Ford Bets Fathom’s $28,350 Base Price Can Re-Energize the EV Market
Slate Auto
With Bankruptcy Looming Over Lucid Could This Mark the End of the EV Start-Up Era
Lucid denies it is preparing to file bankruptcy but the company is clearly in trouble. And that raises new concerns about a handful of other battery-electric brands, like Rivian and Slate still hoping to find their own niches. Only a few years ago a flood of EV start-ups seemed ready to kick the established automakers to the curb. What went wrong? Just about everything.
At $24,950, Bezos-Backed Slate May Have Found the Roadmap to Beat China
EV start-up Slate’s little pickup will debut at a starting price of $24,950 later this year, well below any other all-electric truck now on the market. And, in its bid to change the EV price equation, the Bezos-backed automaker just might be showing the rest of the industry how to take on the “existential threat” posed by Chinese brands like BYD and Geely. But are buyers ready for what it’s offering at a time when EV sales have taken a big hit?
Dogfight Coming in the Midsize Truck Market
Once given up for dead, the midsize pickup segment is booming — but faces a real battle as more players get set to enter the game. Get the story at Headlight.News.
Kia Set to Launch Electrified Body-on-Frame Pickup in U.S. by 2030
Kia will follow sibling Korean brand Hyundai in launching a midsize pickup, one in what’s expected to be a family of body-on-frame trucks bound for the U.S. market by 2030. The Kia model will be offered with various powertrain options, including a hybrid and an extended-range EV package, reports Headlight.News.
Ford v Slate: Will the Legacy Brand’s $30,000 Pickup Crush the Little Start-Up’s Own Affordable Pickup?
Ford’s plan to bring out a midsize $30,000 battery-electric pickup could be great news for buyers looking for an affordable EV. But it might be bad news for Slate, the suburban Detroit start-up that only recently announced plans to launch its own low-cost truck. More from Headlight.News.
Thinking of Buying an EV? Move Fast as Federal Tax Credits Are About to End
If you’re looking to buy a battery-electric vehicle you might want to move fast. Under the controversial spending bill passed by Congress last week federal tax credits covering new and used EVs will expire at the end of September. Headlight.News has more.
The $40,000 Truck is “Dead” – But Ram’s EV and Midsize Truck Are Still Coming, Says CEO
New vehicle prices are near record levels, especially in the full-size truck market. But don’t expect Ram to bring back the cut-rate Classic version of the big 1500 model. “The $40,000 truck is dead,” said CEO Tim Kuniskis during a background briefing on Tuesday. Kuniskis recently returned to Ram after a brief “retirement,” and said the brand will make 25 product-related announcements in the coming months, and that’s likely to include more on a new midsize pickup, as well as details on the rollout of both the EV and range-extender versions of its full-size Ram 1500. More from Headlight.News.
Slate’s New Pickup To Start at “Under $20,000” – But Are Americans Ready to Return to the Days of Hand-Cranked Windows?
A low-profile start-up quietly backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has suddenly burst into the headlines, Dubbed Slate Auto, the Michigan-based automaker rolled out an all-electric pickup Thursday night that, it said, will go on sale in late 2026 for “under $20,000.” But rather than delivering another high-tech wonder, the Slate pickup draws its inspiration from a low-tech past. Will Americans embrace an EV with crank-up windows and no infotainment screen? Headlight.News has more.
Backed By Amazon Money, the Era of the Affordable EV Has Arrived
Millions of American motorists have been priced out of the new vehicle market, all the more so when it comes to EVs which currently average about $55,000 apiece. But Slate Auto, a new start-up backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is determined to change that equation. On Thursday, it gave the world a first look at a flexible new, all-electric pickup set to go on sale in 2026. Designed to be extremely customizable, it’s expected to start under $20,000 when you factor in federal EV tax credits. Headlight.News was there for the big debut.
Tesla’s Entry EV Now Slated to Launch Production in June
Better late than never? Tesla has spent years debating whether to add a more affordable EV to its existing line-up. It’s finally moving forward and, despite yet another delay, will finally add the vehicle to its line-up in June. Details have yet to be released but it’s expected to be a stripped-down version of Model Y starting at less than $30,000 — with a low-priced take on the Model 3 likely to follow. But will this draw in entirely new buyers or cannibalize sales of Tesla’s existing line-up? More from Headlight.News.
Motorists Becoming More Comfortable With EVs – Though Growth Has Slowed
Motorists around the world are becoming increasingly comfortable with purchasing and owning EVs, according to a new study, though Americans lag well behind their counterparts in Europe and, in particular, China. Credit the longer range, faster charging and lower costs of newer EV models, consumers told McKinsey & Co. Headlight.News has more.