Slate Sets $24,950 EV Pickup for Light-Duty Fleets
Slate opened preorders for a modular electric pickup and SUV platform aimed at simple, lower-cost fleet duty, with Q4 2026 deliveries and more than 180,000 reservations.
A Low-Cost Fleet Entry
Slate Auto opened preorders for a $24,950 electric pickup after a June 24 debut in Gardena, California, putting a sub-$25,000 EV work truck back into the light-duty fleet conversation.
The company is also offering two SUV variants, the Squareback and Fastback, with starting prices of $29,950. Slate plans direct sales and says customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in Q4 2026.
What Fleets Get
The pitch is intentionally simple: start with a compact electric pickup, then add the accessories a buyer actually needs. Automotive Fleet reported that the Slate Marketplace will offer more than 200 accessories and parts, with more than 80% priced under $500.
CEO Peter Faricy said Slate had reached 180,000 reservations as of the week before the debut. Drew Walker, the company's head of fleet sales, said interest has been strongest from state and local government fleets, commercial service and maintenance fleets, and campus operations such as hospitals, universities, and ports.
Why It Matters
Fleet EV adoption often gets stuck between high acquisition costs and vehicles built for consumers first. Slate is trying the opposite approach: a small, lower-price platform with Class 1 work-truck capability, compact dimensions, and enough customization for service routes or campus duty.
The reservation number does not guarantee fleet volume, but it gives managers another vehicle to watch as 2026 replacement planning moves from pilots toward practical low-cost use cases.
