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Historically, electric vehicles have been costlier at the point of purchase than their gas-powered counterparts, but a long-awaited, low-cost, highly customizable EV startup backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is poised to change that soon, the Louisville Courier Journal reported.
Slate Auto was founded in 2022, and the startup caught Bezos’ eye early on; he backed the company during its Series A funding round in 2023, per TechCrunch.
However, Slate generated interest irrespective of Bezos’ quiet decision to invest early on, particularly because of an anticipated price point below that of most new cars, EVs, or gas-powered internal combustion engines alike.
EV adoption has picked up significantly in recent years, with federal and state incentives often making their slightly higher upfront costs more in line with those of gas-powered vehicles — but federal credits were abruptly discontinued in mid-2025.
Interestingly, Slate‘s prelaunch configuration website — which enables prospective buyers to fully customize the automaker’s offerings, including a spectrum of over 100 body color wraps — doesn’t immediately signal “affordable” and almost gives the opposite impression.
But buried in the site’s Frequently Asked Questions section, an answer about the cost for its minimalist base model, the Blank Slate, placed it “in the mid-20s.” A 2025 USA Today article pegged the price at between $20,000 and $27,500 before any state subsidies applied.
The price alone has led many auto news sites to deem Slate’s flagship Blank Slate pickup truck a “Tesla killer,” but the options are a huge draw, too. A TikTok influencer demonstrated Slate’s customizations, including a kit that transforms the pickup base into an SUV.
Ultimately, the fact that Slate’s expected price point is lower than most new-car options could be a game changer for an EV market still smarting from the loss of federal subsidies.
Coupled with reduced long-term fuel points, the brand could be instrumental in prompting drivers to make their next car an EV. Electric cars save drivers significantly overall, but charging EVs at home can boost those savings.
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According to the Courier Journal, Slate’s EVs are expected to ship late this year.
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