Both Ford and Slate Auto plan to start deliveries of their affordable electric pickup trucks in 2027, with prices below $30,000. The two trucks could not be more different, with Slate Auto betting on a cheap, customizable platform, while Ford aims to offer a fully featured vehicle. However, both face obstacles, and it's not yet clear which will be the most successful.

       

When Slate Auto came out of stealth in 2025, it had a solid proposition for people who thought electric pickup trucks were too expensive for what they offered. Slate Auto wanted to sell a base platform that doesn't have much except four wheels, two seats, a motor, and a battery, for the lowest possible price. At the time, it was "under $20,000," taking into account the $7,500 federal tax credit.