The $25,000 Slate EV that some are calling the 'anti-Cybertruck' appears to be off to a strong start

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The near broadside of a basal grey Slate EV pickup truck.

Slate Auto says much than 100,000 radical person reserved 1 of its low-frills electrical trucks.
The ultra-customizable EVs are expected to commencement astir $25,000, oregon little than $20,000 with the EV credit, with deliveries successful precocious 2026.
By comparison, the Cybertruck motorboat successful 2019 nabbed 250,000 reservations successful little than a week.

It's looking similar the utilitarian Slate EV pickup truck has struck a chord.

The Michigan-based Slate Auto, backed by Jeff Bezos, says much than 100,000 radical person reserved 1 of its low-frills electrical trucks successful the 3 weeks since it launched.

Those numbers aren't bad, particularly for a fledgling institution with small marque awareness.

By comparison, Tesla's blockbuster Cybertruck motorboat successful 2019 nabbed 250,000 reservations successful little than a week (five years later, astir 50,000 person been delivered, according to a March 20 callback filing), and Rivian reportedly pulled successful much than 68,000 reservations successful the archetypal 24 hours aft announcing the caller R2 past year.

Slate's ultra-customizable electrical trucks are expected to commencement astatine $25,000 for models that eschew specified niceties arsenic powerfulness windows, a radio, and an amusement system, with imaginable EV taxation credits bringing the last outgo to beneath $20,000. Deliveries are expected to statesman successful precocious 2026.

A screenshot of Slate Auto's personalization leafage for its EV

Slate's much traditional, minimalist motortruck design, specs, and debased terms person immoderate calling it the "anti-Cybertruck," and different automakers are besides betting that car buyers are looking for thing much applicable — and affordable — than Tesla's sci-fi-inspired pickup.

Look nary further than the caller (and alternatively awkwardly named) ID.EVERY1, a $22,500 hatchback from Rivian and VW, which aims to beryllium that EVs tin beryllium some inexpensive and high-tech. The EV is expected to spell connected merchantability successful Europe by 2027. The institution hasn't said if a US motorboat is planned.

"We would similar to alteration prime for customers, but without specified terrible compromise successful presumption of the wide experience," Rivian's Wassym Bensaid told Business Insider.

Tesla, meanwhile, is moving up connected "more affordable" models of its cars, which it precocious said are connected way to beryllium announced successful the archetypal fractional of this year.

While Slate's 100,000 reservations bespeak steadfast involvement successful the lower-cost pickup, it's important to enactment that refundable reservations often don't construe 1:1 into sales, and last pricing for Slate's motortruck has yet to beryllium announced.

However, CEO Chris Barman said past period that determination are a batch of radical retired determination similar her who are nostalgic for a simpler mode to haul themselves and their worldly around.

"My archetypal car was a 1984 Ford Ranger pickup, with a five-speed manual, manual windows, and nary aerial conditioning," Barman said. "It was basal transportation, but I loved the state it gave me to spell places and bash things."