Jeff Bezos is quietly backing a secretive electric vehicle startup, Slate Auto, based in Michigan, which aims to begin manufacturing as soon as late 2026, according to documents and insiders familiar with the company. Formed in 2022, Slate emerged from within Re:Build Manufacturing, another Bezos-affiliated entity co-founded by former senior Amazon executive Jeff Wilke and MIT classmate Miles Arnone. Despite remaining stealthy since inception, Slate has assembled a sizable team drawn from prominent automotive names like Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, and Harley-Davidson.
Slate Auto’s mission focuses on producing an affordable two-seat electric pickup truck, targeted at approximately $25,000, and designed to become a modern equivalent to landmark vehicles like Ford’s Model T or Volkswagen’s Beetle. It represents a significant departure from the strategies of other EV startups—such as Tesla, Rivian, or Lucid Motors—which typically market premium vehicles initially before attempting cheaper mass-market models later.
Bezos’ investment, channeled through his private family office, has helped Slate raise significant capital behind closed doors. The startup secured at least $111 million in a Series A funding round back in 2023, led partly by Bezos himself; however, the exact figure of his contribution remains undisclosed. Melinda Lewison, head of Bezos’ private investment office, figures prominently in the company’s regulatory filings. Slate reportedly also completed a Series B funding round late last year, though details of that financing remain officially unconfirmed. Documents filed with Delaware’s business agencies indicate billionaire investors such as Mark Walter, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and CEO of Guggenheim Partners, and veteran investor Thomas Tull, joined the board following the latest round.
While headquartered in Troy, Michigan, Slate Auto has rented a nondescript design facility in Long Beach, California, where it has privately shown a prototype vehicle to select potential investors. Production plans indicate Slate intends to construct or adapt a manufacturing site near Indianapolis, Indiana.
In a challenging period for electric vehicle makers, with bankruptcies and high cash burn rates plaguing even established companies, Slate is developing a unique approach to profitability. Rather than relying solely on the typically narrow margins afforded by low-priced cars, Slate intends to supplement vehicle sales with an extensive portfolio of premium lifestyle accessories and branded merchandise. Job postings reveal ambitions for comprehensive customer-focused programs, products and services, including parts, apparel, and online education initiatives collectively branded as “Slate University.”
Slate’s management roster includes extensive experience from Harley-Davidson and Stellantis—firms well-known for their hugely profitable accessory and parts divisions. Executive Chairman Rodney Copes, CFO Ryan Green, and several other senior hires bring significant experience from Harley-Davidson, Rivian, and traditional automotive giants. Components such as battery packs, electric motors, and related technology are expected to be sourced externally rather than developed internally from scratch.
Despite its deep ties with Amazon and the Bezos empire, Slate fundamentally differs from other startups in one critical respect: rather than employing an active founder as CEO, the company is led by automotive veteran Christine Barman. After spending two decades at Chrysler overseeing prominent vehicle programs like the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Jeep Cherokee, Barman held senior roles integrating advanced technologies including Android Automotive and Waymo self-driving systems. Following her departure from Fiat Chrysler in 2017, Barman advised companies in emerging technology and engineering until joining Slate through its parent organization, Re:Build Manufacturing.
Bezos himself has largely remained a silent and passive financial backer, seldom appearing near Slate’s offices or actively participating in operations. Nonetheless, Slate’s strategy represents a distinctive blend of affordable consumer appeal, accessory-focused revenue streams, and a lean operational structure designed specifically to withstand industry pressures that have imperiled others.
