Slate Auto’s sub-$20,000 price tag for its electric pickup may be a victim of the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
The startup had pledged to launch an ultra-affordable EV truck “expected under $20,000 after federal incentives.” But that price tag quietly disappeared from its website on Thursday, as TechCrunch first reported. The reason: The Trump administration’s newly passed spending package, which has now cleared both the House and Senate, eliminates the federal tax credits that made such a price point possible.
EVs have long cost more than their gas-powered counterparts, mainly due to the high cost of lithium-ion batteries. Slate Auto—backed by Jeff Bezos—hoped to change that with a radically minimalist approach: sell a no-frills electric truck as a “blank slate” and let customers bolt on features as they go, like a life-sized Lego kit.
To hit the sub-$20,000 target price, the base model was stripped down to the essentials: a single gray color, two seats, a flatbed, a steering wheel and a simple gauge cluster displaying battery status and charging info. Everything else—from paint options and power windows to infotainment, cupholders and even speakers—would cost extra. Buyers can even convert the truck into an SUV or fastback using bolt-on roof panels.
Slate hasn't disclosed how much the add-ons will cost or how high the final price could climb. But the concept clearly resonated, with the company receiving over 100,000 reservations within two weeks of unveiling the truck.
Falling battery prices and Slate’s bare bones approach could still allow it to price the vehicle competitively. But without the federal tax credit, the company loses its strongest hook and faces a tougher pitch.
With Tesla and legacy automakers inching closer to sub-$30,000 EVs that aren’t bare bones, Slate will now have to prove how its stripped-down truck still makes sense without Uncle Sam’s help.
Have a tip? Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com
