We Ride Along in Slate's $25,000 Electric Pickup

June 24, 2026

Roberto Baldwin

The Slate electric pickup will start at $24,950 and ship with 205 miles of range for the entry-level battery pack.

The automotive startup with a factory based in Warsaw, Indiana, announced the price and specs for the bare-bones vehicle at an event this week in Gardena, California. The automaker is hoping that potential customers are tired of paying extra for screens and driver assistance features and will embrace the simplicity of buttons and rolling up the windows with a crank. The dream of the ‘90s apparently remains alive at Slate.

Slow ride, take it EV

The pickup (or SUV) sits on a 400-volt architecture and is outfitted with a 65-kWh (63-kWh usable) LFP battery pack as standard. The long-range battery pack that Slate previously announced has disappeared. At launch, the company will only offer the 205-mile pack.

The rear-wheel-drive, single-motor setup puts out 181 hp (135 kW) and 195 lb-ft (264 Nm) and can get to 60 mph (97 km/h) in about eight seconds. Top speed is 90 mph (145 km/h). During my ride in the vehicle, I found it to be surprisingly well-mannered for a pre-production vehicle. The acceleration, while not overly quick, required the system to keep from squealing the tires. For those interested, the traction control can be disabled.

The acceleration curve was appropriate, as were the cornering abilities. Finally, the rough portions of the road were properly swallowed by the suspension. The ride quality was solid without being too smooth or twitchy, thanks in part to the McPherson struts up front and De Dion axle with coil springs in the rear. Slate says that it will begin production in Q4 2026. I will be better informed once Slate gives journalists the opportunity to drive early production vehicles, which should be ready in a few months.

Slate is clearly targeting the around-town set. DC fast-charging via NACS (SAE J3400) tops out at 120 kW. Yes, you can take a road trip in the vehicle, but it's going to take longer due to the increased charging stops and the charging rate. Slate states that the vehicle will charge from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes.

The 11-kW Level 2 AC charging is more impressive, able to go from 20% to 100% in four hours. This could appeal to fleet managers looking for an inexpensive vehicle that can slow charge over lunch or between shifts at a respectable rate.

Slate has increased the payload and tow ratings from its earlier statements. The bed can be filled with up to 1,500 lbs (680 kg) 100 pounds (45 kg) more than previously announced, and the pickup can tow up to 2,000 lbs (907 kg) instead of the original 1,000-lb (454 kg) number. These numbers do take a hit when the SUV package is added. Then, the load rating drops to 1,263 lbs (573 kg) and the tow rating drops to 1,824 lbs (827 kg).

For offroading, the base vehicle has 7.8 in (20 cm) of ground clearance. The lift kit adds an additional two inches (5 cm). At the event, Slate showed off a raised off-road SUV with off-road tires and a sunset-inspired wrap. The price tag for that was approximately $35,000, showing that you can push up the price of the vehicle quickly as options get added.

Less is more, until you buy more

Part of Slate's business model is to sell accessories either during the initial purchase or some time down the road. The later on down the road part is intriguing. You could buy the base pickup and later on purchase one of the two SUV kits (Squareback or Fastback). If you decide you want to go with the SUV kit, the starting price is $29,950. But again, you don't have to buy it immediately; you can decide later.

The slate doesn't even come with a radio at its base price, but the company says an online marketplace will have more than 500 items available at launch. (Roberto Baldwin)

The Slate Marketplace will have over 200 items, and the automaker syas 80% of those items will be available under $500. In addition to different grilles and light treatments, Slate will sell you roof racks, stereos, and vehicle wraps. The wraps are also under $500, unless you want something custom, then the cost jumps to $1,299. Slate will flag any custom wraps it deems inappropriate. Installation is either DIY (Slate recommends 12-16 hours with two people) or DIFM (i.e., pay someone). All items in the Marketplace have a DIY difficulty signifier, which range from beginner to moderate to advanced.

Slate told SAE that it will not sell driver data to third parties and will only use the data for diagnostics, updates, service, etc. Instead, the company wants to sell you all the accessories. It will ship with a companion app. While the base vehicle does not come with a modem, one is available for $275 and comes with one year of service. With it, drivers can check on and start things remotely.

For those with 3D printers, Slate has told SAE that it supports this community and will share files to help individuals print out their own items for the vehicle. If the vehicle does well, also expect third parties to create items for the modular pickup. Slate says that those third parties can partner with Slate to sell their wares on Slate's marketplace.

Long Run

The direct-to-customer sales model has its fans, but for those with these vehicles from new companies, finding a service center can be difficult without the established dealer model. Slate believes it has a solution. For those interested in DIY service, it will have Slate U an online series of videos and guides to help walk owners through modding and servicing their vehicles (not counting high-voltage items). The company has also announced a network of over 3,000 RepairPal shops, including 100 service centers that can do work on the high-voltage system.

Slate's modular system allows for a variety of body setups. (Roberto Baldwin)

When asked if the software would also be either open source or if owners would have access to the system, Slate's president of autos told SAE Media that via the app, customers can access diagnostic information both at a high level and with additional information for DIYers.

The vehicle will also come with a 10-year/110,000-mile powertrain and battery warranty. Essentially, on par with the offerings of other EVs on the road.

Those who have already put down a $50 deposit have until July 24, 2026, to pay the additional $250 to secure their delivery window. Those who would rather test drive a vehicle before placing an order can follow the Slate roadshow. The pop-up events will soon offer test drives. There are no plans for brick-and-mortar stores.

Within a few hours of Slate opening the order books, the company announced that over 10,000 Slate pickups have been pre-ordered. Crunch time is coming for Slate to find out if its barebones electric pickup will find an audience of people who just want an EV without all the extra tech.