Can Slate's $24,950 electric pickup truck win over EV skeptics?

Slate Auto is aiming to accomplish what Ford Motor couldn't — to get drivers to swap their gasoline-powered pickups for an electric truck. Slate on Wednesday began taking $300 preorders for its base $24,950 electric pickup truck, a price that is less than half the roughly $57,000 average cost of a new electric vehicle and well below the average $49,000 price of a new car. Deliveries of the Slate truck are expected in late 2026. EVs have had a rocky time in recent years, with demand dropping after a tax subsidy for electric vehicles ended in 2025, prompting more consumers to opt for lower-priced fuel-injected cars. In December, Ford ended production of the electric version of its popular F-150 pickup truck, with CEO Jim Farley saying it didn't make sense to continue investing in a product that wasn't profitable. Slate, which also makes an electric SUV, is betting that its low price point can win over EV skeptics. "A Slate Truck is $24,950. Because America asked for an affordable new truck," the company said Wednesday on social media. Startup automaker Slate, backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is now be taking preorders for its $24,950 electric pickup truck. Slate Still, the Slate Truck is likely to face serious hurdles. For an EV, its driving range is relatively short, at 205 miles, which could deter some customers at a time when other electric cars on the market offer far greater range. …