Slate Auto, an electric vehicle (EV) startup backed by Jeff Bezos, shocked the car industry in April 2025 when it emerged from stealth mode. The company has been operating in secret for three years in Troy, Michigan, with plans to produce an ultra-cheap, customizable electric pickup truck starting at around $25,000.
The truck's unique business model leverages expertise from former employees of Harley-Davidson and Chrysler to offer deep customization options, including changes to the number of seats and overall silhouette. Slate has already received over 100,000 refundable reservations for its affordable EV truck, despite the loss of the federal EV tax credit in September.
Slate's production plans are on track, with a former printing plant in Warsaw, Indiana eyed as the location for its factory. The company is expected to launch commercial production by the end of 2026 and has tapped a new CEO, Peter Faricy, a former Amazon Marketplace VP, to lead the effort.
