This convertible electric truck could be the cheapest electric car in the United States

There is a new name in the United States Electric Vehicle Marketit shaking things where it matters most: the price. The Startup Slate took a $25,000 slate truck, a minimalist, unconscious electric vehicle for customization and real-world use. Forget Premium Head Flowers – This truck offers hand-swivel windows, railing dash and a modular platform so you can even convert it into an SUV with a DIY accessory kit.

Michigan-based EV Startup Slate has been secretly operated for several years, attracting Amazon Chief Jeff Bezos and many other wealthy investors. (Bezos’ Amazon also plays a role in Rivian Expensive flagship models Slate’s bottom-up, low-priced approach to launching its brand is novel and takes into account current uncertainty Inflation, tariffs And the rising cost of goods, perhaps in time.

Just a little guy

The slate truck is very small. Just 174.6 inches from bumper to bumper with a 108.9 inches wheelbase, the Little EV is shorter than a full 21 inches Modern Santa Cruz and 25 inches shorter than Ford’s Mavericksthe smallest pickup truck you can buy in the US at present. Of course, these are four-door occupant cab pickups with rear seats, while the state pickups are single-driving two-seaters (at least in its standard configuration).

Despite its smaller size, the slate’s standard 4-foot bed is with Ford’s 4.5-foot and the modern 4-foot tall. Plus, the electric car has 7 cubic feet of “Frunk” storage space under the hood. The small truck on the courts of other compact pickups with a payload of up to 1,433 pounds should make it a good run involving errands for small towings. However, its 1,000-pound towing capacity is significantly lower than its burning power competitors.

Minimum, customizable

Small scale is part of the $20,000 Slate expects to keep truck prices behind federal incentives, but the brand’s minimal approach to features, bells and whistles is to keep most of its cost lower. For beginners, electric cars look only one color – flat grey – encourage customers to entangle their fantasy with any color or paint. The basic 17-inch steel wheels fill the truck’s wheel arches, and the body panels have exposed hardware.

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The inside of the slate truck is not the huge touch screen found in most modern cars, but has a basic digital instrument cluster and a universal phone stand with USB power. The idea is that most drivers use their phones for navigation, phone calls and media anyway, so why waste money on the big screen? Drivers who prefer a large screen for navigation can choose to install a dedicated tablet.

This is not a completely low technology. The slate truck will have driver assistance and safety features such as active braking and forward collision warnings at launch, but zoom in on the photo and I also monitored the manually twisted windows. This is the way slate is used for sleeve hitting, basic transportation and keeping its electric trucks at low cost. The new automaker said it will offer over 100 accessories, bundles and options at the purchase point (or as an aftermarket accessory) to allow owners to customize their slate trucks to suit their needs or style.

DIY SUV Kit

Perhaps the most interesting accessory is the SUV kit, which allows owners to convert two-seater pickups to five-seater SUVs. Like IKEA furniture, the SUV kit can be installed in the driveway through a trusted mechanic or as a DIY project, mounted in the slate service center, added rear occupant roll cage, airbags and of course the rear seats.

I want to know how fast the conversion can be. If it’s fast, being able to flip between the two configurations based on what the week needs – a pickup truck with weekend codes and an SUV for a town with family – sounds fun.

Moderate performance

A moderately sized pickup will be equipped with an equally modest electric powertrain, and the sport figure is not impressive on paper, but should be enough for the basic needs of many drivers.

The 150 kilowatt (201 horsepower) motor twists the rear wheels with 195 lb-ft of torque. The truck’s estimated 8 seconds of 0 to 60 mph sprint and a top speed of 90 mph means it won’t be a neck stimulator, but should provide decent performance for commuting and running.

The electric vehicle will be powered by a standard 52.7 kWh battery that can last up to 150 miles. The Slate will also offer an 84.3 kWh accessory battery that can be targeted at a 240-mile range. The brand calls the bigger battery “accessories” seem to mean it can be swapped or upgraded after purchase, which is a very interesting proposition, even if it is true.

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When charging is required, the user will insert the slate truck’s NACS charging port About five hours with 11kW Level 2 Home Charger. At Tesla superchargers (or other DC fast charging stations through the adapter), electric cars will be able to quickly go from 20% to 80% in “30 minutes or less.” This can add about 90 to 140 miles in half an hour, which isn’t the fastest electric electric car in the world, but I also don’t think the Slate wants most recipients to travel off-road on their Spartan pickups.

The cheapest electric car in the United States

Slate said it will build a slate truck in a possible refactory plant near Indianapolis, Indiana, in the U.S. Pricing is not yet completed, but automakers expect prices to start on a $25,000 court before getting another $7,500 federal tax deal, making it the most Affordable new electric carif it is true. Direct to Consumer Sales are available online today on Slate.Auto for a refund of $50.