Emerging
May 28, 20261
50%
Slate Auto to Begin Taking Orders for Low-Cost EV on June 24
Slate Auto announced it will begin taking orders for its low-cost EV on June 24, 2026, with deliveries expected later in the year. The startup has attracted over 160,000 reservation holders and raised approximately $1.4 billion, including a recent $650 million Series C round.
Quick Facts
Who
Slate Auto
What
Starting official orders for low-cost EV
When
June 24, 2026 (order date)
Where
United States
- Starting official orders for low-cost EV
- Emerging from stealth with customizable vehicle design
- Announcing pricing in mid-$20,000 range
- Appointing new CEO
- Closing Series C funding round
Slate Auto, an electric vehicle startup backed by Jeff Bezos and LA Dodgers owner Mark Walter, will officially begin taking orders for its low-cost EV on June 24, 2026, ahead of first deliveries expected later in the year. The company announced the date through emails sent to prospective buyers, encouraging them to make reservations now to secure earlier delivery windows compared to non-reservers.
The four-year-old startup emerged from stealth in April 2025 with plans to build a simple, customizable vehicle available in multiple configurations—convertible from a two-seater truck to a five-seater SUV. Originally positioned to start under $20,000 with a federal tax credit, the elimination of the $7,500 federal tax credit by the Trump administration and Congress has shifted pricing expectations. Slate has indicated the vehicle will now start in the mid-$20,000 range, though final pricing will be announced in June alongside the order date.
Slate has generated substantial consumer interest, with more than 160,000 potential customers having made refundable $50 reservations since the vehicle's public reveal. The company has bolstered its leadership and financial position to execute on this demand, appointing former Amazon Marketplace vice president Peter Faricy as CEO in March. Many of Slate's leadership positions have been filled by ex-Amazon executives, reflecting the company's organizational structure.
Financially, Slate closed a $650 million Series C funding round in April, bringing total capital raised to approximately $1.4 billion. Much of the funding appears to have come from Mark Walter's financial firm, TWG Global. While Bezos was involved in initial funding rounds, his ongoing involvement in successive rounds remains unclear; in May, it was revealed that his family office manager stepped down from Slate's board of directors.
Topics
Why This Matters
Slate Auto's order launch represents a critical inflection point for affordable EV adoption in the U.S., targeting the mass market with vehicles starting in the mid-$20,000s—a segment traditionally dominated by gas-powered vehicles. The company's backing by Jeff Bezos and a well-funded team, combined with demonstrated consumer demand (160,000+ reservations), positions it as a significant challenger to Tesla's dominance in the affordable EV space, with potential to reshape consumer expectations around EV accessibility and customization.