Jeff Bezos-backed Slate Auto has introduced several concept versions of its electric vehicle (EV) on the streets of California. This strategy serves as a marketing tactic to hint at the secretive startup’s plan to offer a “Transformer”-like vehicle, according to individuals familiar with the company’s internal discussions who spoke to TechCrunch.
This unusual real-world preview comes shortly before Slate’s scheduled launch event on April 24 at Long Beach Airport, as stated in an invitation viewed by TechCrunch.
The Michigan-based company, which was founded in 2022, has maintained a low profile until TechCrunch published a report disclosing Bezos’ financial backing and its strategy to price the EV at approximately $25,000, while allowing buyers the flexibility to customize their own vehicles. The entry-level model is referred to as the “Blank Slate,” according to a trademark application and another source knowledgeable about the company’s plans. Slate has also applied for a trademark on the phrase “We Built It. You Make It.”
David Tracy from The Autopian traveled to Venice, California, where Slate displayed a concept version of the vehicle, styled to resemble a two-door SUV operated by a fictitious company. Similarly, users on Reddit shared images over the weekend of another version of the vehicle, made to look like a hatchback, which bears a resemblance to Rivian’s upcoming R3 model.
The vehicle Tracy observed closely over the weekend resembles the two-door pickup truck seen by a Reddit user earlier in Long Beach, except with a hard cover over the bed that gives it an SUV-like appearance. The vehicle is wrapped for a mock business called “Rockabye Rides,” featuring a URL that links to a website counting down to Slate’s upcoming event.
So far, three distinct silhouettes of Slate’s truck have been identified — a feature that the company has privately highlighted as it secured over $100 million in funding, as learned by TechCrunch.
Slate’s management emphasized the “Transformer” metaphor in its efforts to attract investors during its Series B funding round last year, according to a source familiar with the presentations. The meetings were strategically planned around this theme, as reported by another individual familiar with the proceedings.
This involved showing potential investors a standard version of the truck, then leading them to another room while a team rapidly customized the vehicle. Upon being brought back, the investors found the truck transformed with a new appearance.
These efforts appeared to be successful. Mark Walter, CEO of Guggenheim Partners and controlling owner of the LA Dodgers, seemingly invested in the round and joined Slate’s board, according to TechCrunch reports.
A spokesperson for Slate Auto did not respond to a request for comment.
New images offer a clearer view of Slate’s truck exterior and its customization potential, though the interior and vehicle specifications remain undisclosed. The company briefed several automotive journalists ahead of Thursday’s event, and Tracy indicated that he’s “under a strict NDA” regarding specifics.
Nonetheless, Tracy remarked that the Slate truck “is unlike any new vehicle I’ve ever seen not just in my decade as a car journalist, but in my entire lifetime.”
