Slate's $20,000 EV Truck Promise Just Got More Complicated

Slate Automotive made waves last year when it promised buyers a back-to-basics, stripped-down electric truck that would be all the car anyone needs for less than $20,000 to start. That promise has, perhaps inevitably, been modified somewhat as of today. However, some good news awaits eager buyers too.

Slate Automotive CEO Peter Faricy told the Detroit Free Press that the company will begin to print designs for its customers starting next year. "It's mass customization. You do you," Faricy said.

Base trucks start with a two-door, rear-drive layout with a lithium iron phosphate battery with around 150 miles of range. From there, the world is your oyster. Slate offers scores of wrap colors, three other body styles, and effectively nothing but climate control inside. "You pick the accessories and colors. We'll have 54 basic wraps and 45-50 with metallic finishes and other designs. We'll even print designs for people starting in 2027," Faricy said. Slate will also be able to match specific colors.

Two to four seats, a phone mount, and crank windows comprise the total list of features, though you can add options like integrated speakers, seat accents, and power windows.

Its pricing has risen, though. The promised sub-$20k price point is now a "mid-$20s" figure. Options and personalization, the thing on which Slate has pinned its business, will probably cause prices to exceed $30,000 very quickly.

Past that point, it's going to be about whether buyers that historically spend that kind of cash on cheap gas cars are willing to go for an EV with 150 miles (or less, if you add Slate's lift kit and all-terrain tires). The brand's argument is personalization over performance, but at a time when EV sales are slumping following the end of federal tax credits, Slate has an uphill battle to fight.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 21, 2026 at 9:22 AM.