Slate Introduces Five Crayola Color Vehicle Wraps in Industry-First Collaboration

Slate has announced a colorful new partnership with Crayola, bringing some of the iconic crayon maker’s most recognizable colors to its customizable electric vehicles. The collaboration marks Crayola’s first-ever automotive partnership and highlights Slate’s unique approach to vehicle personalization.

Designed around customization and affordability, the Slate Truck starts at $24,950, making it the most affordable truck in America. Slate has also built its vehicles with wraps in mind, allowing owners to easily transform the appearance of their vehicle over time. Through the new partnership, customers will be able to choose from five Crayola-inspired vehicle wraps featuring the classic colors Cerulean, Fern, Jersey Tomato, Razzmatazz, and the fan-favorite Dandelion.

According to Slate Head of Brand and Marketing Ben Whitla, the collaboration brings together two brands that share a focus on creativity and self-expression. He noted that Slate vehicles are designed to be accessorized and personalized, making Crayola’s instantly recognizable color palette a natural fit. The partnership gives owners another way to make their vehicle uniquely their own while celebrating individuality through color.

Crayola also sees the partnership as an extension of its long-standing mission to encourage creativity. Anna Roca, Head of Global Partnerships at Crayola, said color has always been a powerful form of self-expression and that the collaboration transforms a vehicle into a creative canvas. The company believes the partnership offers drivers a bold and unexpected way to showcase their personalities while reflecting values both brands share.

The Slate x Crayola wraps will be available as starter packs that include matching decals, a custom key fob cap, and a clip-on dashboard “Slatelet.” Like other accessories offered by the company, the packages will be sold directly through the Slate Marketplace.

Customers can currently reserve a Slate vehicle with a $300 refundable preorder. Before delivery, buyers will have the option to purchase a Slate x Crayola starter pack, with pricing beginning at $1,549.99. Buyers can order the vehicle as a pickup truck or choose from two SUV configurations, with the flexibility to convert between body styles after purchase.

Slate Auto Wants to Reinvent the American Vehicle for the EV Era

For decades, new vehicles have followed a familiar pattern: larger screens, more features, higher prices, and increasing complexity. While technology has advanced, affordability has often moved in the opposite direction. Slate Auto is attempting to challenge that trend with a radically different idea: build a simple, affordable electric vehicle that owners can customize as their needs change.

Founded in 2022, Slate Auto is one of the most interesting startups in the electric vehicle industry because it is focusing on a market many automakers have largely abandoned. Instead of launching a luxury EV packed with premium features, Slate is developing an affordable electric truck with a starting price of $24,950 before incentives. If the company succeeds, it could introduce one of the most accessible new electric vehicles available in the United States.

At the heart of Slate’s strategy is simplicity. The company has stripped away much of the complexity that drives up vehicle costs. Rather than offering dozens of trim levels and endless factory options, Slate plans to build a standardized platform that can be personalized through accessories, wraps, and modular upgrades. Customers can start with a basic pickup truck and later transform it into one of two SUV configurations, creating a level of flexibility rarely seen in the automotive industry.

This modular approach has several advantages. Buyers can purchase only the features they need today and add others later. A vehicle that begins as a work truck can evolve into a family vehicle without requiring the owner to buy an entirely new car. This could help extend vehicle lifecycles while reducing ownership costs.

Slate is also emphasizing domestic manufacturing. The company plans to assemble vehicles at a reindustrialized factory in Warsaw, Indiana, supporting American jobs while helping strengthen domestic EV production capacity.

Of course, challenges remain. Building vehicles at scale is one of the most difficult tasks in manufacturing, and many EV startups have struggled to reach profitability. Yet Slate’s focus on affordability, customization, and manufacturing simplicity gives it a distinct position in a crowded market.

As vehicle and gas prices continue to climb and consumers search for practical transportation options, Slate Auto’s approach may prove that the future of electric vehicles is not necessarily more expensive. It may simply be smarter, simpler, and built around what drivers actually need.