The Story
We drive a prototype of the 2027 Slate Truck to see if its $26,400 price, hand-crank windows, and minimalist approach make it the affordable electric pickup America has been waiting for.
The tiny EV pickup with big ambitions is fun and reasonably nimble from behind the wheel. Forget the boring battery specs, the onboard NACS port, the money-saving body wraps in a choice of 100 standard colors. For a first drive of a pre-production 2027 Slate Truck, one question is on every mind: How ’bout those hand-crank windows?.
Since you asked, the black plastic rollers work with silicone smoothness, winding us back to the ’70s like some analog time machine. And aside from requiring extra muscle at the fast-food drive-through, the hand cranks show how Slate lavished bonus attention on critical touch points, such as coated-metal interior door handles. The idea is to quell any sense of unacceptable…
The Slate Truck’s emergence from a hotel garage in Newport, Rhode Island—home of gilded seaside mansions, including one owned by Jay Leno—reinforces the radical charm of this small, simple, unpainted pickup. If you root for underdogs and prefer the runt of any litter, the Slate may be adoption material. About 25 inches shorter than a Ford Maverick, with two front seats and a…
Yes, the Slate is bare bones personified, with utilitarian fabric on manually operated seats, a few well-damped rotary climate switches, and a universal dashboard mount to remind you that your smartphone will run nearly everything either on its own or via a Bluetooth connection. A rail system can append a personal tablet for people who aspire to a Mercedes Hyperscreen.…
Optional Bluetooth speakers are among more than 200 à la carte accessories and more than 100 claimed “Slate Attach Points.”. But unlike, say, the abominable, stillborn Lordstown electric pickup, this pre-production Slate Truck doesn’t feel under-engineered or unfinished. Doors close with a professional ka-chunk. The tailgate, clad in composite like the rest of the quarry-gray…
Why It Matters
Yes, the Slate is bare bones personified, with utilitarian fabric on manually operated seats, a few well-damped rotary climate switches, and a universal dashboard mount to remind you that your smartphone will run nearly everything either on its own or via a Bluetooth connection.
CarMotion Daily’s Take
Industry watchers will be following the follow-through, not just the headline.
📝 Source & Copyright Notice
This story was first reported by MotorTrend. For the full article with original photography and complete coverage, visit the source: Read the full story at MotorTrend →