Latest news with #BlankSlate
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Slate Auto draws 100,000 reservations, raises $700 million for EV mini-truck
EV startup Slate Auto is moving quickly on plans to launch a sub-$30,000 mini-pickup out of a brownfield site in the Midwest, drawing 100,000 customer reservations and $700 million in financing, the company said. 'America has shown that it wants what we're making,' Slate said in an email. The startup opened reservations — with a modest $50 refundable deposit — when it revealed its two-door pickup April 24. Slate, which is targeting late-2026 production, also revealed more information about top financial backers after quietly building in 'stealth mode' since 2022. One key investor is Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, it said. The Troy, Mich. startup said it's raised $700 million and the latest funding round closed in late 2024. Slate said its biggest backers include investment funds Bezos Expeditions, General Catalyst and TWG Global. General Catalyst is invested in a variety of brands, including Airbnb and Snapchat, its website says. TWG Global has investments in the L.A. Dodgers and Cadillac Formula 1 Team as part of its portfolio, it said. Slate CEO Chris Barman is a former engineering vice president at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Other top executives have industry experience, including at EV maker Rivian, according to their LinkedIn profiles. Sign up for the weekly Automotive News Mobility Report newsletter for the latest developments at the intersection of transportation and technology. Slate plans to sell one basic vehicle configuration and offer a long list of accessories designed for do-it-yourself installation. The options to personalize the base vehicle are extensive, down to colorful decals. The base 'Blank Slate' is a rear-wheel-drive pickup similar in size to the subcompact Subaru Crosstrek. It has plastic body panels with no paint, comes without a radio and offers an estimated 150 miles of range, Slate said. As part of the reservation process, Slate collects $50 and asks whether the buyer is interested in an 'SUV Kit,' which is essentially a camper shell with three passenger seats, seat belts, airbags and a roll bar. Slate also asks customers about their interest in an optional battery with around 240 miles of range. Slate hasn't given prices for the upgrades beyond the estimated starting cost for a DIY body wrap at about $500. The base pickup is expected to cost under $20,000 after federal incentives, the company said. Without the tax break, the price would be $7,500 higher, not including shipping. Slate didn't provide shipping costs. Accessory categories include: vinyls wrap including two-tone designs; bigger wheels and tires; lighting upgrades; bluetooth speakers; and an electric window kit to convert the standard, hand-crank windows. The automaker says that it will provide instructions for owners to install the accessories themselves, including three versions of the SUV Kit, two with a roof and one open air. Slate says it can arrange installation for a fee. For infotainment, Slate said owners can use their smartphones or install a tablet. The phone mount is standard and the tablet mount is optional. The truck doesn't come with any screens but does offer a phone app. The startup's focus on a basic, attractive vehicle with limited standard equipment — which does include air conditioning and heat — has drawn an enthusiastic response on social media and among industry analysts. But some warn that the quoted 'under $20,000″ sticker is unrealistic. Republican lawmakers are working to repeal the $7,500 EV incentive and added accessories are likely to push up average transaction prices. 'A normally equipped one that most people want is going to end up costing $35,000 and for that money you get 150 miles of range, 200 horsepower and a two-door truck,' auto analyst Doug DeMuro said on his podcast May 6. DeMuro warned that U.S. customers have shunned two-door vehicles in general in recent years. Slate says it's disrupting traditional automotive manufacturing that requires enormous upfront investments and high fixed costs. It plans to build its pickup at a former printing plant in Warsaw, Ind. By using plastic exterior panels, Slate doesn't need a factory paint shop or metal stamping, two high-cost areas. The company said it will sell direct to consumers and use a service partner that it hasn't yet named. Despite skepticism from hard-nosed analysts, Slate said it's on track for a 2026 start of production, 'thanks to our highly experienced team and top industry partners.' Have an opinion about this story? Tell us about it and we may publish it in print. Click here to submit a letter to the editor. Sign in to access your portfolio
NZ Autocar
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Literally born from a clean slate
An American start-up backed by Amazon will launch a bare-bones $US27,000 electric pick-up truck in 2027. It is called the Blank Slate. News first broke last month and now further images are to hand. believes 'people deserve to have a car that they can afford'. They add that the concepts of desirability and affordability should be 'inseparable'. Blank Slate will go heavy on personalisation options. Tisha Johnson, director of Design said that the response to the Slate Truck's unveiling last month was overwhelming. It reflects the public's desire for an affordable yet still attractive pick-up. Johnson said that the Slate project appealed specifically to her desire to have a 'meaningful impact for society and on people's lives'. It also gave her an opportunity to fulfil a career ambition. 