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§ Private Profile · Troy, MI, USA
Slate Auto is a technology company.
Slate Auto develops a customizable electric vehicle platform, delivering an affordable and personalized truck. The company’s core offering is a versatile EV designed to adapt to various user needs, functioning as a recreational SUV or a functional work vehicle. Its technical approach emphasizes modularity and accessibility, aiming to simplify EV ownership through adaptable design.
The company was co-founded in 2022 by Miles Arnone and Jeff Wilke. Their founding insight centered on addressing the market gap for an electric truck that offers both affordability and extensive personalization. This vision stems from a desire to bring flexible and practical EV solutions to a broader consumer base, leveraging experience in advanced manufacturing and product development.
Slate Auto targets customers seeking an adaptable and cost-effective electric truck solution. The company envisions a future where electric vehicles seamlessly integrate into diverse lifestyles and professional demands, providing an intuitive and user-centric driving experience. It aims to make electric mobility accessible and tailored to individual preferences.
Slate Auto has raised $110.0M across 1 funding round.
Slate Auto has raised $110.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Slate Auto has raised $110.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $110.0M Series A in June 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2023 | $110M Series A | — | Slauson & CO., Jeff Bezos, Mark R. Walter, Thomas Tull | Announced |
Slate Auto has raised $110.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Slate Auto's investors include Slauson & Co., Jeff Bezos, Mark R. Walter, Thomas Tull.
Slate Auto is an electric vehicle (EV) startup developing a customizable, affordable electric pickup truck aimed at undercutting traditional EVs through modularity and a direct-to-consumer model.[1][2] Founded in 2022 and backed by investors like Jeff Bezos and Mark Walter, it targets budget-conscious buyers by offering a bare-bones base model starting around $25,000 (under $20,000 with federal EV tax credit), with DIY upgrades for personalization into trucks, SUVs, or other configurations.[1][2] The company serves individual consumers frustrated with expensive, feature-heavy EVs, solving affordability, accessibility, and customization barriers in the market while bypassing dealerships.[1][2] Growth momentum includes emerging from stealth in April 2025 with over 300 employees (mostly automotive veterans from Metro Detroit and California), a $111 million Series A in 2023 (under prior name Recar), and plans for first deliveries in Q4 2026, scaling to 150,000 units annually by late 2027.[1][2][3]
Slate Auto was founded in 2022 in Troy, Michigan—near major automakers like Ford and GM—by a team of industry veterans from Harley-Davidson, Chrysler, and others experienced in accessories and aftermarket parts.[1][2][3] It operated in stealth for three years, initially raising $111 million in a 2023 Series A under the name Recar, with key backing from Jeff Bezos, LA Dodgers owner Mark Walter, and Thomas Tull.[1][2][3] The idea emerged from a vision for low-cost, modular EVs using an "agile-like" brain-to-box process for physical product development, staffed by over 300 employees by 2025.[3] Pivotal moments include TechCrunch's April 8, 2025 exposé revealing its existence, a April 24 launch event in Long Beach unveiling the bare-bones truck (150-mile range, no infotainment or paint), and securing a 1.4 million sq ft former printing plant in Warsaw, Indiana for production.[2] Reservations opened with a $50 refundable deposit, building early hype.[1]
Slate Auto rides the EV market's shift toward affordability amid slowing premium sales, high interest rates, and consumer demand for practical trucks amid a "truck renaissance."[1][2] Timing aligns with federal EV tax credits boosting sub-$30k models, while modularity taps aftermarket trends from Harley/Chrysler expertise, challenging Tesla's dominance and legacy OEMs' high costs.[1][2] Market forces like Midwest manufacturing revival (e.g., Indiana plant) and direct sales (proven by Tesla/Rivian) favor it, potentially disrupting distribution if scalable.[1] It influences the ecosystem by proving stealth operations work for hardware, inspiring agile EV development, and expanding access to electrified trucks/SUVs for non-urban buyers.[2][3]
Slate Auto's path hinges on Q4 2026 deliveries from its Indiana plant, ramping to 150k units/year by 2027-2028 amid EV tax policy stability and charging infrastructure growth.[1] Trends like modular EVs, DIY culture, and Amazon synergies (e.g., smart vehicle digital experience) could accelerate adoption, but execution risks include supply chain hurdles and competition from Scout or Stellantis.[2][3] Its influence may evolve from hype machine to volume disruptor, redefining "affordable EV" if it delivers customizable trucks at scale—echoing its stealth origins to reshape auto accessibility.[1][2]