First Look at the SLATE Electric Truck | Minimalist EV Utility Vehicle

If you haven’t heard of Slate…. This may interest you!

This video provides an overview of the SLATE electric truck. SLATE is a compact, two-seat, rear-wheel-drive electric pickup with a minimalist design. It features a simple interior layout and a flat exterior surface intended for wraps and customization. The platform is designed for short-range, light-duty use and basic utility needs.

SLATE is positioned for practical applications including commercial use, small business fleets, and first-time EV operators who need a functional, entry-level electric truck. The configuration prioritizes simplicity, ease of use, and basic functionality over premium interior materials and advanced in-cabin technology.

Transcript:

Hey, I’m Janna. Today I’m with Slate Automotive to look at what they’re calling an affordable EV.

If you don’t like EVs, that’s fine—just keep listening. This is expected to start in the mid-$20,000 range, and it’s a blank slate—literally—for you to do whatever you want with it. It can be a truck. It can be a fastback SUV. It can be open, Bronco-style, or you can go squareback. The options are genuinely wide open.

Let me show you what they’re going for here.

First off, I know you guys well enough to know the wrap and paint on this particular one probably isn’t your style. Slate had an artist come in and create this wrap as an example, but that’s the point: it’s more of an idea board than a finished product. Slate says you should be able to wrap it yourself for around $500 in your driveway, in a couple of hours. They’ve even built in grid lines to make a DIY wrap easier.

Have a work truck? Put your company name right here. Love pumpkin latte season? Make it pumpkin-colored. For $500, you’ve got options.

They’re also keeping the base truck affordable by starting with a basic steel wheel. It may not be everyone’s favorite look, but you can decorate it, wrap it, or replace it.

And listen—I know this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. This is for people who need reliable transportation from A to B at an affordable price. Slate says pricing should start in the mid-$20,000s for the basic pickup, and everything you add is obviously an add-on.

It’s also unfortunate that the EV tax credit just expired, because that could’ve pushed this close to under $20,000. I’m not getting political—I’m just saying Slate clearly knows that situation affects pricing, and that’s part of why they haven’t released an official MSRP yet.

Now, the interior is what really makes this interesting.

For that starting price, everything is manual. You’re rolling the windows up and down by hand. You’re adjusting the seat manually. This window area is also designed to be removable or repositioned, because you can move the whole B-pillar rearward—that’s part of what converts it into an SUV configuration.

Inside, there are no screens at all. None. You basically get heat and air conditioning—which I appreciate, because I can’t live without that. But Slate is also leaning into the idea that you bring your own tech. You can add screens, install an aftermarket display, or just mount your phone on a bracket and use it for navigation like most of us already do.

You’ve got lots of storage, cupholders, and a really nice front trunk—which I’ll show you in a second.

As it sits in base form, it’s a small pickup. And I swear, it’s about the size of the little trucks I grew up around—think older compact pickups from back in the day. The wheelbase and footprint are what they are, and Slate’s idea is that you build from that foundation.

From there, you can add different kits. You can buy a kit and do it at home, or order it from Slate already configured. You can add a rear bench seat. You can go open-air with roll bars, Bronco-style. You can do the fastback. Or you can go squareback. Honestly, the options are endless.

One of my favorite things about EVs is when you get a front trunk, and Slate delivers a big frunk. There’s a manual release: you remove a panel, pull a cord, and it pops open.

Now, let’s talk range. With the standard battery, Slate is quoting about 150 miles. You can upgrade to an extended battery for about 240 miles, which is perfect for around-town driving—work-truck duty, service calls, a teen driver, a first car.

You’re not towing a boat with this thing, but you can haul ten bags of mulch home from Home Depot.

So what do you think? I know it’s polarizing, but I do think it’s unique. It answers a question a lot of people are asking: where are the affordable new cars—new cars with the latest safety—without forcing you to pay for tech you don’t use?

You bring your own tech. You don’t need to learn a whole new interface. And you’re not paying for features you’ll never touch.

The other big angle here is personalization. If you’re creative, if you like to customize everything—if you’re an artist, or you just want something unique—this concept is tailor-made for you. I’m not that person. I’d probably go with a basic black Slate. But I can see the appeal.

Slate isn’t on sale yet, but you can reserve one now on their website for $50. And they’re saying these should be on the roads by the end of next year—so we’ll see.

If you like this kind of “brand of chaos” and you like new car reviews, I’m all over social media. I post most on TikTok and Instagram. You can find me at realmomcarreviews.com and right here on YouTube.

That’s all I’ve got. Thanks for watching.

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