Slate Auto, of which Jeff Bezos is among the investors, came to the fore with a sales move in connection with Carvana before the affordable electric pickup model went on sale. The company is preparing to move from reservation to pre-order period before the delivery process is expected to start later in the year. Slate Truck is at the center of the search for low-cost pickups in the US electric vehicle market, with its simple hardware structure, customizable body options and a price expected to be below 30 thousand dollars.
The claim for affordable electric pickups is growing. A warrant has been defined that gives Carvana the right to purchase Slate Auto shares in 2025. Records revealed that Carvana, which has grown with its online second-hand vehicle sales model, established a financial connection with Slate Auto before the sales process began. It was not disclosed whether the warrant was exercised and how many shares Carvana could purchase through this right.
This development coincided with the period when Slate Auto was preparing to announce official prices and start the first binding pre-order process. The company previously created lines with a $50 refundable reservation. Users who make reservations will be able to choose vehicle accessories and personalization options later when the order period opens. Slate Auto is expected to move to a non-refundable payment of $ 300 during the pre-order process.
The places of reservation holders in the delivery order will become clear with the transition to pre-order. The final vehicle configuration and purchasing conditions will be completed in the later period of 2026. The move on the Carvana side comes at a time when the company is turning to new vehicle sales channels that do not rely solely on second-hand online vehicle sales. The Arizona-based company has also taken steps to expand on the new vehicle sales side with Stellantis dealers in the USA.
Carvana announced 187 thousand 393 retail vehicle sales and $6.432 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2026. Mark Walter is also included in Slate Auto’s investor structure. Known for Guggenheim Partners and TWG Global, Walter is also known as the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Lakers. Walter’s shareholding in both Slate Auto and Carvana was one of the topics in the financial background of the connection between the two companies.
TWG Global led Slate Auto’s $650 million Series C financing round. Slate Truck was first introduced in April 2025. Unlike classic electric pickup models, the vehicle was built on a simple structure instead of luxury equipment. The base model does not have power windows, a standard infotainment screen and speaker system. Users use phones or tablets for navigation, media and connected features. The cabin includes a small digital instrument panel and a screen that displays the rear view camera view.
The production logic of the model proceeds on a single and simple basic vehicle. Every Slate Truck rolls off the line with a two-door pickup body. Buyers can then modify the vehicle with options such as colored trim, rims, roof, suspension, accessories and SUV conversion kit. The SUV conversion kit transforms the vehicle into a two-row body with a rear seat and additional airbags. Slate Truck is expected to offer a range of 150 miles with the standard battery pack and 240 miles with the large battery option.
The vehicle has a single rear-mounted electric motor with a power of 150 kW. DC fast charging support is provided via the NACS port. The charging time from 20 percent to 80 percent in DC fast charging was shared as approximately 30 minutes. Level 2 AC charging provides a range gain of 25 to 40 miles per hour and a full charge time of 4 to 8 hours. The length of the vehicle is 174.6 inches, its width is 70.6 inches, its height is 69.3 inches and its wheelbase is 108.9 inches.
The case has a length of 5 ft and a volume of 35.1 cu ft. Front trunk volume stands at 7 cu ft. Maximum payload capacity is announced as approximately 1,400 lb, and towing capacity is approximately 1,000 lb. On the safety side, it includes traction control, electronic stability control, automatic emergency braking, two-stage driver and passenger airbags, side curtain airbags, seat side airbags, remote keyless entry, rearview camera, pedestrian detection, automatic high beam and forward collision warning.
The company states that the model is designed to receive a 5-star NCAP crash rating. Slate Auto announced that the vehicle will be sold without a traditional dealer network. The company uses a direct sales model, but operational details on physical delivery, service and purchasing experience have not yet been fully shared. The Carvana connection opened a new topic on how Slate Truck’s online sales and physical delivery network can be used in the process of reaching customers.
The price of Slate Truck has not been finalized yet. In the first announcement, the net price message of under $20 thousand was given along with the federal electric vehicle tax credit. With the disappearance of the $7,500 federal stimulus, price communication has changed. The current expectation is that the base price will be positioned in the middle of the 20 thousand dollar band or below 30 thousand dollars. Full prices and accessory prices will be announced with the pre-order process.
Ford is also preparing a new compact electric pickup on a lower-cost electric vehicle platform in the US market. For this reason, Slate Truck will be on sale not only as the product of a new initiative, but also at a time when major manufacturers are turning to the cheaper electric pickup class.
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