CEO says stripped-down design and direct sales model enable profitability at 80,000 annual units.
Slate Auto plans to achieve profitability on its $24,950 electric pickup truck, aiming for positive free cash flow and EBITDA by 2027. The company targets gross margin positivity on every unit shipped, leveraging cost-cutting measures like vinyl wraps instead of paint and omitting infotainment screens.
The automaker estimates covering costs at roughly 80,000 units annually, about half its 150,000-vehicle capacity at its Indiana plant. Preorders opened this week with a $300 down payment, and first deliveries are expected in late 2026. Slate has already received over 180,000 reservations.
Slate’s direct-to-consumer model and simplified manufacturing process differentiate it from traditional automakers, which face higher capital expenditures and production costs.