The Slate Truck, a new all-electric pickup from Michigan-based Slate Auto, has had its first test drive by journalists. The vehicle is defined by what it does not have. No paint. No stereo. No touchscreen. A small screen behind the steering wheel that turns on instantly with no loading screen. A plastic key that you physically push into a slot in the dashboard to start the vehicle. You put it in drive by pulling a lever on the right side of the steering column. Engadget

The starting price is $24,950, which Slate calls the "Most Affordable Truck in America." PR Newswire That price is higher than the sub-$20,000 target the company originally announced. Slate blames the increase on federal policy changes under the Trump administration. Engadget

The Truck seats two people and has a five-foot cargo bed. It can carry 1,550 pounds in the bed and tow 2,000 pounds. It can go up to 205 miles on a single charge. The 2027 model comes in just one version from the factory. It is built on Slate's own "Slateboard" platform, which uses a traditional truck design where the body sits on top of a separate steel frame, made from ultra-high-strength steel. Slate Auto The platform is designed to be modified over time. Slate will sell a $5,000 kit that adds a second row of seats and a hard cover over the bed, turning the truck into an SUV. Slate Auto

The company says the Truck has fewer than half the parts of a typical truck. PR Newswire The body panels are shaped to make it easy to apply vinyl wrap, which matters because the vehicle comes without paint. Inside, the truck uses real buttons and switches instead of a touchscreen. PR Newswire

The driving experience, based on the roughly one-hour test drive by Engadget, is modest. The truck accelerates slowly, especially in reverse, and loses power by around 30 mph. The reviewer spun the rear wheels twice during the test, meaning the 181-horsepower motor sends more power to the wheels than the truck can handle smoothly. The interior plastics were described as unpleasant to touch and not much better to look at. Engadget

Slate Auto is backed by Jeff Bezos and raised $650 million in funding in April 2026. Reuters The company has promised deliveries will begin before the end of 2026. Autoweek

The base vehicle is called a "blank" Slate truck inside the company and in its marketing. Reuters The idea is simple: by removing everything that can be added later, Slate keeps the factory simpler, uses fewer parts, and cuts assembly costs. If a buyer wants a stereo, a second row of seats, or a painted finish, they pay for it through add-ons and kits rather than through upgraded versions at a dealership.

The open question is whether this approach finds buyers at $24,950. The original sub-$20,000 price would have made the Truck a genuinely disruptive entry point into electric vehicle ownership. At $4,950 more, the deal is less compelling, especially when you add the $5,000 SUV kit for anyone who needs more than two seats. A fully configured SUV approaches $30,000 before any additional accessories, which puts it in the same price range as more conventional new and used options.

The parts-reduction strategy is worth noting. Fewer than half the parts of a typical truck means fewer suppliers, fewer assembly steps, and fewer things that can break. It also means fewer things to build accessories around if the add-on ecosystem Slate is counting on does not take off. The modular platform and the single factory configuration are sensible engineering choices aimed at keeping manufacturing costs low. The tradeoff is that the vehicle, as it arrives from the factory, is bare in a way that goes beyond simple minimalism. Unpleasant interior plastics and a motor that runs out of power above 30 mph are not problems that a vinyl wrap or an accessory kit can fix.

Slate has built a vehicle that is easy to understand and hard to dismiss. A sub-$25,000, American-built electric pickup with a 205-mile range and real cargo capacity serves a part of the market that no major automaker currently reaches at that price. The question is whether the execution, particularly in performance and interior quality, can meet the standard that the concept sets. The first drive suggests it clears that bar narrowly, if at all. Deliveries before the end of 2026 will provide the answer.