Bezos-Backed Slate Auto Debuts $25k EV Pickup Truck

On April 24, 2025, TechCrunch reported that Slate Auto, the exciting new electric vehicle (EV) startup backed by Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos, made its debut in Long Beach, California.

Slate Auto is a three-year-old startup, and it’s making waves for all the right (and unexpected) reasons. Meet the Blank Slate, an electric truck that starts under $20,000 after the federal EV tax credit and is designed with simplicity, adaptability, and affordability in mind. The company says it plans to get trucks into customers’ hands by the end of 2026.

But this isn’t your typical high-tech EV. In fact, it’s the opposite. The Blank Slate doesn’t come with power windows, a touchscreen, or even paint. What it does come with is a refreshingly analog approach that feels more DIY project than Silicon Valley spaceship.

Instead of a traditional base model that just lacks features, Slate embraces minimalism and offers buyers the chance to build the vehicle they want—either right away or gradually, as their needs (and budgets) evolve. For $50, prospective buyers can reserve a spot in line, refundable if they change their minds.

The auto industry “has been so focused on autonomy and technology in the vehicle, it’s driven prices to a place that most Americans simply can’t afford,” chief commercial officer Jeremy Snyder said during the event, which Inside EVs live streamed. “But we’re here to change that.”

“We are building the affordable vehicle that has long been promised but never been delivered,” CEO Chris Barman added.

What’s Under the Hood (and in the Frunk)

The base version will feature:

• A 52.7kWh battery delivering around 150 miles of range
• A 150kW rear-mounted motor
• An optional larger battery for 240 miles of range
• NACS (Tesla) charging port

Functionality-wise, it’s compact but practical:

• 17-inch wheels
• 5-foot truck bed
• 1,400 lbs payload capacity
• 1,000 lbs towing capacity
• A 7-cubic-foot frunk

Compared to competitors like the Ford Maverick, the Blank Slate is smaller and less powerful, but then again, it’s not trying to be a Ford F-150. It’s designed to be a canvas—literally and figuratively.

Wrap It Your Way

Don’t like the color? That’s because it doesn’t have one. Slate ships the Blank Slate unpainted and leans into vehicle wrapping kits instead—another cost-saving, regulation-avoiding move that turns customization into a feature, not a flaw.

Buyers can pick from dozens of wrap styles, or go full DIY. You can even name your truck and emboss that name on the tailgate. Want to change the style next year? No problem. Peel and swap.

Transform Your Truck — No Wrench Required

Customization is more than just a few accessories. Slate says it will launch with over 100 accessories, ranging from infotainment systems and roof racks to conversion kits that allow the Blank Slate to morph into a five-seat SUV—and back again.

Don’t worry if you’re not a “gearhead.” The company promises these mods are “easy DIY,” and Slate University (yes, that’s what they’re calling it) will offer how-to videos and support. Prefer to leave it to the pros? Certified partners will offer install services, too.

Safety First, Startup Swagger Second

While the base model may feel retro in its simplicity, Slate isn’t skipping on safety. You’ll get:

• Automatic emergency braking
• Airbags
• Backup camera

The essentials are there—just without the fluff.

Betting on a Different Kind of EV Future

While other EV startups are burning through billions chasing luxury or performance markets, Slate is flipping the script. By starting low-cost and offering margin-boosting upgrades, the company hopes to build a viable, long-term business.

And it’s not going at it alone.

Slate is backed by some heavy hitters, including Jeff Bezos, Mark Walter (of Guggenheim Partners and LA Dodgers fame), and has reportedly raised over $111 million so far. Nearly 400 employees are already onboard, and more are being hired to help ramp up domestic production in Indiana.

“We believe vehicles should be affordable and desirable,” Barman said, adding that Slate’s truck “is a vehicle people are actually going to love and be proud to own.”

A Blank Canvas in a Noisy Industry

The EV world is filled with bold claims and flashy launches, but Slate is offering something quietly revolutionary: a truly affordable, adaptable, and approachable electric vehicle for the masses.

Whether or not Slate can execute its vision remains to be seen. But if you’re looking for an EV that’s part truck, part LEGO set—and all yours—then the Blank Slate might just be worth keeping an eye on.

EVinfo.net’s Take

EVinfo.net is truly blown away and excited about this vehicle, as we have been waiting for something like this for years now. This is the third life of the EVs in America. EVs were killed by the gas-powered vehicle and big oil industry twice, first in the 1800’s, then in the 1990s in California with the crushing of GM’s first mass-produced EV, the EV1. This time it is a different story, as once the EV cat is out of the bag, there’s no going back in. In 2025, EVs have grown to a massively successful, yet challenging, business.

This is evident especially in China, as most of the EV innovations come from there these days. 52% of all new passenger cars sold in China last month were electric or plug-in hybrids, and China’s BYD is the global EV sales leader. With unnecessary tariffs going on and off on a nearly daily basis, America is struggling to get its economy in order, so business can grow again. It was incredibly strong in January. So it doesn’t seem like we’ll be competing with China’s EVs in any significant way soon. But Slate Auto gives us hope that private business success will shine through the government’s massive failures.

In 2025, high prices remains one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption in America. Lack of charging availability, reliability issues, charging speed, lack of public charging (especially multifamily), are the other main barriers to American EV adoption at the moment. In our article “Four Things Will Drive Mass EV Adoption in America,” we examine these barriers and offer solutions.

Slate Auto is solving the high price problem, and this is exactly what the EV business needed. The luxury EV segment is the most profitable, so that’s why luxury models dominate the industry. But low-priced models is how mass EV adoption will kick off in America. We believe Slate may be the key to mass adoption we’ve all been waiting for.

An over-abundance of technical features, and self-driving that most drivers don’t need or want, have been other big problems that drive up prices. Slate takes that down also, with it’s clean-slate approach to low tech.

Additionally, the conversion of truck to SUV and the wrap instead of paint are other game-changers. This vehicle is truly exciting for many reasons. So far in 2025 and beyond, the new sales leaders of the EV industry seem to be GM, Hyundai and Ford competing for the top spot among the new leading three EV sellers in America. However, Slates may be the new EV seen most on America’s roads. Super-exciting stuff for sure!