Latest news with #America-made
Miami Herald
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Slate shows its bare-bones, ‘mid-$20s' EV truck at Detroit summit
DETROIT - Slate Auto, the Michigan electric vehicle startup backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has publicly touted a starting price for its pickup of "under $20,000" since coming out of stealth mode in April. But that was before President Donald Trump's big tax and domestic policy bill was signed into law on July 4, halting the $7,500 tax credit for EV buyers by the end of September. Now, Slate CEO Chris Barman said in Detroit this week, the starting price will be in "mid-$20s" when the two-seater trucks ideally start rolling off the line at a facility in Warsaw, Indiana, late next year. "Our business model was never built upon that tax credit being in place," Barman told The Detroit News at the Reindustrialize summit, a gathering of executives and policy experts focused on bringing manufacturing back to the United States. Slate showed off one of its vehicles at the summit. "We always viewed it as something that would be great for the customer to be able to get an even more affordable vehicle. But we've always, you know, had a target of being priced in the mid-$20s, and that's what our business case has been built upon," she said. Still, the company had widely touted the sub-$20,000 price tag upon its launch. TechCrunch reported that the carmaker stopped promoting that figure on its website once Republicans' "One Big Beautiful Bill" passed at the start of the month. A mid-$20s price tag would put the stripped-down EV truck in line with a number of entry-level vehicles on the road today - rather than, at the initial sub-$20,000 mark, potentially the cheapest new car out there. Slate, headquartered in Troy, has built much of its early brand on going against the grain of the auto industry's ever-increasing focus on bigger screens, more sensors and various other luxury accoutrements. A hype video Barman showed to Reindustrialize attendees noted that "cars are getting bigger, fancier and more expensive, because of ... stuff." Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy Snyder pointed out at an April launch that the average new car payment tops $700 per month and that many new cars face frequent warranty issues due to being packed with so much technology. "The industry has abandoned the majority of Americans," he said. Slate says it will offer a basic truck with only a few standard features, including air conditioning, cruise control and rear and forward-facing cameras. Much more can be customized later by the owner - items like additional speakers, colorful wraps and a DIY conversion kit to turn the little pickup into a five-seat SUV. "By eliminating the complexities of build configurations as well as a paint shop, we passed savings back to the customer without cutting corners," Barman said in a presentation. She said Slate's idea has quickly gained traction, with more than 100,000 people so far placing a $50 reservation. The startup is also advertising that the truck will be America-made at a moment when there is increasing interest in domestic manufacturing with Trump's tariff policies. The company is converting an old printing press facility in Warsaw, population 16,000, into its assembly site and expects to eventually employ close to 2,000 people. "We're still doing quite a bit of demolition" on the interior of the production site, Barman told The News. "We're gonna be, within the next few weeks, starting to get into laying in some floors where we had to take (them out) because the depth of the cement there wasn't enough for the equipment we put in. So we're really putting a lot of infrastructure in right now." Barman said her company aims to source parts domestically wherever possible, with a number of suppliers so far based in the Midwest. But some parts for the truck simply can't be found in the United States anymore, the CEO said, like the truck's manual-crank window regulator, which is sourced from Brazil. She said Slate sees itself as drawing in customers who would otherwise only be considering used cars, which on average sell for about what the Slate truck aims to retail for, in the mid-$20,000s. "We're going to be pulling from the whole 35 million used vehicle (market)," Barman said, where shoppers figured they may be forced to settle for fewer safety standards and no warranty. "Now, they can step into a vehicle that has all the latest safety standards, comes with a warranty. It's an EV, so repairs will be lower because there's less parts to maintain in the vehicle, and it can grow with them. ... If they can't afford to make it an SUV when they first buy it, a year later, two years later, they can then change it out." Several EV startups have gone bankrupt or faced dire financial straits in over the last year as demand for the vehicles hasn't met expectations and funding has dried up. Even established players like Tesla Inc., Rivian Automotive Inc. and Lucid Group Inc. face headwinds, especially now that the tax credit is ending. Slate, though, is pushing ahead and advertises almost 100 open positions on its website in Michigan, Indiana and elsewhere. The startup has drawn attention from more established automotive players because of its Bezos connection and its focus on being cheap and customizable. "It was really