Slate may have just given the clearest indication yet of where its highly anticipated electric pickup will land on the affordability scale. A reported website slip-up points to a $24,950 starting price for the Slate Truck, a number that would put the minimalist EV pickup back into compelling territory for budget-conscious buyers. The figure has not been formally confirmed by Slate, but reporting from The Autopian says the price appeared in hidden website metadata before being removed.

According to The Autopian’s report, a Slate fan discovered code on the company’s site referring to a “confidential” $24,950 price for the Truck. A separate screenshot from a now-removed FAQ page reportedly displayed the same number. That is enough to make the alleged leak feel more substantial than internet speculation, although buyers should still treat it as unconfirmed until Slate posts an official MSRP and ordering details.

The pricing story has been a moving target since Slate first revealed its stripped-down pickup. Its original under-$20,000 headline relied on the now-expired federal clean vehicle credit, which could lower the cost of a qualifying EV by up to $7,500. The IRS states that the New Clean Vehicle Credit applied only to vehicles acquired on or before September 30, 2025, leaving automakers such as Slate to sell their upcoming EVs without that major federal incentive in the equation. Slate later described its expected price as being in the mid-$20,000 range, making $24,950 a believable, if still unofficial, landing point.

That price also explains why Slate has gone so aggressively back to basics. The standard Truck is meant to be a blank canvas rather than a conventional compact pickup loaded with equipment. Manual window cranks, manual mirrors, steel wheels, no built-in audio system, and no central infotainment display are all part of the formula. Slate’s official website leans into the modular idea, promoting a pickup that can be personalized over time with accessories, wraps, an available audio setup, power-window upgrades, and even a kit that transforms the two-seat truck into an SUV-style five-passenger vehicle.

The real question is whether $24,950 is low enough to make buyers overlook those omissions. Ford is developing a midsize four-door electric pickup on its Universal EV Platform with a targeted starting price of around $30,000, according to Ford. That vehicle is expected to offer a more traditional truck experience, along with the convenience features many shoppers now take for granted. Slate would undercut Ford’s planned EV truck by roughly $5,000, but the two products could still appeal to very different buyers. One is shaping up as a straightforward, value-minded utility vehicle, while the other is expected to be a more complete family-friendly truck.

For Slate, the potential $24,950 price is not simply a number. It is central to whether the company’s unusual approach has staying power. Reuters has reported that the Jeff Bezos-backed startup has attracted more than 160,000 reservations and is preparing to build its trucks in Warsaw, Indiana, with customer deliveries expected to begin in late 2026. Slate’s official preorder information also points to late-2026 deliveries. The company is expected to reveal final pricing and preorder details on June 24, and that announcement should determine whether this apparent leak was an accidental early reveal or a very effective way to keep the automotive world talking.