Tisha Johnson, designer at Slate Auto: “People deserve a car they can afford, and I was worried about not being able to provide affordable mobility.”

Of all the electric vehicle startups that have emerged recently, one stands out. It's Slate Auto, an American brand that aims to produce affordable electric pickups for everyone . The novelty is that it's completely modular , so there are almost endless customization possibilities: SUV, pickup, or van; all with a single base. But the most notable thing is that Slate Auto is sponsored by Jeff Bezos , the CEO of Amazon .

With this cover letter, it's easier to break into the market. Furthermore, the company's plan is to offer the Slate at a price of $20,000 (after subsidies) in the United States. At the exchange rate, that would be around €17,000, but of course, with the tariff war at its peak, the cost of Slate Auto in Europe remains to be seen. Tisha Johnson is its chief designer and recently appeared on the Autocar Meets podcast on the British website Autocar . And her intentions are clear: "I was worried about not being able to provide affordable mobility. People deserve to have a car they can afford ," she says.

It's important to keep in mind that Slate Auto has only just started. Its world premiere took place last April, and everything revealed so far looks very promising: "We've had an overwhelming response. In some ways, it's been surprising," Tisha revealed. The designer, with more than 10 years of experience at Volvo , shares the key points behind its creation: "There were two inseparable goals. The first was to create an affordable vehicle, a car that people could afford. And the second was to make it attractive." The truth is that the Slate's clean and simple design bears a certain resemblance to Volvo. It's not competing with Tesla 's Cybertruck , a completely different market.

Read also

Of course, to offer that price, Slate Auto relies on another important premise: getting rid of the superfluous : “We don't have a bunch of fancy screens that, for some, spoil the interior environment,” the designer explains. “Put your phone away if you want, and then get back to driving,” she reflects.

Slate Auto is already accepting reservations on its website for $50, with a release date sometime in 2027. However, the final straw comes now, as Slate Auto currently has no plans to sell outside the United States. In fact, all production will take place in the US: "We're focused on an American truck that can be purchased in the US. That's our main goal," says Tisha Johnson. Will we see a similar offering in Europe in the coming years?