The Slate electric truck cuts off the central control screen and brings its own technology in exchange for a starting price of US$25,000
Slate, a new American startup invested by Jeff Bezos, challenges the lowest price on the market with an electric truck with no central control screen and no built-in speakers. Car owners have to bring their own mobile phones, tablets and even Bluetooth speakers to get a complete car experience.
When you open the Slate Truck's interior configuration list, you will feel that something is missing at first glance - there is no central control screen, no built-in speakers, and no smart cockpit that is generally emphasized in new cars. This is not an omission, but the core method of lowering the price of this new American electric truck: directly cutting off the cost of the entertainment system, and instead asking car owners to bring their own mobile phones, tablets or Bluetooth speakers into the car to assemble it.
Slate is invested by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and focuses on "America's cheapest card." The basic model The Blank Slate starts at US$24,950. If all options are added, the price can be pushed to US$46,493. Even so, officials say that this price is still the lowest in the entire truck market, and it is also the cheapest electric vehicle in the U.S. market before tax.
Bare metal leaves the factory: the mobile phone is the center console
The body is divided into three styles: a traditional two-seater open-air cargo truck, a fully enclosed SUV, and a fastback fastback version with downward lines. All three models can be equipped with an Open Air package, which can be replaced with a removable roof panel and a bench seat to accommodate three more passengers.
As for the car machine, even if you choose the fully equipped version, Slate officials do not intend to build in what they call a "bulky, easily distracted and quickly outdated infotainment system." Instead, there is a set of mobile phone holders and USB holes, with space reserved below for portable Bluetooth speakers. The music experience can be moved directly from home to the car without the need for a built-in speaker system. The reverse display required by regulations is handled by an approximately 4-inch LCD screen behind the steering wheel, which lights up only when the reverse gear is engaged.
If you want a more complete machine, you have to buy it yourself
If you are using an iPad and want to install a larger screen, the Tablet Mount will cost extra, and the price has not yet been announced; the speaker bracket is also an optional item, and the price has not yet been announced. People who don’t have portable speakers can take another route: Slate offers a front center integrated speaker for $249.99. This is a necessary basic equipment. After installation, you can optionally purchase left and right integrated speakers for $149.99.
There is also an optional Bluetooth control button on the steering wheel, which can be connected to a mobile phone to switch songs. Officials say it can also be set to control other accessories such as external lights, but the price has not yet been announced. There is also a subscription-based Telematics Module, priced at US$275, which allows car owners to complete functions such as door unlocking and battery pre-conditioning through a mobile app.
Adding up these options, you can see the real pricing logic of Slate: What is cheap is not a fully equipped car, but a blank canvas. The car owner has to pay for and assemble the rest of the technology experience.
