I Saw the Bezos-Backed Slate Truck. It’s Designed to Be Unfinished.

In March 2025 — before I started writing for Business Insider — I met two automotive executives in a New York City coffee shop.

They wanted to show me a truck from a secretive new company.

“This is the most public place we’ve ever done this,” one of them told me as they cautiously opened their laptop in the very public space.

On the screen was a small, stripped-down electric pickup from a company that hadn’t yet publicly revealed itself. It was called Slate.

Slate is betting that a radically simplified vehicle — one with far fewer parts, no center console screens, and manual (if not old-timey) features like crank windows — can succeed by keeping costs low and letting drivers customize it later.

It’s a contrarian idea in an auto industry where prices have soared. Today, the average price of a new car is north of $50,000. Most new-vehicle buyers are paying more than $770 a month on their car loan.

That pitch attracted high-profile backers, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The car was compelling — but I had only seen the product on a laptop screen. That changed this Monday. Slate brought a driveable prototype to a warehouse in New York City’s West Village, and I got to see it in the flesh.

I also asked executives whether they still believe the company can succeed as EV demand cools — and why it changed CEOs months before launch.

Most importantly: Will it still cost around $25,000?

Slate’s no-frills approach

“Slate” is a bit of wordplay.

The truck is designed as a “blank slate” — a base vehicle that owners can modify with add-ons like a second-row bench seat, bed caps that convert it into an SUV, and other accessories. The SUV package is expected to cost around $5,000, a company spokesperson said.

“It’s just a vehicle right now that you’re able to make it your own,” Gus Bizyk, Slate’s head of exterior design, said.

The name also reflects the truck’s default color. All models come in slate gray, with optional vinyl wraps for each body panel. The prototype I saw was finished in blue with a white roof and bright orange rims.

That simplicity carries through to the truck’s construction. Slate says the vehicle uses far fewer parts than traditional cars or other EVs.

“Reducing parts makes it simpler to build,” Bizyk added. “There are fewer threads to pull.”

It’s assembled in a small Indiana factory that uses a mix of human and robotic labor. The battery is sourced in the US.

“We’re pretty well insulated from tariffs, and the tax credit was not part of our business plan,” Jeff Jablansky, the company’s head of communications, said. “With far fewer parts, we’re able to simplify the process.”

The last-minute leadership change

Christine Barman served as Slate’s CEO from May 2022 until early March 2026 and was the public face of the company, leading product announcements and speaking engagements.

That’s why it raised eyebrows when Slate announced a new CEO in March. The company appointed Peter Faricy, a former Amazon Marketplace executive for nearly a decade, as the top boss.

Barman moved into the role of president of vehicles, though her LinkedIn profile still lists her as CEO.

The company framed the change as an expansion of its leadership team.

“Peter’s joining was an opportunity for us to expand the leadership team,” Jablansky said. “For people to understand that we’ve taken a lot out of the truck so you can put a lot back in, the accessory market is really important. That was one area Peter built at Amazon for a decade.”

I finally saw it in person. Here are my thoughts.

On a screen, the Slate truck has a kind of cartoonish energy. Its boxy profile and circular headlights give it a slightly animated look — more playful than brutish or macho.

In person, that quality holds up. The compact size and matte finish make it feel like something drivers are meant to customize.

It’s also slightly longer than I expected. Slate says the truck is about the same length as a two-door Ford Bronco, which extends to 173.7 inches.

Inside, the simplicity is immediately obvious. The interior is stripped down, with durable materials and a minimal center console — noticeably different from newer vehicles that lean heavily on touchscreens and digital controls. The seats come with very little lumbar support.

The simple, customizable car could appeal to buyers looking for lower-cost options — but it’s also launching into a complicated moment for the EV market.

Some automakers have scaled back electric vehicle plans as demand has cooled, though recent supply chain concerns and fuel volatility have kept interest in alternatives to gas-powered cars alive.

EV sales caved in January and February across the US. However, recently, automakers have told Business Insider they’re seeing increased interest, especially for newer or recently redesigned models.

Slate still isn’t positioning itself around electrification.

“The fact that it’s electric is almost an afterthought; it’s the least interesting thing because of how cool the product is, just on its own,” Aaron Gould, Slate’s head of interior design, said. “People are really looking for an affordable and adaptable vehicle.”

As for the price, Slate isn’t ready to give a final number — but says it’s still aiming to deliver the base truck in the mid-$20,000 range. Pricing announcements are expected this summer.

I asked how, at that price, it compares to something like Ford’s gas-powered Maverick, one of the few affordable pickups on the market that starts just under $30,000.

“I wouldn’t even think of comparing them,” Bizyk said.

That may be the point. Slate isn’t trying to compete on traditional terms — it’s betting that a simpler, more customizable truck can stand apart.