Meet the Slate, a back-to-basics and customisable electric bakkie

Meet the Slate, a back-to-basics and customisable electric bakkie

Prices are bloating, and for many, buying a new car is becoming wishful thinking. So, naturally, the situation also presents an opportunity… for one of the most well-known names in online shopping to enter the automotive manufacturing scene. And despite the mental images that spring to mind when you think of a new bakkie with Amazon DNA, its arrival is rather impressive.

The Slate, built by Slate.Auto, is a modular vehicle that can be customised to the same extent as a Mr. Potato Head toy figurine, but most importantly, it is affordable. But before we unpack the car, what is the brand Slate, and how is it related to Amazon?

Well, the Slate story began in 2022 when the manufacturing legend, former CEO of Amazon's worldwide consumer business, and founder of Re:Build, Jeff Wilke, joined forces with the current Re:Build CEO and co-founder of Cannon Capital, Miles Arnone. So in essence, although these names correlate with the Amazon brigade, the Slate truck isn’t directly an Amazon product. However, to get the project off the ground, Slate.Auto received $111 million (some R2.1bn) in funding from 16 investors, including Mr Bezos himself.

This truck is a unique offering, and its strongest selling point is its new endless number of configurations. But it's interesting to note that off the production line, each model is identical, besides its battery pack, coming in either a 47kWh or the 75kWh that offers extended range. Estimates suggest that the larger battery offering will provide owners with a range of 386km. So yes, the Slate is an EV platform.

As a Slate rolls off of the production line, it starts life as a single cab bakkie, but its appearance is only the beginning of the story. Customers can opt to have the SUV kit added, which seals the load bed and adds a second row of seats for more passengers. The package includes features like roof rails and roll bars, which are optional. Customers will also be offered the opportunity to add a lift kit of either 25mm or 50mm to their vehicle for those who demand a more adventure-ready product.

In order to keep costs low, the vehicle has no infotainment system or even electrically operated windows, and it ships as an unpainted grey vehicle from the factory. If you want a dash of colour with your ride, you can opt for a vinyl wrap to meet your desires, which, in turn, allows for any colour option you can imagine. An approach like this brings a few other intriguing touches to light. For example, the Slate comes standard with 17-inch steel wheels, with the option of 20-inch alloys at an extra cost.

The Slate is designed as a rugged, simplified electric vehicle that is both affordable and customisable. This design is precisely what we require in this increasingly expensive world, and the absence of screens and electric windows is a throwback to bygone days. You can't even choose to add them as options. It features a straightforward design that allows for customisation. Yes, it’s smaller than a Subaru Crosstrek, but it’s a formula I see becoming incredibly popular, and they know how to market their latest product.

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So, do you think a small EV truck starting at R371,000 will be a hit in South Africa, or is an EV bakkie a little too American for the local utility-obsessed? I guess we will see if South Africa is on the Slate's radar, but it certainly needs to be a consideration.