- Slate Auto, the Jeff Bezos–backed EV startup that launched last week, will build its first models in Indiana, according to a report from Business Insider.
- The 1.4 million square-foot facility was home to a printing company until 2023, but will now be tooled to build the Slate Truck.
- Slate plans to launch its first model in late 2026 as a bare-bones EV pickup with a starting price around $27,500 and a laundry list of accessories to fit customers’ needs.
The emergent automaker Slate continues to be the talk of the town. The Jeff Bezos–backed EV startup launched last week with a promise to build totally spartan EV pickups that cost around $27,500 before any federal EV tax credits kick in. A new report from Business Insider shows that Slate plans to build its cars at a factory in Warsaw, Indiana. According to the report, the 1.4-million-square-foot factory operated as a printing facility until 2023. The compound has office space in addition to two production facilities, each of which takes up about 600,000 square feet. According to the report, the company declined to comment on how much of the facility it plans to use. At its launch event last week, the automaker announced plans to deliver its first models near the end of 2026. In the interim, the company will need to retool the Warsaw facility to build its electric cars. Speaking of the cars, the bare-bones pickup is all about giving customers a wealth of choices through optional accessories. Like so many other EVs, Slate offers the choice of battery size. The Slate Truck ships with a standard 47-kWh (net) battery with an estimated range of around 150 miles, or a 75-kWh (net) pack with closer to 240 miles of range. When we say the Slate Truck will be spartan, we mean it. Roll-down windows are standard issue, as are manually adjustable rearview mirrors. There’s no infotainment system, just a docking setup for your phone or tablet, and you’ll even need to pay extra if you want speakers built into the car. According to the automaker, more than 100 accessories will be available to customers when deliveries start next year. There’s a factory lift kit, a factory lowering kit, an array of vinyl wraps to add color to the blank gray composite panels, and even an SUV kit that adds a roof panel over the bed and gives it a three-across bench as a back seat. More on the Slate TruckJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
Source: caranddriver.com
