Slate Truck’s Under $20,000 Price Tag Just Became A Political Casualty (Updated)
The electric truck may still enter production next year, but that tempting sub $20,000 price now appears like a dream.
Slate Auto’s sub-$20,000 price tag for its electric pickup may be a victim of the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
The startup had pledged to launch an ultra-affordable EV truck “expected under $20,000 after federal incentives.” But that price tag quietly disappeared from its website on Thursday, as TechCrunch first reported. The reason: The Trump administration’s newly passed spending package, which has now cleared both the House and Senate, eliminates the federal tax credits that made such a price point possible.
Update: The expected starting price for the truck is now in the mid-$20,000 range, Slate Auto said on its website.
EVs have long cost more than their gas-powered counterparts, mainly due to the high cost of lithium-ion batteries. Slate Auto—backed by Jeff Bezos—hoped to change that with a radically minimalist approach: sell a no-frills electric truck as a “blank slate” and let customers bolt on features as they go, like a life-sized Lego kit.
To hit the sub-$20,000 target price, the base model was stripped down to the essentials: a single gray color, two seats, a flatbed, a steering wheel and a simple gauge cluster displaying battery status and charging info. Everything else—from paint options and power windows to infotainment, cupholders and even speakers—would cost extra. Buyers can even convert the truck into an SUV or fastback using bolt-on roof panels.
Slate hasn't disclosed how much the add-ons will cost or how high the final price could climb. But the concept clearly resonated, with the company receiving over 100,000 reservations within two weeks of unveiling the truck.
Falling battery prices and Slate’s bare bones approach could still allow it to price the vehicle competitively. But without the federal tax credit, the company loses its strongest hook and faces a tougher pitch.
With Tesla and legacy automakers inching closer to sub-$30,000 EVs that aren’t bare bones, Slate will now have to prove how its stripped-down truck still makes sense without Uncle Sam’s help.
Have a tip? Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com
Related Stories
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
Orders For Slate’s Sub-$30K Bare-Bones EV Truck Finally Open On June 24—But There’s A Catch
It's Still Way More Expensive To Insure An EV. But That's Changing
Slate Auto Gets One Step Closer To Building Its Affordable EV Truck
The Mercedes CLA EV Just Smashed Its EPA Range Rating In A Real-World Test
Costco’s New Discount Makes America’s Cheapest EV Even Cheaper
Rivian’s EV Charging Network Is Growing Fast, And It Just Hit A Major Milestone
The 2027 Volvo EX60 Is Cheaper Than A Plug-In Hybrid XC60