Slate Truck Officially Debuts As All-New Ford Maverick Rival

Slate Auto – an automaker backed by Jeff Bezos himself – has been quietly developing an affordable new EV pickup since 2022. The startup has now pulled the cover off its first offering: the Slate Truck, which is on its way to rival the Ford Maverick.

The aptly named Slate Truck is a two-seat EV pickup, offered in a single configuration from the factory. However, it’s upfit-ready, meaning that its buyers can customize it as they see fit. The pickup is geared toward the DIY-savvy owner, offering over 100 accessories, available as bundles or individually. The vehicle is affectionately called the “Blank Slate,” inviting owners to set it up exactly to their specifications.

As for the guts, the Slate Truck features a 52.7-kWh battery pack, 150 kW rear-wheel-drive (RWD) drivetrain. Its range is rated at 150 miles from a full charge, while an upgrade is available in the form of an accessory 84.3-kWh pack, increasing its driving range to 240 miles. Power output is rated at 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque.

In terms of feature content, the Slate Truck features a relatively sparse interior. Aside from a digital driver instrument cluster, the EV features precious few amenities. There’s crank windows and a USB port with a universal phone mount. Slate did not specify how phones would interface with the vehicle, but presumably some type of integration is standard.

The Slate Truck is pretty small. Its overall length measures in at 174.6 inches, which makes it significantly shorter than the Ford Maverick, which is 199.7 inches long. Interestingly, the Slate Truck is more akin to the Ford Bronco Sport, which is 172.7 inches long – appropriate, because the Slate in its SUV converted form will compete in the same market as the Bronco Sport, too. Slate intends to sell an “SUV Kit” that includes a roll cage, airbags, and a rear seat. That latter part will enable the Truck to seat five, up from the pickup’s two seat configuration.

As far as pricing goes, Slate says that it’s keeping its barebones pickup affordable, priced at under $20,000 after all federal EV tax incentives. That means the actual sticker price will likely be over $27,000, dipping below that coveted $20,000 mark after buyers take advantage of the $7,500 EV tax credit. That puts it within striking distance of the entry level 2025 Ford Maverick XL, which starts at $26,995 before destination freight charges (DFC).

The Slate Truck will also face competition from the future Ford EV pickup, which is expected to be a midsize offering close to the size of the Ford Ranger. In fact, that model might straight up be a fully electric variant of the Ranger, although it’s not exactly clear if it will at this point in time. Either way, Ford’s first midsize electric pickup is slated to arrive in 2027.