American Truck Starts with a Clean Slate

Slate offers a back-to-basics, modular, electric truck with around half the number of parts that a conventional truck has and that means it’s cheap. So cheap, in fact, that it’s America’s least expensive new vehicle on sale.

And when I mean basic, there is no touchscreen, no audio system and roll-down windows. This is a proper utility vehicle, not a luxury land barge with a flat bed, so it comes with proper tactile controls.

It’s also un-big, meaning that it won’t require a quarter of a megawatt-hour battery pack to make it move, and - conversely - it will be incredibly cheap to run, too, and that’s something that people in the Western World are paying more attention to these days.

At 4,424 mm in length with a 993 litre cargo bed/area, and a further 200 litres of frunk storage, plus a bed length of 1,424 mm, the Slate represents a much smaller proposition than a Ford F150 Lightning which is just under 6 meters in length. In fact, its as though Slate has wound the clock back 35 years to a time when pickup trucks sensible sizes.

Slate CEO Peter Faricy says “Slate gives customers the freedom to buy only what they need today and personalize their vehicle as their needs change tomorrow. We’re excited to start seeing Slates on roads across America later this year. More than 180,000 reservation holders have told us they’re ready for a vehicle that’s affordable, reliable, and built around their lives.”

The Slate is highly customisable with over 200 accessories available ensuring it’s the perfect truck that the customer needs. And this is where it gets interesting because, looking at their website, not only can you spec it as a pickup, or SUV with different rear ends, but the list is seemingly endless with wraps, lights, decals, roof racks, rear bed covers, styling upgrades, wheels and suspension options. Customers can also upgrade the interior looks, add more buttons, add bluetooth audio systems and even add Slatelets - whatever they may be.

Priced from $24,950, Slate says it will sell their pickup truck direct to the consumer, bypassing the expense of a dealership network. It’s unique selling point means that customers can order it as a pickup or as an SUV or even convert it after purchase.
The two SUVs that Slate offers are a Squareback and Fastback, starting at $29,950.

For that starting price, customers will get 205 miles of EPA rated range, which is a much accurate measurement than WLTP. They’ll also be able to tow up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) which is approximately a couple of jet ski’s worth, and the payload is rated at 1,550 lb (703 kg), which is ample given the smaller dimensions of the vehicle.

Slate says there are over 200 accessories from the Slate Marketplace, with over 80% of those accessories priced under $500 including roof racks, stereos, zip off seat covers, and light covers.

There’s also over 100 wrap colors at launch, but any custom color can be provided, too, with full vehicle wraps costing under $500, and all are applied professionally and swiftly within hours.

Slate is set to be America's least expensive vehicle to purchase, insure and service and Slate will allow customers to carry out most repairs themselves using the ‘Slate U’ guide. And despite self-servicing, the Slate comes with 10-year/110,000-mile battery and powertrain warranty to ensure peace of mind.

Pre-order books are already open and customers in the United States can reserve a Slate for $300 with first deliveries expected in Q4 2026. Ahead of taking delivery, customers can start to personalise their Slate.

For now the Slate remains a North American only vehicle, but I sincerely hope to see it on sale in the U.K. as I would much rather see these types of pickups being bought in large numbers than the leviathan’s that we have on the roads these days.

And here is where I will share my beef with pickups, because they’re having their renaissance of sorts here, but it seems the more I see on the roads, the smaller the U.K. feels as they out-big a Transit van in size and mass.

Don’t get me wrong, they have their place as a dependable and versatile workhorse, but I usually see pristine examples with flared wheel arches and big-bro wheels in supermarket and gym car parks. And due to their immense size, they occupy multiple bays because the U.K. just isn’t large enough for this type of privately owned vehicle in their masses.

The Slate represents a shift to common sense for many looking for a pickup that don’t need something the size of a large van. But, in America where it seems a bigger-is-better attitude prevails - and where the pickup truck market is really quite huge - it may have a challenge on its hands to sell them. But then again, it may just be a breath of fresh air.

Author

Graeme Cobb is a car enthusiast who loves writing about cars, EVs and the automotive industry. 100% Amateur.

You can find Graeme on 𝕏 at @graeme_cobb