The Slate Truck is a bare-bones electric pickup built by Slate Auto, a startup backed by Jeff Bezos. It is manufactured in Warsaw, Indiana, with deliveries expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. The base pickup starts at $24,950 and comes only with rear-wheel drive at launch; a 4×4/all-wheel-drive version has been discussed as a future addition but is not confirmed for the first production run. The truck will not be sold in Canada, at least for now. Its interior is intentionally stripped down, with manual crank windows, no touchscreen, and a smartphone mount instead of a built-in infotainment system.
Below is a full breakdown of everything currently known about the Slate Truck, based on the company’s own announcements and multiple independent automotive and tech outlets.
Who Makes the Slate Truck
The Slate Truck is made by Slate Auto, a new American vehicle brand. The company is financially backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and it revealed its first vehicle during an event in Long Beach, California. Slate has positioned itself as an “anti-Tesla,” building a deliberately analog, low-tech electric pickup rather than a tech-forward one. Production takes place in Warsaw, Indiana, marking the truck as a US-built vehicle. Carvana is also among the startup’s major investors, which has helped fund development ahead of full-scale production.
Slate’s leadership has been vocal about its philosophy. CEO Chris Barman has described the company’s mission as building the affordable vehicle that the industry has long promised but never delivered, while the company’s chief commercial officer has argued that the broader auto industry’s focus on autonomy and in-car technology has pushed prices out of reach for most Americans. Slate’s head of design has separately explained that stripping out screens, stereos, and power windows was as much a philosophical choice as a cost-saving one, aimed at buyers tired of paying for features they rarely use.
Slate Truck Release Date
The Slate Truck was first revealed for reservations on April 24, 2025. Preorders officially opened on June 24, 2026, when Slate also confirmed final pricing and specifications. Production is set to begin in Indiana in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the first customer deliveries expected during that same quarter. More than 150,000 reservations had been logged by the time preorders opened, reflecting strong early interest despite the truck’s bare-bones nature.
It is worth noting that the vehicle is often referred to in the press as the “2027 Slate Truck” in some coverage, since deliveries beginning in late 2026 place its effective model year into 2027 for many buyers.
Does the Slate Truck Come With 4×4 or All-Wheel Drive
At launch, the Slate Truck is rear-wheel drive only, powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor. There is no factory 4×4 or all-wheel-drive option available for initial production. However, Slate has confirmed to prospective buyers that all-wheel drive is part of its future product plans, acknowledging that traction in snowy climates and on job sites is an important consideration for many truck buyers. The company has stated this will not be available at launch, and no timeline has been given for when a 4×4 version might arrive.
Some industry commentators and Slate’s own reservation-holder community have pointed out that the truck’s platform appears to leave room on the front axle for a second motor, which would technically enable all-wheel drive in a future variant, though Slate has not detailed how such a system would be engineered or priced.
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Is the Slate Truck Available in Canada
No. Slate Auto has confirmed it does not currently plan to sell the Truck or its SUV conversions in Canada. A company spokesperson told Automotive News Canada directly that “we do not have plans to sell vehicles in Canada,” without elaborating further on the reasoning. Industry reporting has pointed to cross-border auto tariffs and uncertainty around the future of the North American trade agreement between the US, Canada, and Mexico as likely contributing factors, since tariffs could push the truck’s otherwise low US price into a much less competitive range for Canadian buyers.
This has disappointed a number of Canadian reservation holders who paid the original deposit when the truck was unveiled in 2025, only to learn later that their reservations could not be converted into an actual order. For now, Canadian shoppers looking for an affordable compact electric pickup are being pointed toward alternatives expected from established automakers, including a compact electric truck Ford has planned to reach Canada starting in 2027.
Slate Truck Interior: What You Actually Get
The interior is where the Slate Truck’s minimalist philosophy is most obvious. The base “Blank Slate” configuration includes:
Manual, hand-crank windows instead of power windows, reviving a feature that had disappeared from the US new-car market.
No touchscreen and no built-in infotainment system. Instead, the truck includes a standard smartphone mount that connects to the vehicle’s electrical system, letting owners use their own phone for navigation, audio, and software updates.
Simple, physical knobs for climate control rather than digital menus.
A small digital driver information cluster, rather than a large configurable display.
Hard gray plastic surfaces throughout the cabin, with no factory paint or premium trim; even the door panels and dashboard are unpainted composite material by default.
No standard speakers or stereo system, though owners can add optional integrated speakers.
A basic molded console area between the seats with cupholders and open storage, with a proper center console available as a paid add-on for around 250 dollars.
Reviewers who have ridden in early production-representative trucks have described the cabin as startlingly bare, noting there is little soft-touch material anywhere and that even an entry-level Ford Maverick feels more finished inside. At the same time, build quality touches like solid door handles and a reassuring door-close sound have been called out as pleasant surprises for a vehicle at this price point.
Owners are expected to personalize the interior after purchase. Slate offers swappable dash and door panel inserts in different colors and materials, seat cover options, floor mats, and more than 100 total accessories, allowing buyers to turn the stripped-out factory cabin into something closer to a conventional, personalized truck interior over time.
Slate Truck Specifications at a Glance
Manufacturer: Slate Auto
Assembly location: Warsaw, Indiana, United States
Body style: Two-door, two-seat compact pickup, convertible into a five-seat SUV using bolt-on kits
Drivetrain: Single rear-mounted electric motor, rear-wheel drive only at launch
Power output: Approximately 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque
Battery options: 52.7 kWh or 84.3 kWh
Estimated range: Around 150 miles with the smaller battery and up to roughly 240 miles with the larger battery, based on manufacturer estimates
Charging: Up to 11 kW AC and up to 120 kW DC fast charging using a NACS connector
Starting price: 24,950 dollars for the base pickup, before taxes, fees, and destination charges
SUV conversion pricing: Roughly 5,000 dollars for the Squareback kit and around 7,000 dollars for the Fastback kit, each adding rear seats and related safety equipment
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Slate Truck be released? Production begins in Warsaw, Indiana in the fourth quarter of 2026, with first customer deliveries expected during that same period.
Who makes the Slate Truck? It is built by Slate Auto, a startup backed by Jeff Bezos, with manufacturing based in Indiana.
Does the Slate Truck have 4×4 or all-wheel drive? Not at launch. The truck ships as rear-wheel drive only. Slate has said all-wheel drive is planned for a future version but has not given a release timeline.
Can you buy a Slate Truck in Canada? No. Slate Auto has confirmed it currently has no plans to sell the Truck or its SUV variants in Canada, citing no specific reason publicly, though cross-border tariffs are widely believed to be a factor.
What is the Slate Truck’s interior like? It is deliberately minimal, with manual crank windows, no touchscreen or built-in stereo, physical climate control knobs, and a smartphone mount in place of an infotainment system. Buyers can personalize the cabin afterward using official accessories.
How much does the Slate Truck cost? The base pickup starts at 24,950 dollars before taxes and fees. SUV conversion kits add roughly 5,000 to 7,000 dollars on top of that base price.
