Bezos backs basic EV pick-up where radio, back seats and power windows will cost you extra
Slate announced on Monday that it is taking over the historic plant in the small town of Warsaw that closed in 2023. The new facility is expected to create 2,000 jobs, the company said.
The truck originally had a $20,000 price tag after federal EV incentives – much less than the average new vehicle, which sells for above $45,000. But Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' killed the federal EV credit, now likely adding an extra $7,500 to the cost.
The brand is selling its truck on the concept that it 'can change into whatever you need it to be – even an SUV.'
'Made in the USA at a price that's actually affordable (no really, for real), their website boasts.
The baseline truck is small, measuring 15 feet long, which is smaller than a Honda Civic hatchback. The standard truck also only features two seats, for a driver and a single passenger, and will be built with gray panels, cutting costs by forgoing additional paint.
Standard versions of the truck also come with roll-down windows and manually adjustable rearview mirrors, according to Car and Driver. However, customization will allow customers to change countless features of the vehicle.
Slate says more than 100 accessory items will be available when deliveries of the truck begin at the end of 2026. Possible upgrades include power windows, a stereo and a center console.
There's also an SUV kit, which adds a roof panel to the truck's bed, a three-across rear bench seat, a roll bar, and airbags in the back of the car. It was not immediately clear how much each possible add-on would cost customers.
The Michigan-based company has raised over $700 million from investors, including Bezos, and received over 100,000 reservations for its cars, which won't be delivered until late 2026 but can be reserved for $50.
The truck comes at a time where the cost of a new car is out of reach for many Americans – and may only get worse under President Donald Trump's tariffs.
'There's a growing appetite, especially among younger drivers, for vehicles that are more honest, more modular and less over-engineered,' said Paul Waatti, director of industry analysis at AutoPacific. 'Slate taps right into that.'
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Reuters
25 minutes ago
- Reuters
‘America First' agenda could leave USD behind
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It's retreating from the renewables space, as seen in the administration's recent move to eliminate many clean energy subsidies, opens new tab. The president appears to be making the bet that the U.S. can maintain energy dominance indefinitely by relying on its own fossil fuel resources. This could ultimately result in uncompetitive power costs in the future, especially given that China is already dominating in clean energy technologies like solar and electric vehicles. As historian Adam Tooze argues, "for the first time in two centuries the West is no longer the leader in future technologies but the follower." While Trump may be seeking to enhance American self-sufficiency, the administration's policies may actually be increasing the country's dependency on foreign capital. 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This development would have a major impact on the global economy, currency values and capital markets, arguably providing a more balanced global economy with three poles of supply and demand, each attuned to their own regional dynamics rather than the current set-up whereby the global economy responds primarily to the Federal Reserve and U.S. internal dynamics. Recently, European policymakers have discussed what ECB President Christine Lagarde has termed a 'Global Euro' moment, one built upon a European Savings and Investment Union designed to foster both a European safe-haven asset that could eventually compete with U.S. Treasuries and deeper, more liquid European capital markets to fund European infrastructure and innovation. Of course, this won't be an overnight shift. The dollar remains the world's dominant reserve currency, and the U.S. debt market is estimated to be more than three times the size of Europe's, according to the World Economic Forum. 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(The views expressed here are those of Jay Pelosky, the Founder and Global Strategist at TPW Advisory, a NYC-based investment advisory firm. You can follow Jay on Substack at The Tri Polar World, opens new tab). Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI),, opens new tab your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI,, opens new tab can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn,, opens new tab and X., opens new tab
BBC News
25 minutes ago
- BBC News
Trump's global tariffs 'victory' may come at a high price
In April Donald Trump stunned the world by announcing sweeping new import tariffs – only to put most on hold amid the resulting global financial months later, the US president is touting what he claims are a series of victories, having unveiled a handful of deals with trading partners and unilaterally imposed tariffs on others, all without the kind of massive disruptions to the financial markets that his spring attempt least, so worked to reorder America's place in the global economy, Trump is now promising that the US will reap the benefits of new revenue, rekindle domestic manufacturing, and generate hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign investment and that turns out to be the case – and whether these actions will have negative consequences – is still very much in is clear so far, however, is that a tide that was (gently) turning on free trade, even ahead of Trump's second term, has become a wave crashing across the globe. And while it is reshaping the economic landscape, it hasn't left the kind of wreckage in its wake that some might have predicted - though of course there is often a lag before impact is fully seen. What's more, for many countries, this has all served as a wake up call - a need to remain alive to fresh so, whilst the short term result might be - as Trump sees it - a victory, the impact on his overarching goals is far less certain. As are the long-term repercussions, which could well pan out rather differently for Trump - or the America he leaves behind after his current term. The '90 deals in 90 days' deadline For all the wrong reasons, 1 August had been ringed on international policymakers' calendars. Agree new trading terms with the US by then, they'd been warned – or face potentially ruinous White House trade adviser Peter Navarro predicted "90 deals in 90 days" and Trump offered an optimistic outlook on reaching agreements, the deadline always appeared to be a tall order. 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As details are nailed down, the implications for the US economy become clearer in the late spring there actually benefitted from a flurry of export sales, as businesses rushed to beat any higher tariffs imposed on American goods. Economists expect that growth to lose momentum over the rest of the year. Tariffs that have increased from an average of 2% at the beginning of the year to around 17% now have had a notable impact on US government revenue – one of the stated goals of Trump's trade policy. Import duties have brought in more than $100bn so far this year - about 5% of US federal revenue, compared to around 2% in past years. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he expected tariff revenue this year to total about $300bn. By comparison, federal income taxes bring in around $2.5tn a shoppers remain in the front line, and have yet to see higher prices passed on in full. 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Now, as nations grapple with a new set of trade barriers, Trump aims to call the history tells us that his overarching aim - to return production and jobs to America – may meet with very limited success. And America's long-time trading partners, like Canada and the EU, could start looking to form economic and political connections that bypass what they no longer view as a reliable economic may be benefitting from the leverage afforded by America's unique position at the centre of a global trading order that it spent more than half a century establishing. If the current tariffs trigger a foundational realignment, however, the results may not ultimately break in favour of the questions will be answered over years, not weeks or months. In the meantime, Trump's own voters may still have to pick up the tab – through higher prices, less choice and slower reporting: Michael Race. Top image credit: Getty Images BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below.
Reuters
25 minutes ago
- Reuters
Trump increases tariff on Canada to 35%, White House says
WASHINGTON, July 31 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday increasing tariffs on Canadian goods to 35% from 25%, the White House said. The new rates goes into effect on August 1. "In response to Canada's continued inaction and retaliation, President Trump has found it necessary to increase the tariff on Canada from 25% to 35% to effectively address the existing emergency," the White House said.
