The electric car market is a little too crowded these days, with both startups and established automakers looking to claim their slice of the market. As such, being able to offer something genuinely different can really help a vehicle make its mark. That’s exactly how the Slate Truck seems to be planning to shake things up.
An electric truck, the vehicle combines compact proportions, affordable pricing, and a largely utilitarian focus, making it a potentially more practical option for a variety of potential truck buyers. Sure, it won’t do all the things your favorite hybrid truck can do, but it just might be enough truck for your individual needs and that’s what really matters.
The Slate Truck is a small pickup truck designed to seat two people in the cab, but has a bed large enough to hold of a whole sheet of plywood. It measures just 174.6 inches long, a full two feet shorter than the Ford Maverick, with proportions somewhat reminiscent of Japanese kei trucks. A 201-horsepower motor propels the 3,600-pound vehicle from the rear axle, allowing it to go from standstill to 60 mph in around eight seconds and hit top speeds of 90 mph, while the base 47kWh battery gives it 150 miles of range, so it’s not exactly an electric car for long drives. There’s also a 75kWh extended range option that boosts the effective range to 240 miles, if you need something that can handle the long drives. According to the outfit, the vehicle has a payload of 1,433 pounds and a two capacity of 1,000 pounds, so it’s still quite the capable utility truck.
Instead of steel, aluminum, or carbon fiber, the truck uses molded plastic composite body panels. That’s right, it’s made from the same material as your Yeti cooler. Well, something very similar, at least, which still bodes well for its durability, considering how indestructible those coolers are. This also eliminates the need for a paint job, since they simply use plastic panels in the color you want the car to have.
The Slate Truck keeps things even simpler inside. For instance, there’s no dedicated infotainment system, which, let’s be honest, you can easily replace with a phone or tablet anyway. In fact, the vehicle is equipped with a dedicated mount specifically for that. It does get an AC system with more old-school controls, along with a crank for lowering and raising the window. Yeah, they eliminated the expensive digital systems in favor of simpler mechanical ones.
Slate says the base truck is meant to serve as a modular starting point. While it’s perfectly functional on its own, they offer over 100 accessories that will let you turn it into something more. Want to turn it into a five-seat SUV? Get the SUV kit, which adds a rear bench, a roof panel, airbags, and a roll bar, all of which you can install on your own. There are also lifting kits, lowering kits, an open-air kit, and more, along with a variety of exterior options for customizing the truck’s look to your liking.
The Slate Truck is targeting a starting price of $20,000 for the base model after tax credits. It’s slated to go into production next year.
