Slate is launching an electric truck priced at $24,950, undercutting all competitors in both the EV and pickup categories. Designer Tisha Johnson leads the company's design efforts—an unusual position for a woman in automotive exterior design, an area historically dominated by men. Whilst affordability might explain some interest, the vehicle has garnered industry awards and 180,000 preorders specifically for its aesthetic qualities, suggesting something beyond cost-cutting appeal.

Johnson's design philosophy deliberately moves away from the aggressive, masculine styling conventions that define most pickup trucks, instead emphasising approachability and friendliness. The vehicle features a modular architecture allowing customers to swap body panels and customise colours for relatively low cost, whilst the company plans to open-source design files for further personalisation. This customer-centric, adaptable approach appears to have resonated beyond the automotive design community and into mainstream markets.