Little known car brand backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos reveals highly customisable compact pickup at bargain price
A LITTLE-KNOWN car brand is preparing to unleash a budget all-electric compact pick-up truck onto the roads of the US – with significant backing from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Slate, an American start-up, has unveiled its very first model – aptly named 'Truck' – with plans to begin deliveries by the end of
next
year.
5
Bezos backed American start-up Slate has unveiled its very first model
Credit: Slate
5
The little pickup's standout feature is its customisability, offering a wide range of options for colours, accessories, and conversion kits
Credit: slateauto / Instagram
5
It can boast multiple different looks and serve different purposes
Credit: slateauto / Instagram
5
The Truck's bed can also be tweaked
Credit: slateauto / Instagram
5
Indeed, it can even be built to resemble a mini SUV
Credit: slateauto / Instagram
Its base price, a bargain $27,000 (approximately £20,000), is intentionally designed to make electric motoring accessible to drivers seeking a simple, two-seat pick-up.
In many ways, it draws inspiration from the popular Citroën Ami quadricycle, adopting a no-frills approach that includes manually cranked windows and a basic smartphone mount in place of a central touchscreen.
Features
such as speakers are available as optional extras, while standard equipment includes a USB port, central locking, and cruise control.
The Truck's standout feature is its customisability, offering a wide range of options for colours, accessories, and conversion kits.
Read more Motors News
Remarkably, owners can even transform it into a five-seat
mini
SUV or a fastback crossover, thanks to the modular conversion kits on offer.
Powered by a standard 52.7kWh battery pack, the Truck delivers a range of 150 miles, which can be extended to 240 miles with an upgrade to an 84.3kWh pack.
Its
power
output is reportedly around 201hp, enabling a 0–60mph sprint in under eight seconds, while its top speed is a modest 90mph.
The brand, headquartered in Troy, Michigan, will not be affected by former President Donald Trump's 25% import tariffs on foreign-made vehicles.
Most read in Motors
However, it remains unclear whether Slate intends to manufacture the EV itself or where it plans to establish its production facility.
The fact that the Truck is moving towards production at all is largely thanks to funding from
Audi Q5 it's the poster boy
This comes as
The new-look V-Class concept isn't just an ordinary-looking van with extra bells and whistles – it's potentially the king of all people carriers.
The German giants, who showcased the VIP shuttle at the Shanghai Motor Show, claim they have "set a benchmark" for the future of premium driving.
The new V-Class line-up promises a range of practical family vehicles that scale all the way up to 'luxurious limousines' – with the first model set to arrive in 2026.
While the exterior might resemble a slightly more futuristic-looking van, Mercedes says it 'marks the next step' in their design language, with aerodynamics playing a significant role in its appearance.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
What caused Trump & Elon Musk's explosive fallout? – from NASA spat to key role of Don's teen relative, I know the truth
THE richest man in the world going toe-to-toe with the most powerful man on the planet . . . what could possibly go wrong? And has the most outlandish politician in American history finally met his match? Advertisement 7 Elon Musk, left, looks down on Donald Trump during a White House press conference Credit: AP 7 Musk toured the swing states at last year's election telling the world that Trump was the greatest thing since sliced bread Credit: AFP 7 Trump was considering selling his own Tesla, which has spent weeks parked outside the Oval Office Credit: AP From the moment neuro-diverse rocket man Elon Musk backed New York real estate heavy Donald J. Trump to return to I hear it's the galaxy and beyond that has been at the centre of their tensions, but more on that later — as last night Washington was awash with claims Musk's attempts to befriend 'Bankrupting America is not OK – kill the bill' But the powerful pair certainly have fallen out, trading public blows on their social media sites of choice — the very tech platforms that have both made them and could yet see them crash to back down to earth. Asked if they could reconcile yesterday, Trump slammed Musk as 'the man who has lost his mind'. Advertisement In the end, the most famous bromance in political history lasted less than a year, and the fallout risks dragging them both down. Musk claims credit for his $300million in donations swinging the election Trump's way, while the White House says that's fake news and the car salesman is sulking because he's not getting much bang for his buck. The pair clashed publicly over Trump's so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill' — legislation that he says will deliver a slew of campaign promises like banning taxes on tips for millions of American workers. 