Simply at some point after TechCrunch revealed that Jeff Bezos is backing a secretive EV startup referred to as Slate Auto, an early model of the corporate’s low-cost electrical pickup truck was noticed within the wild.
Reddit person u/discostranger09 posted a photograph to the r/whatisthiscar subreddit on Wednesday of a small, darkish grey, two-seater pickup truck on a flatbed. The person mentioned it was being offloaded from a container exterior their workplace within the Los Angeles space. The photograph was first reported by automotive shops Carscoops and The Autopian.
The truck pictured is, the truth is, the one Slate Auto has been engaged on, based on an individual with direct information of Slate Auto’s automobile design who spoke on the situation of anonymity. This individual, whose id is understood to TechCrunch, mentioned the truck is probably going one of many idea automobiles the startup has created to point out to potential traders — together with the controlling proprietor of the LA Dodgers — at its design studio in Lengthy Seaside, California.
The truck is solely styled, with a grille that considerably resembles the one on the modern-day Ford Bronco Sport. It additionally appears a bit like a smaller, simplified Rivian R1T — which is fascinating contemplating that Slate’s head of exterior design had a brief stint at Rivian earlier than coming to the secretive startup.
However there aren’t any dramatic thrives, and that’s by design.
As TechCrunch completely reported earlier this week, the younger firm is making an attempt to construct a enterprise across the truck that includes promoting it at a low worth of round $25,000. Slate plans to upsell clients on customization and equipment of all kinds. The corporate has filed for a trademark on the phrase “WE BUILT IT. YOU MAKE IT” and has talked about one thing that seems like a customization program referred to as “Slate College” in job listings.
One other Slate trademark that has not but been reported is for the phrase “Clean Slate.” That’s a method that the corporate might seek advice from the bottom mannequin of the truck earlier than a buyer chooses any customization choices, based on the individual aware of the matter. It’s unclear if the corporate has settled on a reputation for the truck, regardless of being a number of weeks away from popping out of stealth. The corporate didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
