Slate Auto has designed the low-cost EV you've been waiting for

US start-up Slate Auto has revealed a new low-cost electric pickup truck.

Expected to be priced at under $20,000 (R376,073) after federal incentives, the entry-level ‘Blank Slate’ model is equipped with a 52.7kWh battery pack and a single 150kW electric motor powering the rear wheels. Expect 0-100 km/h in about eight seconds. 

Projected maximum driving range comes in at a relatively low 241km, however this can be bumped up to 386km by fitting a larger 84.3kWh battery pack. Plugged into a DC fast charger, you can expect the smaller pack to go from 20% to 80% in roughly 30 minutes. 

Roughly the size of a 1980s Toyota Hilux, the Slate boasts a 1.52m long loading bed with a volume of 1m³. Maximum payload comes in at 635kg. Towing capacity is rated at 453kg.

Built to be a utilitarian workhorse, the Slate’s two-seater cabin is a minimalist affair featuring only the barest of necessities such as a digital instrument cluster and back-to-basics rotary HVAC controls. Crank windows keep things affordable — and simple — while infotainment is left to your imagination with a mount for either a smartphone or tablet and an adjustable clamp to secure a portable Bluetooth speaker of your choice. 

The Slate’s clean, monolithic composite body panels can be left au naturel or wrapped in a colour of your choice for an extra $500. You can also fit an array of different wheel/tyre combinations and bolt on a set of personalised bumpers and headlamps to create your own bespoke look. In fact, personalisation options are almost limitless with Slate offering more than 100 accessories to make your pickup yours. And if you don’t fancy a pickup, you can always tick the box on the DIY SUV kit that simply fits over the load bed to create a five-seat SUV. Two body styles are available — classic station wagon or sporty fastback. 

Numerous safety features are fitted as standard including traction control, electronic stability control, ABS brakes, six airbags (eight in SUV specification), automatic high beam headlamps, a reverse camera, forward collision warning and pedestrian identification. Slate says the vehicle is designed to achieve a five-star USNCAP crash rating. 

Backed by Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Slate Auto is taking refundable $50 deposits for its no-thrills, fully-customisable pickup with US deliveries expected to take place in the last quarter of 2026. Visit their website (and play with the configurator) to find out more.