Just one day after news emerged of Jeff Bezos backing a discreet electric vehicle startup known as Slate Auto, an early model of the company’s anticipated low-cost electric pickup truck has surfaced publicly for the first time.
The initial sighting came courtesy of a Reddit user, who uploaded an image depicting a compact, dark-colored two-seat pickup truck being unloaded from a shipping container near an office in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. According to sources familiar with the company’s design operations, who spoke under anonymity due to confidentiality, the vehicle in the photo is indeed a prototype of the truck Slate Auto is currently developing.
The vehicle appears utilitarian and straightforward in its design, characterized by clean, minimalistic styling. Observers have noted a resemblance in the grille to the contemporary Ford Bronco Sport, as well as a structural similarity to a scaled-down, streamlined Rivian R1T—perhaps not coincidentally, as Slate’s head of exterior design previously worked briefly with Rivian.
The simplicity is deliberate. As previously revealed, Slate Auto’s broader strategy is built around offering this electric pickup at a base price of approximately $25,000—a notably aggressive price point in the EV truck market. Slate Auto plans to generate additional revenue through extensive upselling opportunities, allowing customers considerable freedom in customization. Indeed, company trademark filings suggest a business model emphasizing personalization. The slogan “WE BUILT IT. YOU MAKE IT.” and listings referencing a program called “Slate University” hint at an extensive ecosystem of aftermarket customization and accessories planned by the startup.
Another recently unearthed trademark application shows Slate Auto applying for rights to the phrase “Blank Slate,” presumably to denote the basic version of the truck before customers initiate their personalization choices. Despite preparations for a public reveal just a few weeks away, sources indicate the company has not yet finalized an official name for the new vehicle.
Slate Auto has yet to publicly respond or comment directly on the recent photo leak or details emerging about the truck.
