Slate Auto and the cheap EV truck

[the trauma]

I just read about a new company called Slate Auto and it sounds like they've hit on something big. They've gotten more than 100,000 reservations for their new electric pickup truck in just a couple of weeks. The company says the truck will cost less than $20,000 after the tax credit. They plan to build the trucks in Indiana. This shows there's a huge demand for an affordable electric truck. It's a promising sign for the EV market. What do you think about a sub-$20k electric truck? Do you think they can actually deliver on that price and the reservations?

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/12/slate-auto-crosses-100000-refundable-reservations-in-two-weeks/

 

[rollingwith5late]

That price tag feels a bit far-fetched for a pickup. Even entry-level internal combustion engine trucks kick off around $30k, and battery expenses are still pretty steep. The more budget-friendly electric vehicles tend to be compact cars priced between $25k and $30k.

Also, just because someone makes a reservation doesn't mean they'll end up buying it, and a lot of EV startups are having a tough time matching production with their big claims. I think it's best to wait for actual vehicles and reliable pricing because everything just doesn't quite add up at that $20k mark.