Bezos-Backed EV Startup Wants to Build $25,000 Electric Pickup, Report Says

• Bezos-Backed EV Startup Wants to Build $25,000 Electric Pickup, Report Says

A secretive EV startup with ties by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos aims to build a low-cost pickup truck, with production starting as soon as next year, TechCrunch reports.

The company, Slate Auto, has been taking shape quietly in Michigan since 2022, with roots in an earlier company called Re:Build Manufacturing, the report said, pointing to documents and interviews with people with knowledge of the company.

Slate's goal is a two-seat electric pickup at price of around $25,000, TechCrunch reported.

While the cost of electric vehicles has been coming down, it's still generally more expensive to buy an electric car than one powered by internal combustion. The cheapest EVs on the market today hover around $30,000, and those tend to be smaller cars, like the Chevy Bolt. GM discontinued the Bolt in 2023, but has teased plans to bring it back. 

When it comes to electric pickups, those on the market today are far from that hoped-for $25,000 price range. Trucks like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T can cost north of $60,000, and they come with more than two seats. 

The EV market has seen a mix of vehicles from established automakers and new startups, and startups' experience has been mixed. Some, like Rivian, have been able to bring models to market and establish some market presence. Others, like Lordstown Motors, have mostly just produced headlines before shuttering. 

Jon Reed is a senior editor covering artificial intelligence. He previously led CNET's home energy and utilities category, with a focus on energy-saving advice, thermostats and heating and cooling. Jon has more than a decade of experience of writing and reporting, including as a statehouse reporter in Columbus, Ohio, a crime reporter in Birmingham, Alabama, and as a mortgage and housing market editor for TIME's former personal finance brand, NextAdvisor. When not asking people questions, he can usually be found half asleep trying to read a long history book while surrounded by multiple cats. You can reach Jon at [email protected]