interesting seeing that (Slate truck) out there," Paul Stephens, Ford Motor Co.'s global strategy manager, said on a panel at the Reindustrialize summit. "Complexity reduction is one thing, and part-count reduction is another thing too. So when we're looking at future product designs, trying to reduce the number of components while keeping the same task, is one of the top priority items that I've been seeing, and not just at Ford but the industry at large." And Tim Kuniskis, the CEO of the Ram truck brand who also oversees other U.S. Stellantis NV brands, recently called Slate's approach "super interesting" during a press event. "The idea behind it, you know, we've talked about that idea a million times. Super interesting. I give (Barman) a lot of credit," he said. "It's a cool idea. Now what's it going to actually transact at in the marketplace where the tax credits are gone and people start to option them up? It's not going to be $20,000. It's going to be $35,000, and by the time you get to $35,000, you're in midsize truck territory." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
News18
06-07-2025
- Business
- News18
UK's Aviation Engineers Arrive In Kerala To Repair F-35 Fighter Jet Grounded For Three Weeks
Last Updated: The British F-35B fighter jet has been grounded in India for over three weeks due to technical issues. Engineers from the UK arrived in India on Sunday to fix the problem. Over three weeks after the British fighter jet, F-35B, was grounded in India due to technical issues, a team of aviation engineers from Britain arrived at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, where the aircraft had failed to take off for 21 days. The team will attempt to repair the America-made fifth-generation fighter jet, which made an emergency landing at Kerala Airport on June 14 and has developed engineering issues since. The engineers were earlier scheduled to arrive in Kerala on July 2; however, the visit was postponed for unknown reasons, news agency PTI earlier reported, citing sources. 'A UK engineering team has deployed to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to assess and repair the UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion," a British High Commission spokesperson said on Sunday. 'The UK has accepted the offer of a space in the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, and are in discussions to finalise arrangements with relevant authorities. In line with standard procedure, the aircraft will be moved following the arrival of UK engineers, who are carrying specialist equipment necessary for the movement and repair process," the spokesperson added. The UK expressed gratitude to the Indian authorities and airport teams for continued support. The jet is currently parked at a bay in Thiruvananthapuram Airport and is being guarded by a six-member team from the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. The F-35B, owned by UK's Royal Navy, may need to be dismantled for transport or flown out in one piece using a large special aircraft, such as C-17 Globemaster. The jet, which costs over $110 million, is one of the most advanced fighter planes in the world. It had to make an emergency landing at the airport on June 14. The F-35B fighter jet is special as it can take off in a short space and land straight down, like a helicopter. This makes it useful on small ships, short runways, or remote areas. After the emergency landing, the Indian Air Force said it is helping fix the jet and will assist in getting it back in the air. First Published:
The Hill
28-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Hill
Mace requests Trump to unfreeze Biden-era climate funding: Report
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) reportedly requested the Trump administration to unfreeze Biden-era climate funding in support of a car manufacturing plant in her southeastern district, which covers much of the Palmetto State's lowcountry region. In a Tuesday letter obtained by The Washington Post, Mace asked the Department of Energy (DOE) to release the funds for a Mercedes-Benz plant's refashioning to produce electric vehicles, stating the move would bring roughly 800 jobs to her district. The staunch Trump ally argued in the letter addressed to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, per The Post, that the grant would help 'ensure America-made options remain available in the commercial vehicle sector.' The project sought nearly $300,000 from the federal government. The report comes after Mace backed the House-passed spending and tax bill, which includes significant cuts to green energy tax credits. Many Republicans in the Senate, which is currently working through their own version of the legislation, voiced concern that renewable energy cuts may be too vast. President Trump, in his broad efforts to curb government spending and root out fraud and abuse, nixed the South Carolina grant program when he halted the disbursement of former President Biden's climate programs earlier this year. 'We strongly support President Trump's initiative to restore fiscal responsibility within the executive branch, particularly in reducing waste, fraud, and redundancies,' the letter reads, according to The Post. 