Slate Simplified Its EV Truck To One Battery, 205 Miles Of Range, And A $24,995 Price, Quietly Changing Four Key Specs Before Opening Orders

This as-told-to news article is based on a Linkedin post and conversation with Adam Bernard, an auto industry detective from Royal Oak, Michigan, with 25 years at GM. It has been edited for clarity and length.

Fourteen months after its surprise debut, Slate’s electric truck is now a real product you can order, and offers hope for those looking for an affordable EV.

After successfully operating under the radar for three years, Slate unveiled their brand-spanking-new electric truck last spring and today revealed the (not entirely surprising) base price of a hair under $25,000. Since its debut, some changes have happened.

Slate Quietly Changed Four Key Specs Before Opening Orders For Its $24,995 Electric Truck

Instead of a small battery and a large battery (180 miles or 240 miles range, respectively), there’s now a single US-built battery (now using lower-lithium iron phosphate technology) offering 205 miles of range. That number is perhaps a little more psychologically reassuring (but still too short for some), and the manufacturing team is likely thrilled that the number of build combinations coming out of the factory has been halved.

Mass is up about 400 pounds (likely due in part to the less power-dense battery), but towing capacity has doubled to 2,000 pounds, and payload is 150 pounds better at 1,550. Power is also down a bit, from 201hp to 181hp, so it’s still no rocket ship but quite adequate.

While we knew the SUV kit would cost an additional $5,000, we now know the slick fastback kit will add $7,000 to the base price.

RepairPal was announced last fall as Slate’s service partner, with over 200 locations certified for EV repair

With plenty of talk about minimalism, screen overload, and digital detox, Slate has attracted a lot of attention (and even spawned an ICE competitor from the startup REO Trucks). There are still a few points to ponder.

Slate still faces the challenge of filling a factory capable of building 140,000 vehicles per year.

It’s not quite clear who Slate’s logistics/delivery partners are. Carvana has been granted the option to invest in Slate, and would be a logical choice to help get trucks to customers, but that doesn’t appear to be official yet.

I’d tell you more about the Slate fastback that I built (shown here), but a number of the options listed on the website say, ‘Price coming soon’ and/or ‘Preview unavailable’, so one hopes those gaps will be filled in quickly.

Slate’s plant can build 140,000 units a year, while Slate says they will have positive free cash flow and EBIT by the end of next year. They haven’t indicated what their breakeven volume is, and I suspect that, given the slowdown in EV demand, the forecasts today aren’t what they were two years ago.

I still question the demand for a two-seat pickup (a rare configuration these days in any size truck), and so I hope they are planning significant numbers of SUV and fastback kits.

I applaud Slate for generating discussion around affordability and innovation, and I look forward to seeing their trucks on the streets. Let’s hope they can close out those few final issues between now and the end of the year.

Two questions from Torque News:

What do you think is more important in an affordable electric truck: a starting price under $25,000 or a longer driving range than the Slate's 205 miles? Why?

If Slate's electric truck starts at $24,995 and can tow 2,000 pounds with a 1,550-pound payload, would you seriously consider buying one, or would the two-seat layout be a dealbreaker for you?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. We read every comment and look forward to hearing your perspective.

Also see: A $24,950 Slate EV Truck Price Leak Generated Enormous Interest Because Affordable Cars Are Becoming Rare.

Return tomorrow, or check our Torque News Home Page for more interesting automotive news articles.

Images by Armen Hareyan.

About The Author

Armen Hareyan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Torque News and an automotive journalist with over 15 years of experience writing car reviews and industry news. Now based in the Charlotte region (Indian Land, SC, he founded Torque News in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News on X, Linkedin, Facebook, and Youtube. Armen holds three Masters Degrees, including an MBA, and has become one of the known voices in the industry, specializing in the landscape of electric vehicles and real-world stories of actual car owners. Armen focuses on providing readers with transparent, data-backed analysis bridging the gap of complex engineering and car buyer practicality. Armen frequently participates in automotive events throughout the United States, national and local car reveals and personally test-drives new vehicles every week. Armen has also been published as an automotive expert in publications like the Transit Tomorrow, discussing how will autonomous vehicles reshape the supply chain, and emerging technologies in vehicle maintenance.