• A company financed by Amazon reportedly wants to launch a low-priced all-electric pickup truck.
Jeff Bezos and Amazon are no strangers to the electric-vehicle sector, having invested more than $1 billion USD in Rivian for the development of all-electric vans, which can already be seen on the roads.
The online retail giant reportedly has other aims. According to the TechCrunch outlet, Bezos has financed a nascent company, called Slate Auto and based in Michigan. That company is said to be planning to produce a two-seat electric pickup truck that would retails at $25,000 USD.
This company was reportedly founded in 2022 with indirect funding provided by Bezos. It operates discreetly, but according to reports, it has already hired hundreds of employees in the Detroit area. A number of those were previously with major American carmakers working in the area, notably Stellantis, GM and Ford.
Given the secrecy surrounding the company, it’s not surprising that details about the planned model are practically non-existent. People familiar with the project say the inspirations for the planned vehicle are the Ford Model T and Volkswagen Beetle. In other words, it would be an EV for the people.
Slate Auto has reportedly already raised sufficient investments, including $111 million USD during a Series A funding round, which represents the first major venture capital raise for startups. Series B funding (which allows for continued development after proving the company's viability) was reportedly obtained at the end of 2024 in the amount of $500 million USD.
So it seems serious. And where it gets interesting is that TechCrunch mentions that production of the model would start before the end of the year in a factory reportedly located near Indianapolis, Indiana.