Michigan-based startup Slate is creating a minimalist electrical truck with a deal with affordability and customization. The Slate Truck, focusing on a value under $20,000 after federal incentives, encompasses a single-cab design with a 4-by-5-foot mattress and dent-resistant composite physique panels. The car comes with primary security options together with entrance computerized emergency braking and a number of airbags, whereas intentionally omitting luxurious facilities in favor of handbook controls like crank home windows.
The bottom mannequin features a 52.7-kWh battery powering a rear-mounted electrical motor producing 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. Estimated driving vary is 150 miles, with an elective 84.3-kWh battery extending vary to 240 miles. The truck makes use of the NACS charging commonplace and affords payload capability of 1,433 kilos with 1,000 kilos of towing functionality.
What units Slate aside is its strategy to customization, permitting homeowners to change almost each side of the car. The corporate plans to supply a catalog of equipment and upgrades that clients can set up themselves, from energy home windows and heated seats to elevate kits and inside trim choices. The truck’s modular design even permits conversion to a five-seat SUV by eradicating the cab-bed divider and including rear seats.
Slate goals to construct a neighborhood round consumer customization, with plans to open-source a lot of its ecosystem. The corporate will present on-line tutorials by “Slate College” exhibiting homeowners tips on how to modify their automobiles, although powertrain parts will stay inaccessible. The “Slate Maker” configurator device will enable clients to plan their builds earlier than buy.
The corporate sees potential clients in small companies, municipal fleets, and auto fanatics enthusiastic about personalization. Manufacturing is slated to start by the top of 2026, although the present prototype stays in early growth levels. Questions stay about how the personalization ecosystem will perform and what security implications might come up from consumer modifications.
Supply: motortrend.com
