Startup Slate Debuts $20K Minimalist EV Pickup

Michigan-based Slate Auto has introduced a starkly minimalist electric pickup with a $20,000 base price—far below most EV competitors. The standard model omits extras like power windows or fancy infotainment, but buyers can add upgrades from a catalog of 100+ modular accessories. Billed as the “Blank Slate,” it delivers about 150 miles of range, extendable to 240 miles at higher cost. While rumors swirl of partial investment by Jeff Bezos, no official word confirms it. Analysts caution that achieving mass production of a sub-$20K EV is notoriously challenging, given battery and safety compliance costs. Still, if Slate’s approach works, it could disrupt the notion that electric vehicles must be premium-priced.