'While we understand and support the necessity of such measures, we believe that federal investments should continue to prioritize projects with sustained economic growth.' Mace's office as well as the DOE did not respond to an immediate request for comment on the matter. As The Post noted, it is difficult to assess how much climate funding Trump has withheld after he signed an executive order on Inauguration Day rescinding funds disbursed through Biden's landmark Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The move wasn't unexpected, however. On the campaign trail, he vowed to end the 'madness' of national emphasis on developing EVs and accompanying infrastructure and has continued to rail against green funding touted by his predecessor. Still, it drew widespread pushback from Democrats and imperiled billions of dollars, including projects in red states and districts, which sparked some concern from Republicans on Capitol Hill. It has even provoked a number of lawsuits against the Trump administration. In March, farmers and environmental groups sued over the grant pause, including the halting of a $300 million program seeking to aid farmers install renewable energy or efficiency upgrades. Earlier this week, a judge blocked the administration from withholding funds for EV charging infrastructure. Still, Trump has maintained his distaste for climate-related funding. This month, the president blasted green tax credits that were still included in the GOP's 'big, beautiful bill.' 'I HATE 'GREEN TAX CREDITS' IN THE GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL. They are largely a giant SCAM,' he posted last weekend. The Senate has taken a less aggressive approach to climate funding compared to their House counterparts. The upper chamber is expected to take up its own version on Saturday, after the text was unveiled overnight. The new bill text would still need House approval.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Donald Trump launches smartphone after threatening Apple, Samsung with tariffs: What T1 Phone 8002 phone's listing tells and does not
President Donald Trump has unveiled his own smartphone brand, Trump Mobile, just weeks after threatening Apple and Samsung with steep tariffs unless they move production to the United States. The timing appears designed to capitalize on his "America First" manufacturing rhetoric while offering consumers a domestic alternative to foreign-made devices. Trump's flagship device, the T1 Phone 8002 (Gold version), carries a $499 price tag and can be reserved with a $100 down payment for September delivery. The phone is marketed as "designed and built in the USA," positioning it as the patriotic choice Trump has been demanding from major manufacturers. The launch comes after Trump's May threat to impose "at least 25 percent" tariffs on iPhones and similar devices manufactured overseas. He specifically targeted Apple CEO Tim Cook, stating that iPhones sold in America must be manufactured domestically, not in India or elsewhere. Trump extended the tariff threat to "Samsung and anybody that makes that product," as he told White House reporters, with implementation potentially beginning at the end of June. The timing appears designed to capitalize on his broader commitment to reshoring technology manufacturing. Specifications of T1 Phone 8002: What the listing page tells and what it does not The T1 Phone 8002 boasts some impressive hardware for its price, including a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, 256GB storage, 12GB RAM, and a 5,000mAh battery. The device features three rear cameras led by a 50MP main sensor, Android 15, and notably includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, a rarity among modern smartphones. However, the Trump Mobile website doesn't tell much about the smartphone, and displays what appears to be heavily manipulated product images. No processor is listed despite a dedicated section on the specifications page, a critical omission for any smartphone launch. Why Trump's America-made T1 Mobile is a far-fetched reality Industry observers note that the September delivery timeline seems optimistic given the typical 12-18 month development cycle for new smartphones. The Trump Mobile venture requires customers to place $100 deposits for pre-orders, with the remainder due upon delivery. Trump's assertion that the phone is manufactured domestically contradicts industry consensus about smartphone production capabilities in the United States. Even Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly stated that domestic iPhone production faces significant infrastructure and supply chain challenges. Currently, virtually no smartphone manufacturers, including those based in the US, produce their devices on American soil. The complex supply chains and specialized manufacturing capabilities required for modern smartphones remain concentrated in Asia, particularly China, despite ongoing efforts by companies like Apple to diversify production to countries like India.
Mint
16-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Donald Trump's firm launches new America-made smartphone Trump Mobile for $499 — Check monthly subscription costs
US President Donald Trump's company, Trump Organization, launched an America-made smartphone named Trump Mobile on Monday, 16 June 2025, according to the news agency Reuters. The company aims to capture conservative consumers and give them an alternative to other major telecom providers. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
