Slate Auto, the EV startup backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has raised $650 million in a Series C funding round that will help launch its affordable, modular pickup truck in late 2026.
TWG Global, a conglomerate co-run by Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter and former Legendary Entertainment chief Thomas Tull, led the round. Slate has raised about $1.4 billion since it was founded in 2022, including from Jeff Bezos’ own office, former Amazon Senior VP Diego Placentini, and venture capital giants like Slauson & Co. and General Catalyst.
Slate also has former Amazon executives in its leadership, including new CEO Peter Faricy (formerly Amazon’s Marketplace VP) and co-founder Jeff Wilke (previously Amazon’s consumer division chief).
What is the Slate truck
Low-price pickup comes as cheap EVs seem out of reach
Slate truck in pickuip and SUV configurations.Credit: Slate Auto
Slate is launching with just one vehicle: a stripped-down electric pickup truck whose modular design lets you choose how much you actually need.
You can purchase SUV, fastback SUV, and “open air” kits if you need rear seating, and insert a tablet mount or speakers if you want to use more than the instrument display and your phone. Rather than painting each truck, Slate offers wraps that let you choose from a wide range of colors for the body and roof.
The minimalist approach helps keep the price down, with Slate planning to reveal a price in June that it says should sit in the “mid-$20,000s.” The standard SUV kit should cost about $5,000.
Manufacturing will start at a repurposed printing factory in Warsaw, Indiana, giving it the same made-in-America claim as fellow EV newcomers like Rivian and VW’s Scout Motors.
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Slate aims to stay affordable
Consumer interest is strong
The debut comes at a crucial moment. EV sales are dropping sharply in the U.S. for most brands outside of Tesla, due largely to the federal government ending its $7,500 tax credit. As many EVs are mid-range or luxury models, the decision has made electric cars unattainable for some buyers.
The Slate truck potentially avoids this problem with a starting price low enough to remain affordable, even with the add-ons necessary to match conventional vehicles. Early interest has been strong with the company recording over 160,000 reservations as of April 2026, although those customers aren’t obliged to buy the truck when pre-orders begin.
What the future may hold
Slate isn’t guaranteed to succeed even after the Series C funding round and Jeff Bezos’ involvement. Multiple high-profile EV companies have failed, including the revived Fisker, Detroit Electric, and Lordstown Motors. Unlike those brands, however, Slate has both truly unique selling points and backers that are more likely to stay even if the launch isn’t an immediate success.