'It was concerning to me that I hadn't delivered affordable mobility, an affordable car, to people.' Indeed, the Slate Truck is tipped to be one of the most affordable pick-ups – electric or otherwise. It goes on sale in the US with a targeted start price of $US27,000, before incentives. That makes it roughly the same amount as an entry-level petrol-engined Ford Maverick. It's about half the price of the Ford F-150 Lightning, the least expensive electric pick-up in America. To achieve this it has a bare-bones cabin featuring manual seats, no stereo as standard and a device mount in place of a touchscreen. 'People know what they want in their own tech that they're carrying with them. Let them nest their phone or a tablet, if they want to, and then just get back to the act of driving.' It's an approach similar to that taken by the Dacia Spring and Citroën ë-C3. 'We are probably the least influenced by the directionality of industry players,' she said. There's a huge array of personalisation options for the pick-up. They range from vibrant liveries and chunky cladding to different wheel designs and even the choice of body style. There are kits available that turn the vehicle into a compact SUV or a fastback crossover. Johnson said the aim was that 'the person looking at it can overlay some interesting possibilities'. 'First and foremost, we want people to love the car.' Slate can build just one basic model line at its factory in Indiana, which keeps tooling and supply chain costs in check. Will Slate go global? Not initially, according to Johnson. It is 'focused on an American truck that we can deliver in the US'.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Slate Auto Secures $111M From Jeff Bezos And Guggenheim's Mark Walter To Build $20K Electric Truck, Challenging Tesla's Market Dominance
, the Jeff Bezos-backed EV startup making headlines for its stripped-back, deeply customizable approach, has raised over $111 million to bring its first vehicle, the 'Blank Slate,' to market by the end of 2026. The startup is taking a different approach to electric vehicle design, stripping away traditional features in favor of simplicity. Its modular, paint-free, screen-free EV pickup has ignited curiosity for its affordability and customization stance, and now, with hundreds of millions in funding and over 400 employees, Slate Auto is scaling up for production in Indiana, TechCrunch writes. Don't Miss: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Slate Auto's vehicle enters the market with a dramatically different philosophy, Business Insider writes. Priced around $25,000, the truck comes without traditional paint or even power windows, but that's entirely intentional. The design strips out traditional cost centers to maximize affordability while inviting consumers to build up the vehicle as their needs and budget evolve. Slate said it is launching with over 100 available accessories, including modular kits that transform the truck from a two-seater pickup into a five-passenger SUV. Instead of a single, fixed model, buyers start with a platform that can be reshaped through 'starter packs' bundled customization options that include tech, comfort, or utility upgrades. According to TechCrunch, the base model offers a 150-mile range with a 52.7kWh battery and 1,400-pound payload capacity. A larger battery is optional, pushing the range up to 240 miles. Drivers can opt for entertainment screens, upgraded speakers, racks, light kits, and even branded tailgate wraps as aftermarket add-ons. Trending: Donald Trump just announced a $500 billion AI infrastructure deal — . Slate has also launched Slate University, a digital DIY learning hub offering how-to videos, installation support, and resources to help owners modify their vehicles on their own terms. CEO Chris Barman, a longtime auto industry executive with roots at Chrysler, says Slate is offering more than a truck. "We are building the affordable vehicle that has long been promised but never been delivered," Barman said at Slate's unveiling on April 24 in Long Beach, California. Slate Auto's $111 million Series A fundraising round is backed by high-profile investors, including Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) founder Bezos via his private family office, and Mark Walter, CEO of Guggenheim Partners and majority owner of the L.A. Dodgers. According to TechCrunch, Walter has played a hands-on role in guiding Slate's early strategy through his existing manufacturing network. Other investors include early backers of Re:Build Manufacturing, where Slate Auto was initially incubated. With this strategic funding in place, Slate joins a growing class of EV startups shifting their focus away from expensive, feature-heavy vehicles toward more scalable, accessible options for first-time EV buyers, as Business Insider to The Verge, Slate will begin production of its truck in a retooled facility located in Warsaw, Indiana. The move places Slate among a rising number of EV companies committing to domestic production as a means to stabilize supply chains and reduce costs, Business Insider reported. Over 40 of job listings posted on LinkedIn show that the company is actively hiring across engineering, operations, and customer experience roles in preparation for its 2026 launch window. While many EV startups have struggled to reach scale with premium offerings, Business Insider says that Slate is flipping that model entirely. Instead of building high-end vehicles and slowly lowering prices, the company is starting with affordability and betting that personalization and low barriers to entry will drive long-term loyalty. The company's bold decision to deliver a truly modular EV has already separated it from competitors like Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN), and from now-defunct challengers like Fisker and Canoo, which struggled with the capital-intensive path to production. Slate Auto's vision of 'personal, not premium' could represent a long-overdue shift in how electric vehicles are imagined, built, and sold in the U.S. Read Next:Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Slate Auto Secures $111M From Jeff Bezos And Guggenheim's Mark Walter To Build $20K Electric Truck, Challenging Tesla's Market Dominance originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Sydney Morning Herald
