Slate Auto unveiled its electric pickup Thursday at an event in Long Beach, California and as the name of the Jeff Bezos-backed startup implies, the truck is a blank slate for customers to customize with an absurdly wide variety of options. To assist the creatively impaired who just want to Buy A Truck, Stale’s configurator features Starter Packs, 25 different presets to either be used as a starting point or ordered as is.
Slate’s debut offering is incredibly barebones. The truck doesn’t come painted. It also doesn’t feature power windows, speakers or an infotainment display. Buyers are given the option to select a wrap in any color though, and they can also buy mounts for a phone, a tablet or a Bluetooth speaker, so it evens out, I guess? That’s just scratching the surface of what Slate is willing to drop to keep the starting price of its electric vehicle under $30,000. While it’s unclear how much each option will cost, let’s run through a few Starter Packs to get a feel for how varied the truck can be.
The Weekender isn’t your father’s Defender
The Weekender Starter Pack was the first to catch my eye. The preset features the SUV body kit, which adds a second row of seating to transform the pickup into a five-seater vehicle. The preset also fits a running body, a roof rack, and a lift kit. The body kit makes Slate’s truck reminiscent of a Land Rover Defender. Is that why the Starter Kit is named the Weekender? I’ll leave that for you to decide. The preset is captioned, “32” tires and a big SUV roof rack mean the adventure starts as soon as you leave house.”
The Builder takes Slate’s electric pickup to work
The Builder Starter Pack highlights how Slate’s electric pickup could be used by small businesses. The preset fits a pair of tower racks and a roof rack to give contractors all the room they need to mount or store their equipment. The cherry on top is a bright orange wrap and the decals for the fictional Joist Right Construction Services. The kit is captioned, “Not too big, not too small: wrap, racks, and storage make this truck the perfect fit for your business.” Don’t worry if you’re interested in ordering The Builder; you can remove the decals in the configurator.
You don’t need doors when you’re Beach Bound
With view for pleasure over business, the Beach Bound Starter Pack is definitely targeted at Jeep Wrangler fans. The preset comes without doors and its second row of seats covered in a roll cage. Slate’s configurator reads, “Lose the door, throw on an Open Air Kit, and turn errand-running into summer fun.” Slate offers doorless options for all three body styles available, the pickup, the SUV and the fastback SUV. This truck is built for fun in the sun at the beach with your family.
Sometimes you just want to street race your truck
The Lucky 77 is a welcome change of pace compared to all of Slate’s Starter Packs focused on light off-roading. This preset comes with a lowered suspension that aims to improve handling while also giving the pickup a much sportier look. It also comes with green decals that cover the sides and include a bold 77 on the doors. To complete the look, the Starter Pack features matching green mirror accents and wheel decals.
The magma red with glow through the mud
The partial body wrap is the calling card of the Mud Master Starter Pack. Unfortunately, the wrap covering the bed and the cab’s rear is only available in red. The preset also includes color-matched wheel decals. It’s a good-looking electric off-roader when including the roof rack and the upgraded bumpers. The caption notes that this isn’t intended to be the configuration for a daily driver: “Big bold wrapping and plenty of accents: this isn’t just a truck, it’s a time machine to the weekend.” I could definitely see someone spinning donuts with this truck in a muddy field
When you want everyone to know that you’re a DJ
The DJ Set has the most outlandish look of all the Starter Packs. The truck is covered in a baby-blue-to-pink gradient vinyl wrap that’s probably visible from the next county over. Despite the name, the preset doesn’t come with the built-in speakers or the Bluetooth speaker mount. Presumably, if someone if that much of an audiophile, they would be using the truck to haul their equipment to a gig.
While the over-the-top decals might not be to your taste, they draw attention to each Starter Pack. If you have the time, just go and give the configurator a whirl. It doesn’t matter that the electric truck only features a single electric motor with 201 horsepower. You’re getting what you paid for, and paying less than $30,000 is a pittance compared to the other electric pickups on the market. Slate expects deliveries for its electric truck to begin at the end of 2026.
