Jeff Bezos' electric pickup truck for about 35,000 BGN.

Is this what affordable electric mobility looks like? Startup Slate presents a new electric pickup truck with a range of up to 240 kilometers – without unnecessary frills and partially financed by Jeff Bezos piese auto online.

Jeff Bezos – isn’t that the founder of Amazon? Yes, that’s right. And no, he certainly won’t be producing the new electric mini-pickup himself, and the car probably won’t be available to order through Prime. But Bezos has a hand in the new car, which was recently unveiled in the US, as he invests in and backs the Michigan (US) startup, which was founded in 2022.

Slate has set itself the task of creating affordable electric light-duty models. We see the result here: a small two-seater pickup truck with roll-up windows and no infotainment system, the base price of which is expected to be around 35,000 leva.

Slate Truck from the USA: pickup and SUV in one

Rough and simple. That's probably the best way to describe the Slate Truck. At first glance, it looks as if its bodywork is still unfinished, not least because of the gray paint. The small pickup truck certainly doesn't attract attention. The base Slate has black 17-inch steel wheels. The car can be customized in a DIY style. Optional equipment includes various wheels, tires and extras that turn the pickup into an SUV.

There are two other body options: one that transforms the car into something like a compact Defender, and the other into a hatchback-SUV. Slate also offers wider fender flares and various foil kits. Of course, you don't have to do everything yourself, you can let the experts take care of the conversion.

Spartan interior

The Slate focuses on simplicity in the interior: lots of plastic and little comfort, no infotainment system. Instead, there is a universal holder for smartphones and tablets, as well as additional speakers so that passengers can listen to music. Alternatively, a Bluetooth speaker can be placed on the dashboard.

The interior has a simple climate control system controlled by a dial and old-fashioned windows with a roll-up handle. So we can't talk about any special comfort amenities! But there is still leather upholstery and heated seats. However, will the bargain price last until the market launch?

Emergency braking assist and forward collision warning are standard on board. Despite the low price, you don't have to compromise on safety.

Rear-wheel drive and a range of up to 380 km

The drive of the small electric car is as ordinary as the interior and equipment. The electric motor with 201 hp and 470 Nm of maximum torque is located on the rear axle. There are two battery options: the smaller one with a capacity of 52.7 kWh. promises a range of up to 240 kilometers, while the battery with a larger capacity of 84.3 kWh. increases the range to 380 kilometers. Slate indicates acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 8 seconds and a top speed of 145 km/h – quite enough for short everyday trips.

Production of the pickup truck is planned to start at the end of 2026 with 150,000 vehicles per year.

Technical data:

Rear-wheel drive with 150 kW (201 hp) and 470 Nm of maximum torque

Maximum speed: 145 km/h

Battery capacity / range: 52.7 or 84.3 kWh. / 240 or 380 km

Charging: up to 120 kW. with direct current, 20-80% in approximately 30 min.

Weight: 1600 kg

Dimensions: 4.40 m length, 1.79 m width, 1.76 m height, 1.52 m length of the cargo area

Payload: 650 kg and 450 kg trailer load