Jeff Bezos-backed automaker unveils affordable EV pickup truck

For the Jeff Bezos-backed electric vehicle startup Slate Auto, it's all about that "base."

The company on Thursday unveiled its pickup truck that minimalists and bargain buyers alike might gravitate toward.

The base model, bare-bones EV features a simple dashboard with knobs to control heating and air conditioning, crank windows and a phone mount to play music. The vehicle doesn't come equipped with an infotainment system or speakers, though the latter can be added as an accessory – one of many offered by Slate.

The base vehicle doesn't come painted, but buyers have the option to wrap it in different colors. Customers can also transform the standard two-seat pickup truck model into a five-seat SUV with a special kit.

Slate's EV comes with two battery options: a 52.7-kWh battery pack that targets a range of 150 miles and an 84.3-kWh pack with a target range of 240 miles. The cargo bed is 35.1 cubic feet and 5 feet long. The front cargo area – called the "frunk" – is 7 cubic feet.

The company is currently accepting reservations for the vehicle, which is slated to be delivered to buyers around late 2026, for a refundable $50. It expects to price the blank Slate vehicle at under $20,000, after the $7,500 federal clean vehicle tax credit. 

Slate was born from Re:Build Manufacturing, a company founded by Jeff Wilke, the former CEO of Amazon’s worldwide consumer business. Slate received $111 million in Series A funding in 2023 (under the name Re:Car), according to a regulatory filing. Melinda Lewison, who manages Jeff Bezos' family office, is listed as a director in the filing.

TechCrunch, citing sources, reported that the company told employees that it closed a round of Series B funding last year, but has not yet filed paperwork for that round with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

While the vehicle doesn't look like a Tesla Cybertruck and is expected to retail for much less, it may create another lane of rivalry between Elon Musk and Bezos with the billionaires. The two already compete with their own space companies, SpaceX and Blue Origin, respectively.