Slate Auto: Everything you need to know about the Bezos-backed EV startup

April 2025, known as a new company Slate The car came out of the stealth and shocked the car industry. This startup was not just concentrating on the creation of a super-style, customized electronic pickup truck with Jeff Bezos funding, but it has been secretly working in Troy for three years in Michigan-the backdrop of major automaker homes like General Motors.

TechCrunch was in the first story, reporting the company’s existence in early April, being involved with Amazon’s founder and its curious and unique business models. In late April, our reports and weeks in the official upcoming party of the slate provided a cyclone with the prototypes of the startup truck around California.

Slate is a damage in the EV sector in the United States, where the bankruptcy, the launch of failed products and the pivots have become common. And when its current supporters, executive lineups, the first product and business model provide a compulsory path ahead, the road is still trimmed with possible obstacles as it pushed towards production by the end of 2026.

There is a timeline that charts what you need to know about Slate Auto, its original story and supporters up to its products, business models and production plans.

EV -startup is secretly supported by Jeff Bezos

April 8 – After a one -year investigation, Techchen has revealed a story that reveals that A Slate Auto is called secreted EV startup Jeff Bezos and La Dodzers owner Mark Walter’s financial support had been worked out for three years.

In contrast to other EV startups, slate was working to develop a highly short expensive electric pickup truck, which would start at around $ 25,000. This truck will be deeply customized, earning the experiences of many former employees from Harley-Devidson and Chrysler, two companies with a wide accessory and after-market parts business.

Slate Autor Pickup Truck is stained in the knit

April 10 – A day later, a picture of a nodescript starts promoting the electronic truck R/HoTistiska subradeitRedders guess this could be by guessing Slate mystery EveThe

The TechCrunch was able to confirm that the image was actually a prototype of the slate truck parked outside the Long Beach of the California Design Center.

An EV that can change like ‘transformer’

April 21 – Slate begins to set up concept versions of Slate EV on public streets to generate marketing lightning before its planned launch event. Curiously, some of them seemed to be more stylish like SUV or hatchback, not just pickup trucks.

TechCrunch was able to confirm that the company had created EVT “Transformer-national” modular powerAnd this stunt was a way to irritate this customization.

Analog EV Pickup Truck which steadily anti-tesla

April 24 – Slate debuted at a launch event in Long Beach, California, where it was revealed Customized electronic pickup truckThe The slate also announced that the truck, with 000 7,500 federal EV tax, would be available under $ 20,000 – with Credit.

The base version of the truck was very empty, just 150 miles range, no power window, no major infotina screen and even a paint. The slate promised that everything about the truck would be customized, even up to the number of seats and the overall silhouette.

EV truck production is in front of a former Indiana printing plant

April 25 – TechCrunch has said that Slate has identified a former printing center in Warsa as Indiana Position for the truck factoryThe The 1.5 million square feet of foot facility was built in the 5th and it was dormant for almost two years.

Slate Auto exceeds 100,000 refundable reservations within two weeks

May 12 – Slate It has already confirmed on TechCrunch $ 50 reservation of 100,000 refundable For its affordable EV truck. It was proof that the company’s ideas were caught with a wide audience even though no one knew about the slate just two months ago.

Federal EV Tax Credit after Trump Administration Defines Slate Auto ’20, below $ 000 ‘

July 3 – The Trump administration has pressed through a huge tax-cut bill that, among many other activities, the last date of September, determines the 7,500 federal EV tax credit. That means the slate truck will no longer be able to lean toward that credit “Below $ 20,000” is the starting price The startup was touting. As this, the slate pulled the language from its website even before the bill even signed the law.

Why this LA-based VC Farm was the initial investor in Slate Auto

July 8 – The 2023 fund of the slate included at least 16 investors – one of them Bezos. Although most of these investors have not yet been detected, Los Angeles-based Slows & Co. Talks to Techchen Why it throws with EV startup That primary fund is in the round, as well as the Slate series B.