The electric pickup truck emerged from Troy, Michigan, where silent vehicles rolled out of a shuttered plant onto desert roads, carrying no paint and no expectations.
Slate Auto, the Bezos-backed EV startup, promised under $20,000 pricing with full customization.
A prototype appeared on r/whatisthiscar in April, sparking online speculation about its identity.
Inside the EV startup secretly backed by Jeff Bezos
Slate Auto operated for three years before TechCrunch revealed its existence, funded by Jeff Bezos and Mark Walter. Unlike other startups, it aimed to produce a $25,000 electric pickup with modular capabilities from former Harley-Davidson and Chrysler employees.
Slate Auto's pickup truck spotted in the wild
A nondescript EV appeared outside Long Beach’s design center in April, confirming its identity. The vehicle featured no power windows, no infotainment screen, and no paint, yet carried a customizable silhouette and modular body style. It tested “Transformer-like” adaptability.
An EV that can change like a 'Transformer'
Slate’s trucks could reconfigure seats, structure, and even roofline, allowing buyers to design their ideal vehicle. The April 24 launch event emphasized that the base model was bare-bones — just 150 miles of range and a $7,500 federal tax credit.
A former Indiana printing plant eyed for EV truck production
Slate identified Warsaw, Indiana’s 1958-era printing plant as its factory site. The 1.4 million-square-foot space had been idle for two years. Slate plans to convert it into a full-scale assembly line by late 2026.
Slate Auto crosses 100,000 refundable reservations in two weeks
The startup surpassed 150,000 reservations despite no prior awareness. This volume highlights enduring demand for low-cost EVs and weak competition at the entry-level segment.
Why this LA-based VC firm was an early investor in Slate Auto
Slauson & Co., a Los Angeles VC firm, invested in Slate’s 2023 Series A round alongside Bezos. The startup needed capital to develop its customization platform and factory infrastructure before production.
A surprise CEO swap
In March 2026, Slate replaced CEO Chris Barman with Amazon Marketplace VP Peter Faricy. Faricy took over commercial launch operations while Barman shifted to “President of Vehicles.” Reservations were converted into orders to meet late 2026 delivery goals.
The road ahead remains uncertain. Production delays, tax credit expiration, and manufacturing scale challenges loom large. But Slate’s model — a marketplace for mass-customization — could redefine affordable EVs if it avoids its near-term pitfalls.
Slate Auto may not succeed, but its attempt proves that even the most radical ideas can find traction in the quiet corners of innovation.
