Billionaire Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos-backed Slate Auto Promises $25,000 Shape-shifting Electric Pickup
A new electric vehicle startup backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is drawing attention with a bold pitch: a compact electric pickup truck priced at just $25,000, with modular body styles that can be swapped or customised post-purchase. The startup, named Slate Auto, was quietly established in 2022 and is now reaching out to investors with its radical vision of a "Transformer-style" EV—one that can morph between body types depending on what the user needs.
At the heart of Slate’s plan is a low-cost, two-seat electric pickup designed from the ground up to be minimal, modular, and highly adaptable. The vehicle skips all luxury pretensions, focusing instead on functionality. It features a basic yet robust design, with circular headlights, flat panels, and clean lines that seem deliberately anti-Cybertruck.
A $25,000 electric truck? Yes, really.
While most electric pickups in the U.S. currently command upwards of $60,000–$70,000, Slate’s entry-level two-seater is aimed at being ultra-affordable. In fact, it’s priced at less than half of the Ford F-150 Lightning or the Rivian R1T. By stripping back unnecessary features and focusing on essential hardware, Slate aims to appeal to a different set of customers—those who value durability and function over bells and whistles.
This strategy is quite different from what many EV startups typically pursue. Most launch with high-end flagship models loaded with tech to generate buzz and justify a premium. Slate, however, appears to be drawing inspiration from mass-market icons like the Ford Model T and Volkswagen Beetle—vehicles that were accessible, functional, and built to serve.
To meet its aggressive price target, the startup plans to source critical components like battery packs and electric motors from outside suppliers rather than building them in-house. The initial two-seat configuration will help keep costs low, though it may limit appeal for families. The company seems to be targeting tradespeople, delivery drivers, urban commuters, and weekend users who prioritise utility over creature comforts.
The truck is expected to make its public debut in April 2025, with production likely to begin in 2026.
Why EVs are easier to customise than ICE vehicles
What makes all this possible is the fundamental difference between electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) platforms. EVs have far fewer moving parts, and their flat skateboard-like chassis can be adapted more easily. In contrast, ICE vehicles are built around large, complex powertrains that often dictate the shape and size of the entire vehicle.
With EVs, battery packs can be slotted into the floor, electric motors can be placed on one or more axles, and the lack of a traditional gearbox frees up space for design flexibility. This allows companies like Slate to develop modular vehicle architectures where different body styles—pickup, SUV, van—can be mounted onto the same basic frame without significant engineering changes.
This flexibility has led to a wave of innovation across the EV space. Companies ranging from Ford to niche players like City Transformer and ElectricBrands are experimenting with adaptive, user-configurable vehicles.
A growing trend in modular EV design
Slate Auto isn't alone in exploring this idea. Several EV makers have been working on modular platforms that cater to evolving user needs. German startup ElectricBrands has created the eBussy—a tiny EV that can be configured into over ten different styles, from vans to campers. It even includes a steering column that can slide across the dashboard, allowing left, right, or centre driving.
City Transformer, an Israeli company, has designed a foldable urban EV that narrows its width at low speeds to manoeuvre through tight city streets and park in motorcycle-sized spots—all while maintaining the safety standards of a car.
Even legacy players like Ford are investing in the space. The company has filed patents for a modular EV chassis that uses adjustable frame rails and interchangeable subframes. The idea is simple: allow buyers to choose a vehicle length, shape, and style that suits their life today—and change it if their needs evolve tomorrow.
“We Built It. You Make It.”
Slate’s entire design and branding philosophy is centred around personalisation. The company has trademarked slogans like “We Built It. You Make It” and “Blank Slate,” underscoring its belief that the car is just a starting point. Their early marketing campaigns involved showing different versions of the same truck—one as a pickup, another as a closed-bed SUV, and yet another as a quirky hatchback resembling Rivian’s R3—on the streets of California.
Investors were reportedly wowed by a clever demonstration where a standard version of the truck was customised live during a pitch. The audience was led out of the room, only to return and find the same vehicle transformed with new panels, a different body shape, and added features.
Slate also plans to create a community-driven platform for vehicle modifications—possibly called Slate University—where owners can learn how to upgrade, swap parts, or modify their vehicles themselves. It's a move inspired by companies like Jeep and Harley-Davidson, where customisation is part of the ownership experience and a significant source of additional revenue.
What it means for future EV buyers
If Slate Auto succeeds, it could redefine what vehicle ownership means—especially in an EV-dominated future. Instead of buying a car, selling it, and buying another as your life changes, you might just start with a base vehicle and modify it over time. Add extra seats when you start a family. Convert it into a camper for weekend travel. Strip it back for commercial use. All without buying a new car.
While we’ll have to wait until 2025 to see the actual product, the idea behind Slate Auto signals a broader trend: EVs don’t have to follow the traditional rules of vehicle design. And that could make them not just cleaner and cheaper—but smarter too.