Affordable EV Truck Gets $650M Boost, Eyes Year-End Launch

An electric truck that doesn't cost more than a year of college tuition is getting closer to reality, and the factory floor tells the story.

Slate Auto announced this week that its Warsaw, Indiana facility has hit several major milestones. All the robots needed for the body shop are now installed and running. The trim line where seats, wiring, and windows come together is being set up. Quality testing equipment is coming online, including a four-post shaker that simulates real-world bumps and vibrations.

Vehicle parts are already being manufactured and tested. If everything goes according to plan, production starts by the end of the year.

The company is building something genuinely different. The base model will cost around $25,000, feature 150 miles of range, and come with crank windows and no infotainment screen. There will be a backup camera and basic gauges, but that's about it for tech.

Here's where it gets interesting. Buyers can customize nearly everything. Want an SUV body kit? A fastback design? An open-air configuration? All available. Need more range? A larger battery pack bumps it to 240 miles. The company offers wraps, decals, speaker brackets, and even a "bring your own tablet" mount.

Slate recently closed a $650 million funding round led by TWG Global, adding to backing from Jeff Bezos. The company also brought on a new CEO in April.

The Ripple Effect

The timing matters for American manufacturing. While Chinese automakers flood their domestic market with affordable EVs loaded with features, Slate is betting on a different approach for developed markets. Simple, customizable, and made in the Midwest.

The used EV market already offers $25,000 options with more bells and whistles. But most are sedans or crossovers, not trucks. And there's something to be said for buying new, especially something you can actually personalize.

Final pricing drops in June. That's when we'll know if a bare-bones base model stays affordable once people add the features they actually want. The company is promising transparency, which is refreshing.

For now, the robots are welding, the parts are being tested, and Indiana is getting ready to build electric trucks that regular people might actually afford.