You Can Preorder Slate Auto's $25K Electric Pickup Now

An electric pickup for $25,000? Slate Auto has opened preorders for a customizable truck that undercuts every EV rival—but you'll have to wait until 2027 to get one. Slate Auto, the startup founded by former Tesla and Rivian engineers, began accepting preorders this week for its debut vehicle: a fully customizable electric pickup truck with a base price of $24,995. The company aims to shake up the pickup market by offering an affordable, made-to-order EV that lets buyers configure everything from bed length to battery size. Full production of the Slate Auto electric pickup is not expected until 2027, a timeline that puts the company in a high-risk, high-reward position. The announcement arrives as the EV pickup segment heats up. Ford's F-150 Lightning starts around $55,000, Rivian's R1T exceeds $70,000, and Tesla's Cybertruck—currently in early production—starts at $60,000. Slate Auto's strategy is to cut costs through a modular architecture that allows buyers to skip expensive options they don't need. The company says its configurable platform can be assembled faster and with fewer parts than traditional unibody trucks. Details remain sparse. Slate Auto has not disclosed the exact preorder deposit amount, total reservations, or key specifications like range and towing capacity. The company has confirmed the truck will be built at a new factory in Texas, with an initial annual capacity of 50,000 units. Industry analysts see the $25,000 price as a potential breakthrough for EV adoption in the U.S., where affordability remains the biggest barrier. However, the two-year gap between preorder and production creates execution risk. Slate Auto has raised $200 million in Series B funding but will need billions more to ramp up manufacturing. The next major milestone will be a production-intent prototype reveal, expected in mid-2026. For early adopters willing to wait, the Slate Auto electric pickup represents a bold bet that affordable EVs can win the heartland.