Looking for a new two-seater ute or five-seat SUV? The Slate Truck has you covered both ways with only one model.
Bringing major Subaru Brumby vibes, the (relatively) tiny Slate Truck is a two-seater pickup that’s just been unveiled in America, where it will be built. But it’s unlike anything else offered in the ute market, because it can also be converted into an SUV. Slate has designed an entirely modular vehicle, with the single platform able to be converted into a multitude of variants thanks to over 100 accessories that can be literally bolted or clipped into the Truck.
The biggest difference is at the rear, where you can convert the cargo area into a seating area, making it either an open-top or covered SUV; turning your ute into a Suzuki Jimny rival. But that’s only the beginning of the options, with Slate offering the ability to change everything from the headlights, grille, infotainment screen, speakers and even the colour.
The colour is actually able to be changed multiple times, as Slate is offering the ability to wrap the car rather than paint it. So, like a race car, you can apply a layer of vinyl wrap to choose whatever colour you want and change it if you feel like something different, with Slate offering to do it for you while also claiming it’s easy enough for owners to do it themselves.
In terms of specifications, the Slate Truck is all-electric, powered by a 150kW/264Nm motor that powers the rear wheels. With the standard 52.7kWh battery the range is a modest 240km, but there’s an optional 84.3kWh battery that extends it to 390km.
The reason for all this simplicity and customisation is to keep the Slate as cheap as possible, with the company claiming it will cost less than US$20,000 (approx. $31,000) after the US government’s tax break for electric vehicles.
“The definition of what’s affordable is broken,” said Chris Barman, Slate CEO. “Slate exists to put the power back in the hands of customers who have been ignored by the auto industry. Slate is a radical truck platform so customizable that it can transform from a two-seat pickup to a five-seat SUV.”
And if you think this all sounds like an expensive idea to pull off (as starting any new car company is), Slate has an ace up its sleeve – Jeff Bazos. The Amazon founder and one of the richest men in the world, is an investor in Slate giving the brand some serious financial firepower as it ramps up to production.
Slate is targeting its first US deliveries by the end of 2026, but there are currently no plans for any international expansion.
What do you think? Would you like this customisable and affordable new ute/SUV in Australia?
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