The man who shot Katy Perry into space is working on a Tesla rivalling electric car company with at least three different body styles – including a Cybertruck rival and two SUVs – to launch in late 2026.
Electric car brand Slate Automotive – a new self-proclaimed ‘disruptor’ and Tesla rival part-owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos – has revealed three different versions of its first model ahead of its planned arrival in showrooms in 2026.
United States (US) outlet Carscoops has picked up a post from social media platform TikTok showing the third version of a yet-to-be-named debut model line from Slate Automotive, with a purple livery, black steel wheels and Land Rover-like looks with an angular hatchback tailgate.
It was spotted only days after another blue-and-pink three-door SUV was spotted and posted on Reddit, as reported by The Autopian, this time with a purple exterior and longer, SUV roofline and Land Rover-type flat rear-end design.
Both SUVs displayed classic Land Rover proportions and, as Carscoops suggested, hints of US electric brand Rivian’s design language.
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As part of the guerrilla marketing campaign, the two teaser SUVs featured mock small business liveries including website addresses.
One wore ‘rockabyerides.com’ while the other featured ‘catthurrrapy.com’ where, when either website is visited, a countdown clock is shown – the latter with a bewildered tabby.
The time being counted down to is 22:00 (Detroit time) April 24, 2025 (midday April 25 AEST).
This is when the mystery surrounding Slate Automotive and its two ‘teasers’ – and before that, the sighting of a two-door pick-up believed to be related to the SUV pair – is expected to be officially solved.
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Clicking on the ‘What is Slate? Here’s a hint’ icon on either website is the slogan ‘Slate is a truck that changes everything’.
The Michigan-based electric car brand was formed in 2022 and now, backed by Bezos, is working on plans for an affordable US-made two-door electric vehicle priced from $US25,000 ($AU38,843) according to TechCrunch and reported by Carscoops.
Currently, the Nissan Leaf is the cheapest electric car in US showrooms at $US29,280) ($AU45,493) and is made in Smyrna, Tennessee, which should limit the impact of The White House’s import tariffs which came into effect on April 3, 2025.
Tesla is also reportedly working on a more affordable version of its Model Y SUV – the world’s best-selling electric car in 2024, also topping Australian electric sales charts – while brands including Ford are also developing cheaper electric models.
MORE: Tesla income drops 66 per cent this year
There’s no confirmation on whether Slate Automotive will export its range – reportedly to be built in Indiana, US – overseas, or whether such a plan would make it possible for Australia by including right-hand drive.
Slate Automotive’s guerrilla marketing campaign kicked off with a teaser of what could be an SUV or a pick-up through United States (US) publication Newsweek complete with Newsweek-logo camouflage on April 15, 2025.
An undisguised battleship grey version of what’s thought to be its two-door pick-up was spotted in broad daylight on a flatbed and posted on Reddit, but the car maker is yet to confirm any details.
If its vehicles are offered for sale on Amazon, Slate Automotive won’t be the first car brand available on the site, with Hyundai claiming the honour after an agreement announced in late 2023 to sell its cars online.
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