You can pre-order the $25,000 electric pickup truck from Slate Auto now

Slate Automotive The much-discussed $25,000 electric truck It is one step closer to reality. It is now available for pre-order On the company’s website. However, it may take a year or two before drivers who pre-order a Slate actually get their cars.

The base model price of the car is $24,950, and a number of color and accessory options are available. but It indicates the car and the driver It will end up costing more than $25,000 after taking into account the destination and delivery fees, which the company says will be lower than usual. However, these fees may range between $1,200 and $1,500.

However, even with these charges, the Slate truck will still stand out in an American car market where SUVs dominate the land and the average price of a vehicle. It rose above $50,000 earlier this year before stabilizing againAccording to Kelly Blue Book. Electric cars are usually Priced between $5,000 to $7,000 morewhich makes Slate even more of an anomaly.

This week, as it opened up pre-orders for the electric truck, Slate provided more details about its range and capabilities, which have changed since the truck’s launch. It was announced last year. New battery specifications raised the truck’s range from 150 miles per charge to 205 miles. Slate also relies on the truck’s custom options to attract customers: It offers more than 100 wrap colors and different ways to convert the two-seat truck to other builds, even after the vehicle is purchased.

The Slate Truck pre-order costs $300 and is non-refundable. The company says the 180,000 customers who have already made $50 refundable reservations can put $50 toward a pre-order.

According to SlateThe first delivery of the truck will take place later this year. But full production of the Slate truck isn’t expected to fully ramp up until sometime in 2027. Slate has raised $1.3 billion and counts Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as one of its investors.

Reviewers have posted new impressions of Slate

Not everyone liked the idea, or even Slate’s pricing, with the Wall Street Journal dismissing company updates with the headline “Would anyone buy this cheap electric van with manual windows and no radio?“

But those who have actually seen and ridden the car are singing its praises. Written by Nick Yekikian and Edmunds He called the truck “nice and has a real charm in person” and said it had improved since he last saw it. “Build quality is generally more solid, and feels ready to hit the road,” he wrote. He also posted a video about his experience with Slate.

Aaron Gould wrote at MotorTrendafter the ride, told Slate that this is “pretty much what we expected, which is a good thing, since we at MotorTrend have high hopes for this cute, inexpensive electric truck.”

David Tracy in Autopian He described driving the truck as “insanely fun.” He wrote: “It’s a simple, reasonably cheap little truck. Is it? Cheaper? No. Is it the most practical for families? No, but what Slate is going for is this: It is, by far, the most sentimental new car an American consumer can buy for $25,000.

There is at least one other inexpensive electric car in the works

In terms of competition for cheap electric cars, the closest to the planned price is the Slate Most likely a Chevrolet Bolt For less than $30,000. But other automakers are working on less expensive electric car models.

Ford is A low-cost electric truck is expected to be launched In the $30,000 range, it’s scheduled for delivery in 2027. Political changes could open up the possibility of electric cars made in China, which have their fans in the United States but are not widely available due to tariffs and other factors. like Reuters points outThe price of some Chinese electric cars is less than $12,000; For the average cost of an American car, you can buy three or more of the cheapest electric cars in China.