Slate Auto's electric pickup is built around extreme minimalism: the base model has no infotainment system, radio, speakers, power windows, or even paint. To keep the entry price below $25,000, the company strips out everything not tied to driving and safety. That includes cellular hardware, so over-the-air updates work differently than in most EVs.
When an update is available, the Slate app downloads it to the owner's phone. Plugging the phone into the truck's USB port transfers the file in about a minute, after which the truck installs it on its own in roughly 45 minutes. Slate says these updates will be limited to bug fixes and small improvements, not flashy new features.
The minimalist base price is also a gateway for add-ons: speakers, an iPad mount, a five-seat SUV conversion kit, and a telematics module for app-based door unlocking. A fully loaded version can exceed $45,000. Slate also says it won't sell app data, a stance that may appeal to buyers wary of connected-car privacy issues, though whether enough buyers want such a stripped-down truck remains an open question.