7 Trump was tiring of Elon's 'ketamine-fuelled' antics Credit: AFP Advertisement 7 Richest man in the world Musk is going toe-to-toe with the most powerful man on the planet Credit: AFP But Musk — appointed to the administration to cut eye-watering federal expenditure — baulked at the increase in government spending tacked on to the law by Congress, branding it an 'abomination'. Most read in The Sun Breaking He irked Trump by urging senators to vote it down, adding it could be 'big or beautiful but it cannot be both'. Musk raged on social media: 'This spending bill contains the largest increase in the debt ceiling in US history! It is the Debt Slavery Bill… Call your Senator, Call your Congressman, Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL.' Advertisement Trump crushes hopes of 'peace talks' call with Musk as he insists Elon has 'lost his mind' after feud went nuclear It's a long cry from when Musk toured the swing states at last year's election telling the world that Trump was the greatest thing since sliced bread and organising well-oiled get-out-the-vote operations. But behind the scenes I'm told Trump was already at the end of his tether with Musk who some sources accuse of 'gurning away' on the campaign trail and in meetings. Brought in to help slash costs through his Department of Government Efficiency, tensions reached a head after the New York Times ran a well-sourced hit piece accusing Musk of enjoying recreational drugs such as ketamine and ecstasy throughout his brief foray into politics. Those claims were not denied when Musk was confronted by Fox News in an Oval Office press conference last week. Advertisement Musk's coterie of love-children and his stated desire to help repopulate the planet with, what his former lovers have claimed, he calls genius offspring have also rubbed Trump up the wrong way. Teetotal Trump wanted rid of him but also wanted to give his big donor a decent goodbye, so lavished praise on him after he departed as special government employee last week. Yet despite all the niceties, the former allies are locked in a Cold War stand-off this weekend. 7 Devout Trump-backer Steve Bannon called for South African-born Musk to be deported Credit: The Mega Agency Advertisement Will they both retreat to their bunkers and realise mutually assured destruction is in neither of their interests, OR will they be unable to help themselves and launch a thermonuclear blow-out that burns them both up? Musk came close to that on Friday night, with his outlandish allegations that the President was sitting on files about billionaire deceased paedo-financier Jeffrey Epstein — because Trump himself is named as a murky connection. White House sources say that is nonsense and were that bombshell evidence to be sitting in a government file somewhere, surely previous Democrat governments would have leaked it by now. Musk ended his online diatribe with calls for Trump to be impeached, adding a menacing suggestion he could back the Democrats. Advertisement It's a mess, but one that was very obviously cooking Harry Cole Yet even some of his closest allies and supporters were left begging any friend possible to strip Musk of access to his own X platform before he caused any more damage. It's a dangerous game for the mercurial billionaire to play — because the President hit back that he was going to suspend US subsidies and government contracts for the entrepreneurs' many, many firms. Musk's electric car firm Tesla shares were down 14 per cent yesterday — the biggest one-day drop since the company went public, wiping $152billion off its value. And that's before the $3billion personal hit to Musk on the back of an evening of lively tweeting. Advertisement In a further snub, Trump was last night considering selling his own Tesla which has spent weeks parked outside the Oval Office, in a move which could spark a wave of similar fire sales across the US amongst his fans. 