The $25K Electric Truck That Is Bare-Bones, Bezos-Backed, and Built for Tinkering
Slate EV: The $25K Customizable Truck That Could Change the Game this electric pickup truck that only comes in slate gray
A no-frills electric truck that costs about the same as a used Honda Civic, comes in exactly one color, and lets you build it out like a real-life adult Lego project. That is basically what Slate EV is going for with their new affordable electric truck — and honestly, it is kind of brilliant.
Yes, it is called Slate. And yes, it is literally only available in slate gray. Very on-brand.
Oh, and if the name Slate rings a bell in the Silicon Valley echo chamber, that might be because the startup has ties to some ex-Amazon bigwigs. One of them, Jeff Bezos’ family office, is reportedly investing. Quietly, of course. Classic Bezos.
But hold up — let us break this all down like you and I are just chatting at a truck show, cold drink in hand, wondering if this thing is actually worth getting on the reservation list for.
What Exactly Is the Slate EV?
At its core, Slate is a DIY electric pickup that starts at just around $25K. That is not a typo. Twenty-five thousand dollars for an electric vehicle in 2026 is unheard of, especially when Ford, Tesla, and GM are all floating around in the $40K-and-up pool. Slate is cannonballing straight into the shallow end, where actual working folks can afford to play.
The design? Very simple. Think: stripped-down, workhorse-style EV truck that is smaller than a Ford Maverick. So, city-friendly but still very truck-y. You get two options for the battery — one that gives you about 150 miles of range and another that stretches it to 240 miles. No all-wheel drive for now. It is rear-wheel or nothing.
But here is where it gets fun.
“We Built It, You Make It” — What Does That Even Mean?
That is literally the Slate motto. And honestly, it sums up the whole philosophy. The truck comes plain as can be. No paint shop. No chrome. No factory extras. Just a slate gray EV with the basics.
Want more? Cool — you add it yourself. Seriously.
You can slap on vinyl wraps, snap-on body parts, or even transform the whole thing into a budget SUV with an aftermarket roof kit. They are selling it as a kind of open-source EV, where your imagination (and maybe your YouTube DIY skills) are the only limit.
Slate will offer a boatload of custom pieces you can install yourself — kind of like buying parts for a gaming PC. Or downloading apps for your phone. One exec even compared it to an EV App Store. Not going to lie, that actually makes sense.
So if you are the kind of person who loves weekend projects, 3D-printing taillight covers, or wrapping your truck in a wild matte-orange tiger print… well, this thing might be your new obsession.
Is This Just a Hipster Toy, or Can It Actually Haul Stuff?
Let us be real — this is not a luxury Tesla clone. There are no voice-activated massage seats or falcon-wing doors. This is a truck for hauling mulch, hauling gear, or just hauling yourself to work without draining your savings on gas.
It is built with a kind of throwback ethos: simple, durable, no-BS trucks. Think working-class America, not tech bros flexing their startup bonuses.
The parts are mostly made in America (except for stuff like the tires). The body is made from pre-dyed composite panels — no need for expensive paint booths or metal stamping. And all of that means the price stays low and the production stays nimble. Smart move, honestly.
Also, by skipping all the fancy factory options, they keep the assembly line lean. That is one of the reasons why Slate says they might actually be profitable from the jump, unlike other EV startups that burn through billions before selling car number one.
Wait, Did You Say Bezos Is Involved?
Kind of. Jeff Bezos himself is not wrenching bolts on the factory floor or anything. But his family office reportedly has a stake in Slate. Passive investment. No press releases, no board meetings. Just quiet backing.
Still, his name being even loosely attached to this adds some serious weight. Especially since other Amazon-tied EV ventures (ahem, Rivian) have had a rockier road.
The team behind Slate also includes former Amazon Consumer CEO Jeff Wilke, and they are aiming squarely at real-world customers who need cheap, customizable electric vehicles — not status symbols.
So, Should You Actually Care About the Slate Truck?
If you have been waiting for an EV pickup that does not break the bank, this might be your moment.
If you want a work truck that is cheap, American-built, easy to fix, and open to mods, Slate feels like it is checking those boxes.
If you love the idea of a customizable electric vehicle that looks how you want it to look — without paying a dealership markup just to get a different color — then yes, you should absolutely be watching this space.
Reservations are already open. Production kicks off in late 2026. That feels like a long wait, but in EV-world terms? Pretty normal.
From a Truck Nerd
Look, nobody knows if Slate will actually pull it off. This is a tough market. The EV boom is slowing down. And the political winds (and tariffs) are not exactly favorable right now. But something about Slate just feels fresh. Different.
They are not trying to reinvent trucks. They are trying to make them affordable again — and give you the freedom to turn a basic electric chassis into whatever the heck you want.
So if you have got DIY in your DNA and have always wanted to mod your own electric truck without needing an engineering degree… well, this might just be your dream project on wheels.
You might want to get your name on that list before the rest of the internet catches on.