Slate Truck: This American EV is back to basics, defies modernity
The Slate Truck EV deliberately eschews the digital excess and opulent comforts that define American pickups and EVs, in favor of sheer simplicity and affordability for everyday use.
Traditionally speaking, American SUVs and pickup trucks have an ubiquitous character of being beefy, “macho” rugged, and high-fi. Take for instance, the Chevy Suburban, Ford Bronco, or the Hummer! With the advent of digital modernity in cars, EVs reinforced this ‘American-ness’ in a unique way. Case in point is the quintessential Tesla Cybertruck or the new Ford Bronco EV.
Bucking this trend is the Slate Truck, a near production-ready electric pickup truck manufactured by Michigan-based Slate Auto. The startup, which was operating in stealth mode until the public reveal of the tiny truck a couple of days ago, is funded by wealthy businessmen including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The e-truck is conceived to be built to be bare-bones in every aspect of it, so as to make it affordable and customizable.
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At a time when EVs like the Tesla Cybertruck push the boundaries of futuristic design and connected features, the Slate Truck emerges as a starkly contrasting alternative. It deliberately eschews the digital excess and opulent comforts in favor of a utilitarian and back-to-basics approach. The company’s disruptive model business model stands diagonally opposite to that of Tesla.
Beautifully simplified
The Stale Truck is a 2-seat EV pickup in its original production configuration (the “Blank Slate”). It measures 4.4 metres long, with a wheelbase of 2.76 metres. However, the ingenuity of the platform lies in its customizability. The truck can be easily transformed into a fastback or a 5-seat SUV. There is also an endless option for personalization including 3 levels of body wrapping instead of paintjobs. Even buyers can do these mods as DIY tasks!
This single-motor, rear-wheel driven EV is powered by a 52.7 kWh battery pack in standard variants. A bigger 84.3 kWh variant is also on offer. The truck claims to deliver 150 kW of power and 264 Nm of torque, guaranteeing a driving range of 240 kms (standard) and 386 kms (accessory pack). Top speed is rated at 145 kmph. Using NACS port, overnight charging is the norm, while fast-charging to 80% at 120 kW may take up to 30 minutes.
The simplicity of the Slate Truck is at its peak with its equipment levels. You get crank windows and no music or infotainment system! You have to attach your own mobile device on the dashboard mount (with USB power) for music or navigation functions.
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Wait a minute, we had this arrangement in our Datsun Go some 10 years ago, and frankly speaking, the Indian customers disliked it! Should the customers bring their own safety devices for this bare-bone EV? Actually no. The Slate Truck comes loaded with 8 airbags, forward collision warning and emergency braking systems for active safety.
The company’s rallying point with the EV is its sheer affordability and “no nonsense” approach. After state incentives, the Slate Truck is expected to cost around $20,000 (₹17 lakhs), which is super cheap for Americans. With re-industrialized factory, direct-to-customer sales, and DIY slants, the company’s approach is all very interesting. We may have to wait and watch how the Americans, who are so used to Teslas and high-fi cars, respond to this no-frills, everyday EV.