'Musk is an illegal alien and should be deported' The Tesla Cybertruck gifted to the President's granddaughter Kai is presumably for the chop too. Meanwhile, the row threatens to spark a wider war between various right-wing camps that run Washington, with implications felt in Congress and across the political spectrum. Devout Trump-backer Steve Bannon called for South African-born Musk to be deported from the US, saying yesterday: 'They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien and should be deported from the country immediately.' Advertisement 7 Twitter exchanges between the pair Meanwhile, the self-proclaimed autistic automaker said he could launch a new political party — an idea backed by 80 per cent of the millions of respondents to his social media poll yesterday. But this wasn't just a political knife-fight but also a brawl in the casino of capitalism. In short, it's a mess, but one that was very obviously cooking. Musk is a libertarian, free-marketeer who has his sights on the moon and Mars and beyond. Advertisement Trump is the tariff-loving protectionist who believes it's America First and everyone else can fall in line behind that. Prior to SpaceX, they couldn't even transport their own astronauts to the International Space Station and had to rely on outdated Russian rockets Dr Rainer Zitelmann Add to that their tensions on China that Trump sees as an existential threat to the US, while Musk views it as an opportunity to produce his electric cars on the cheap. It's amazing that things took so long to come to a head. And then it came down to space, where Musk obviously has a major financial interest as the boss of SpaceX — the rocket firm hat has all but colonised America's space projects. Advertisement As top economist Dr Rainer Zitelmann puts it: 'Without SpaceX, the US does not currently have much to offer. "Prior to SpaceX, they couldn't even transport their own astronauts to the International Space Station and had to rely on outdated Russian rockets — and paid exorbitant prices to do so. 'SpaceX is responsible for 86 per cent of all US launches.' But things were coming to a head when Trump blocked a Musk ally to take over Nasa last month, infuriating his former 'First Buddy'. Advertisement Moment of maximum danger Insiders say Musk's attempts to take over Nasa were a step too far that left America's future security beholden to a private company run by a wildly unpredictable boss. Sources claimed Musk recently had his high-level security clearances revoked by the White House as tensions mounted, leading to Friday's pyrotechnics. What happens next is a moment of maximum danger for Trump. Brits will be familiar with what happens when a leader and their dangerous right-hand man fall out. Advertisement Boris Johnson found out the hard way that if the snubbed guru bears enough of a grudge, it is fatal. Read more on the Irish Sun The White House will be hoping this weekend that Elon holds less resentment than equally unstable I wonder whether that might be a bit of wishful thinking . . .
Dublin Live
9 hours ago
- Dublin Live
Nintendo Switch 2: Three places to buy console as it sells out on official site
The eagerly awaited Nintendo Switch 2 has finally arrived, with the latest gaming console now on sale at various retailers. The console is currently out of stock on the Nintendo website, but the following three retailers still have stock at the time of writing. Firstly, Amazon is offering the Nintendo Switch 2 for €470.34. For those keen on getting their hands on Mario Kart World as well, Amazon is selling a bundle of the console and the game for €510.72. Very is another retailer where the Nintendo Switch 2 is available, however they will only ship to the UK and Northern Ireland. The console on its own costs £395.99, while the Mario Kart World bundle is £429.99. As an added bonus, Very is also providing 12 months of free insurance, giving gamers some extra peace of mind. For those who'd rather spread the cost over time, Currys offers a monthly payment option. The retailer is selling the Nintendo Switch 2 for €19 per month over a 36-month period, reports the Irish Mirror. Alternatively, shoppers have the flexibility to pay as much or as little as they wish for six months, provided they clear the full amount by 5 December 2025 to avoid any interest charges. Currys is also selling the console upfront at a slightly lower price than other retailers, at €469. (Image: Amazon) The Switch 2 is an enhanced version of the original Switch console. It boasts a larger screen, new features, and a host of exclusive games to immerse yourself in. The upgraded device boasts a 7.9-inch LCD display with 1080p resolution, and is powered by a bespoke Nvidia chipset, allowing for 4K output. The console comes bundled with a new Pro controller and Joy-Con, as well as a Game Chat camera that lets gamers interact with their friends. A variety of Switch 2 games are now up for grabs from the aforementioned retailers. Games designed for the original Switch console remain playable on the Switch 2, although an upgrade fee applies. This includes popular titles such as Super Mario Party: Jamboree, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Third-party games like Cyberpunk: 2077 and Star Wars: Outlaws are also compatible with the Switch 2, thanks to its advanced custom chipset which allows games to be upscaled from a lower resolution via the AI-powered DLSS. In the run-up to the Switch 2 launch, Nintendo issued a word of caution to gamers, advising them not to remove the protective film covering the console's screen, as it's designed to make the device shatterproof. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
