Apr 30, 2025 - Business
The return of the econobox
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

Few people would disagree that electric vehicles, with an average price tag of $59,000, are too expensive.
- But do people really want a stripped-down EV for one-third the price?
- I'm talking no paint, crank-handle windows, no radio or infotainment system — just a couple of brackets to mount your phone or Bluetooth speakers on the dashboard.
Why it matters: If Jeff Bezos-backed Slate Auto is correct, there's a big market for such low-cost EVs, especially if buyers can customize them with add-on accessories.
Catch up quick: Slate rolled out a no-frills, two-door electric pickup last week in Los Angeles that will go on sale in late 2026 for under $20,000.
- The only choice: a 150-mile or 240-mile battery pack.
- Everything else is a la carte — from color wraps and decals to running boards and fancy wheels.
- Slate will offer more than 100 different accessories, including a DIY kit to turn the pickup into an SUV.
- At least there's a lot of standard safety equipment, including airbags, automatic emergency braking and a backup camera. More specs are here.
💠My thought bubble: I don't have fancy tastes, but at this point, I've gotten used to creature comforts. Heated seats and a heated steering wheel are must-haves in Michigan.
- But I think Slate will find plenty of younger buyers — and even some fleet customers — who are eager to scoop up those bare-bones EVs.
- It's why Ford and Tesla, and perhaps others, are developing low-cost EVs, too.
- The bigger question is whether Slate, which has raised $111 million to date, will be able to survive while so many other EV startups have failed.
- Big money from the likes of Bezos helps, no doubt. But it's not guaranteed.
