Slate Auto promises to turn the car industry on its head with a radically simplified, actually affordable electric vehicle. Just how affordable will the Slate pickup be? We’ll know more soon, the startup said on Thursday.
Slate posted a short clip to social media, teasing plans to reveal pricing in late June. In the video, CEO Chris Barman confirmed that the most basic “Blank Slate” model will still start in the mid-$20,000 range.
“We’ve been working tirelessly to get the lowest price possible. And while we’re not pencils down just yet, we’re wrapping negotiations on final parts with suppliers,” she said. “We’re on track to share new info on the price in June. We think it’ll be worth the wait.”
While previous EV startups from Tesla to Lucid kicked things off with high-end, low volume models to maximize early revenue, Slate is taking a different approach. Its two-door electric pickup will come from the factory without options by default. Then it’s up to the end buyer to slap on accessories like electric window switches (to replace the standard window cranks), speakers, fancier seats and the like.
Another party trick: The pickup can transform into a variety of SUVs through bolt-on kits that include extra seats, a roof, a roll cage and airbags. It’s a proposition unlike anything that’s been offered in the auto market before.
Production is set to begin in Indiana by the end of this year. Slate’s success hinges on a lot of things: manufacturing execution, an adequate sales and service experience, consumer education. The vehicle’s price will certainly be a big factor too. When the company came out of stealth last April, a central part of its pitch was a starting price below $20,000, less than half the average price of a new vehicle in the U.S. But that included $7,500 in federal incentives that are no longer available.
During an interview with InsideEVs last month, Barman said that the truck’s price was still TBD.
“We’re still having discussions on that,” she said. “We’re still working really closely with our suppliers to see what opportunities we have to continue to bring costs down, to see what we can do to pass along to the customer before we announce final pricing.”
Soon, we’ll have a better sense of where those discussions landed—and how competitive the Slate truck will be.
Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
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