The electric Slate truck just got $7,500 more expensive

A few months ago, the media was consumed in a marketing blitz by Jeff Bezos’ Slate Auto, promising a no-nonsense electric pickup that could transform into a two-door SUV. The main draw was the below-$20,000 price tag, which now looks to be remotely impossible thanks to a new bill.

The Slate truck is scheduled to enter production in 2026, but that would be too late for the $7,500 tax credit, which will cease in September 2025. President Donald Trump signed the spending bill into law early in July, effectively ending a federal incentive that helped millions of Americans become EV owners and companies like Tesla and Rivian become multi-billion-dollar businesses.

Slate Auto immediately altered its website to remove references to the federal EV tax credit. It now says “Expected Price: Mid-Twenties.”

The newly minted EV maker has yet to disclose the cost of its electric pickup truck. However, the company went bare bones to achieve the mid-$20,000 starting price, which was to drop below $20,000 with the help of the tax credit.

Slate would be hard-pressed to find further ways to cut costs. Reducing battery size is not feasible, as the entry-level 52.7 kWh pack already gives a rather unimpressive 150 miles. The charging speed is not so great either, peaking at 120 kW. There is no center display to eliminate.

The EV startup claims it has gathered more than 100,000 reservations in just two weeks. Just how many of them will turn into actual deliveries sans federal EV tax credit remains to be seen.