Bezos-Backed Slate Set to Enter EV Market with $25,000 Pickup

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is getting ready to punch his way into the auto industry, with what several sources tell Headlight.News will be a new all-electric pickup set to start as low as $25,000. Expected to be called Slate Auto, the start-up will use Amazon’s online power to market the new vehicle. More from Headlight.News.

He’s revolutionized online retailing and is pushing to become a major force in the rocket business. Now, Jeff Bezos hopes to transform the auto industry, as well.

Several sources have told Headlight.News that the mega-billionaire is the force behind a start-up dubbed Slate Auto, and a pic captured by Reddit user u/discostranger09 appears to back this up with the first photo of a single-row electric pickup that is expected to come in at a starting price of around $25,000.

The precise details are yet to be revealed, though Slate is expected to emerge from stealth mode sometime this spring, with a vehicle that could go on sale next year.

What we know about Slate Auto

The company was launched in 2022 as Re:Build Manufacturing, co-founded by ex-Amazon Consumer CEO Jeff Wilke. Bezos subsequently came onboard, though it’s not clear how much he’s pumped into the company, however. What is known from paperwork filed with both federal and state authorities is that the company, now renamed Slate Auto, quietly raised about $111 million in a Series A round of funding.

It has attracted money from a number of different Amazon executives and, with a Series B round closed last year, issued 500 million preferred shares priced at $2.37 apiece, according to TechCrunch. Another 400 million shares of common stock were also issued at an undisclosed price, based on paperwork filed in Delaware where Slate is registered.

Other investors include Mark Walter, the controlling owner of the LA Dodgers and CEO of Guggenheim Partners, and Thomas Tull, a billionaire film producer and businessman. Melinda Lewison, who runs Bezos’ family office, is listed as a Slate Auto director.

The company has reportedly hired hundreds of employees from existing mobility companies, including Ford, Kia, General Motors, Stellantis and Harley-Davidson. The operation is headed by CEO Christine Barman, who used to work at the former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

There has been speculation of possible ties to Rivian, the EV manufacturer that is providing Amazon with all-electric delivery vans. Headlight.News has reached out to Rivian but has not yet received a comment.

What’s the product?

Where many EV start-ups have focused on high-end products – think Tesla Model S and Lucid A – Slate Auto is going radically basic, the company focusing on a stripped-down pickup expected to come in at around $25,000. Think of it as the Ford Model T or Volkswagen Beetle of the electric vehicle market, targeting a segment that established brands, such as Ford, VW, GM and even Tesla are struggling to create.

Based on a pic of what is reported to be the Slate Auto pickup, the start-up is focusing on a single-row model. It’s not known whether the company might be working on other products, including a crew cab variant.

It will be “fairly minimalist,” said Sam Abuelsamid, chief of data at Telemetry Research, though he expects that Slate will offer a wide catalog of “customization and accessories” so “most likely people will be spending a lot more, likely $35,000 to $45,000 when they’re done.”

A single-row pickup could click with some retail buyers, he added, though “I expect that will limit demand to consumers unless they have a crew cab, as well. but it could gain interest among small businesses.” Currently, noted Abuelsamid, the little Ford Maverick has begun popular with businesse as a delivery vehicle.

More EV News

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• Kia Launching Two EVs at NY Auto Show
• Tesla Appears to Drop Cybertruck Range Extender

What’s next

The timing of the Slate Auto launch could be challenging. Pres. Donald Trump has taken a number of steps to reverse the pro-EV policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden – though Trump has not yet followed through on plans to kill federal tax credits of up to $7,500 on qualified EVs. So far this year demand for electric vehicles has remained solid, running about 10% ahead of last year’s numbers – though some analysts believe that reflects buyers’ desires to beat any of the current administration’s anti-EV policies.

According to several reports, Slate has lined up a manufacturing facility near Indianapolis – though details are sketchy, at best. It’s believed to be outsourcing key components, such as batteries and motors. Where it gets them will be critical, as the planned $25,000 price tag could be severely hampered by the new tariffs on imported autos and auto parts Trump has put in place.

Barring any unforeseen setbacks, it’s widely expected that Slate Auto will begin production in 2026.

There are no signs that it will set up a brick-and-mortar retail network. The company is expected to make use of Bezos retail giant Amazon. Though whether potential buyers would be willing to purchase a Slate pickup without kicking the tires is uncertain. It may pick up from the Tesla playbook, that company operating some display operations in states where it can’t officially sell vehicles without lining up franchised dealers.