cost of a new vehicle close to $50,000 and EVs averaging a whopping $59,000 in America, cheap ways to get around have never been more elusive. Slate Auto, developed in Michigan with funding from Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, is banking on rewriting the book with its new budget pickup truck designed just for regular Americans.

“We saw a giant gap in the market for affordable, safe, and dependable transportation,” Slate Auto CEO Chris Barman, a longtime FCA (now Stellantis) veteran, said in an interview last week.

Tesla and other EV giants have been promising cheaper cars for decades — including the legendary $25,000 Tesla model — but Slate Auto is set to be the first to make it happen.

How Slate Plans to Reach the $25,000 Price Point

Slate’s new pickup truck, to be launched later this week, is all about simplicity and functionality without sacrificing quality.

Key points are:

• Beginning price: $25,000 (potential sub-$20,000 after federal tax credits)
• Base range: 150 miles per charge
• Utility focus: Designed for functionality and reliability

To put it in perspective, current electric pickups like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and Tesla Cybertruck typically cost anywhere from more than $70,000 to over $100,000, which is too expensive for many buyers.

Barman emphasized that every design decision was made with cost in mind. “I grew up on a farm. My first car was an unadorned 1984 Ford Ranger with manual everything,” she recalled. “It gave me freedom — that’s the feeling we want to bring back to today’s buyers.”

Balancing Simplicity and Smart Features

Instead of cutting corners, Slate Auto had a practical approach across the truck’s design process:

• The truck will feature a key fob instead of a blade key, prioritizing ease of use in the dark without the added cost of luxury passive entry systems.
• Every component — from the locking system to the infotainment system — was weighed for cost-effectiveness without compromising usability.

“We strolled system by system, debating what provided actual value versus what only provided cost,” Barman said. “It’s all about intentional engineering, not slashing features blindly.”

The Big Picture: Why Slate Auto Matters

As legacy automakers and new entrants vie for electrification, Slate Auto’s strategy stands out for its focus on affordability. Rather than going after premium customers, Slate is reaching into a gigantic, underpenetrated corner of the market hungry for inexpensive electric mobility.

By doing so, Slate would be in a position to:

• Make EVs more affordable to millions of Americans
• Bring much-needed competition to the low end of the EV market
• Become a leader in affordable, homegrown electric cars

With the backing of such influential names as Jeff Bezos and experienced leadership in mass-market automotive manufacturing, Slate Auto may be especially well-suited to succeed where others have not.