Slate Auto's budget EV truck jumps above $20,000 as Trump's bill ends federal tax credits

[ad_1] In a nutshell: Slate Auto, the EV startup that promised to make an all-American electrical pickup and promote it underneath $20,000, will not be inserting the car in that worth bracket. The rise is due to Donald Trump's One Massive, Lovely Invoice Act, which is able to finish federal EV tax credit in September.

There's been loads of pleasure surrounding the Slate Truck, the primary car from the Jeff Bezos-backed Slate Auto. Because of its no-frills design, together with plastic physique panels, an absence of touchscreen, radio, or Bluetooth, and different stripped-down components, it was set to reach with a sub-$20,000 worth.

Nonetheless, the truck's low promoting level included the applying of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit score to its worth. Sadly for patrons, Trump's invoice, which is being signed into legislation later at the moment, will trigger the motivation to finish in September.

Slate Auto has up to date its web site to replicate the change. It now exhibits the truck with an anticipated worth of "mid-twenties," indicating that it hasn't settled on a precise worth but.

Slate was ready for this occasion. It had all the time included the warning that the truck's base mannequin is perhaps costlier than $20,000 as federal incentives have been "topic to alter."

Manufacture of the truck will not begin till the top of 2026 on the earliest. The corporate is highlighting the quite a few customization choices accessible, similar to battery capacites, pre-installed equipment like wraps, and improve kits that convert the truck into an SUV – it is doable that few clients have been intending to purchase the most cost effective base mannequin.

Like Tesla, Slate is utilizing a direct-to-consumer mannequin for gross sales of its truck. There is no such thing as a dealership community; clients can preorder one on-line for a $50 deposit and decide it up at regional facilities or go for house supply at an extra price.

ELON NEVER WANTED AN EV MANDATE OR SUBSIDIES

Elon's opposition to the 'One Massive Lovely Invoice' has by no means been about its removing of EV tax credit or the EV mandate, it is merely about his passionate opposition to rising authorities debt.

He knew on the time he endorsed Trump that… https://t.co/nsZTRrDmSZ pic.twitter.com/yC2ZfHQSjA

– Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 1, 2025

The One Massive, Lovely Invoice Act is the explanation behind the general public fallout between Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Musk says his opposition to the invoice is not associated to it ending EV tax credit; he says it is over his opposition to rising authorities debt, which it's anticipated to extend by $3.3 trillion.