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- Sydney Morning Herald
This electric ute is shaping as the anti-Tesla for EV buyers
With Tesla's reputation falling and Chinese exports to the US under threat, an automotive start-up backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos plan to offer an alternative – a small and affordable ute it hopes will become the Ford Model T of electric vehicles. Slate Auto has been flying under the radar for years, hiring employees from the likes of Ford, General Motors and Harley-Davidson, and is led by Chrysler veteran Christine Barman as its chief executive. It has significant Amazon roots, having originally spun out of the Re:Build Manufacturing incubator. According to a report from Tech Crunch, the company raised at least US$111 million in a Series A round in 2023, plus an undisclosed amount in a series B late last year, with Bezos and other Amazon executives among the investors. The leads of Slate's digital, e-commerce and in-vehicle experience divisions also come by way of Amazon. Is Slate ready to join a line of budding Tesla killers? Given the size of the company, it will need to make a lot more vehicles to hurt Elon Musk's baby, which is shipping millions of cars per year. Slate is likely to be pumping out closer to 100,000 cars. But it does offer an attractive option to those who want an everyday electric ute rather than a $100,000 Cybertruck, or EV enthusiasts who have soured on Tesla for political reasons. Slate's car, which will reportedly roll off the production line next year, certainly carries an air of tech start-up disruption. While most EV companies debut with an expensive car and work towards the middle of the market, Slate plans to start low; it will offer its vehicle starting at $US20,000 ($31,000), or around a third of the average price for a new EV in the United States. The idea is that it will eat a lot of the cost of manufacturing the car, and rely on an ecosystem of upgrades, add-ons and aesthetic customisations to bring in more money over time. The 'Blank Slate', as the vehicle in its default state is called, is a small car. As shown on the company's website, it's closer to the size of a 1985 Toyota ute than to the massive American 'trucks' commonly seen on the road today. It's also much simpler than most new electric vehicles, with very little in the way of extra features. Unless you want to add them. The vehicle has two seats, no digital screen, no electric windows and no audio system. It has air-conditioning, a phone or tablet holder, old-school window winders and trunk space under the bonnet. It comes in grey but is designed for optional wraps in any colour, and it's built to be augmented with a range of add-ons.
The Age
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Age
This electric ute is shaping as the anti-Tesla for EV buyers
With Tesla's reputation falling and Chinese exports to the US under threat, an automotive start-up backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos plan to offer an alternative – a small and affordable ute it hopes will become the Ford Model T of electric vehicles. Slate Auto has been flying under the radar for years, hiring employees from the likes of Ford, General Motors and Harley-Davidson, and is led by Chrysler veteran Christine Barman as its chief executive. It has significant Amazon roots, having originally spun out of the Re:Build Manufacturing incubator. According to a report from Tech Crunch, the company raised at least US$111 million in a Series A round in 2023, plus an undisclosed amount in a series B late last year, with Bezos and other Amazon executives among the investors. The leads of Slate's digital, e-commerce and in-vehicle experience divisions also come by way of Amazon. Is Slate ready to join a line of budding Tesla killers? Given the size of the company, it will need to make a lot more vehicles to hurt Elon Musk's baby, which is shipping millions of cars per year. Slate is likely to be pumping out closer to 100,000 cars. But it does offer an attractive option to those who want an everyday electric ute rather than a $100,000 Cybertruck, or EV enthusiasts who have soured on Tesla for political reasons. Slate's car, which will reportedly roll off the production line next year, certainly carries an air of tech start-up disruption. While most EV companies debut with an expensive car and work towards the middle of the market, Slate plans to start low; it will offer its vehicle starting at $US20,000 ($31,000), or around a third of the average price for a new EV in the United States. The idea is that it will eat a lot of the cost of manufacturing the car, and rely on an ecosystem of upgrades, add-ons and aesthetic customisations to bring in more money over time. The 'Blank Slate', as the vehicle in its default state is called, is a small car. As shown on the company's website, it's closer to the size of a 1985 Toyota ute than to the massive American 'trucks' commonly seen on the road today. It's also much simpler than most new electric vehicles, with very little in the way of extra features. Unless you want to add them. The vehicle has two seats, no digital screen, no electric windows and no audio system. It has air-conditioning, a phone or tablet holder, old-school window winders and trunk space under the bonnet. It comes in grey but is designed for optional wraps in any colour, and it's built to be augmented with a range of add-ons.