The Irish Sun
10 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I've made £18k in 7 months after losing weight & flogging my old clothes – my little-known site makes reselling easy
ARE you trying to flog your old clothes - but don't seem to be making any money? While most of us have heard of Advertisement 2 The woman started flogging her old clothes online after she lost weight Credit: tiktok/@ 2 In just seven months, Jess had raked in a whopping £18k thanks to this side hustle Credit: tiktok/@ This is what one savvy Brit, TikToker Jess, recently shared online after Jess, who posts under the username @ As none of the old clothes no longer fit her, she decided to sell them online - before realising she had ''the bug for Reselling involves purchasing products from various sources , such as manufacturers, liquidators, individuals and charity shops, and then selling them at a higher price to generate profit. Advertisement read more on money Resellers determine a price that covers their costs, for instance, the purchase price of the product and any shipping costs, and allows them to They then sell these products through various channels, including Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Vinted. ''It started off small and I scaled it from there,'' said Jess who moved from her ''items to charity shops to wholesale''. As well as flogging the goods on Vinted, eBay and Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Exclusive The ''vintage clothing reseller'' explained: ''Whatnot is a live auction selling website. ''They have an app [...] and it's a really, really nice platform with lovely people and lots of sellers, and lots of buyers. I've made £18k on Vinted & a hack means I don't have to hunt for bits I've sold ''What I will do is I will get all my items ready and I will show those items on the screen and then people will bid if they want to buy that item.'' According to Jess, you can start at different prices, such as £1, £3 and £5 - which is ''entirely up to you''. Advertisement The site - where you can also feature the products front-and-center rather than showing your faces - also offers pre-paid shipping labels. Once you've made a sale, slap the label on the box and send it out for delivery. Do I need to pay tax on my side hustle income? MANY people feeling strapped for cash are boosting their bank balance with a side hustle. The good news is, there are plenty of simple ways to earn some additional income - but you need to know the rules. When you're employed the company you work for takes the tax from your earnings and pays HMRC so you don't have to. But anyone earning extra cash, for example from selling things online or dog walking, may have to do it themselves. Stephen Moor, head of employment at law firm Ashfords, said: "Caution should be taken if you're earning an additional income, as this is likely to be taxable. "The side hustle could be treated as taxable trading income, which can include providing services or selling products." You can make a gross income of up to £1,000 a year tax-free via the trading allowance, but over this and you'll usually need to pay tax. Stephen added: "You need to register for a self-assessment at HMRC to ensure you are paying the correct amount of tax. "The applicable tax bands and the amount of tax you need to pay will depend on your income." If you fail to file a tax return you could end up with a surprise bill from HMRC later on asking you to pay the tax you owe - plus extra fees on top. It doesn't have to be just clothing you're tying to cash in from - the sellers flog electronics, collectibles, beauty, live plants, and more. Advertisement Raving about the little-known site, ''The thing I love the most about it is that when I get my stock in, I can show it on the screen [...] and then you buy it. ''I post it out within a couple of days - so it really stops that whole issue of having to store items for a really, really long time.'' While there are plenty of pros, Jess also noted the platform does have its cons, such as the fees. Advertisement Seller fees are as follows: 8% commission on the sold price of an item when it sells 2.9% + 30 cents (24p) payment processing fee for the entire transaction Payment processing applies to the subtotal, tax, and shipping price paid by a buyer for a given order The payment processing fee is not currently applied to any international shipping/taxes. ''But with a lot of reseller websites, there are fees anyway. ''The other cons can be the price points - you might not always get the same prices you would on things like eBay, Depop and Vinted.'' Jess also added under another video that she's ''registered as a sole trader and will pay tax during the self assessment window''. Advertisement
