Overview
- Slate announced Wednesday that its base two‑seat pickup will start at $24,950 and its two SUV variants will start at $29,950, and the company is taking paid preorders with a $300 deposit or $250 for prior $50 reservers.
- The company published preproduction specs that estimate about 205 miles of range from a roughly 64–65 kWh LFP battery, a single rear‑drive motor (~181 hp), 120 kW peak DC charging, 1,550 lb payload and 2,000 lb towing capacity.
- Slate says it has more than 180,000 refundable reservations collected with $50 deposits and plans first deliveries at the end of 2026 with a volume ramp in 2027 and a near‑$400 million factory investment planned in Warsaw, Indiana.
- Key risks remain unresolved: EPA ratings and final production validation are pending, the company must convert reservations into paid orders and prove manufacturing yields, and the loss of a $7,500 federal tax credit has tightened the price window for low‑cost EVs.
- Slate’s strategy relies on simple, unpainted composite panels, manual interiors and a large paid accessories and wrap marketplace to drive margin, a model that could pressure legacy automakers and affect used‑EV supply if it finds traction.