WARSAW, Ind. (WPTA) – A new electric vehicle (EV) startup backed by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos has confirmed plans to bring a production facility to Kosciusko County.
Slate Auto is a Michigan-based EV startup that builds a simplified two-seat pickup truck that starts at $25,000, which could cost under $20,000 after federal EV tax credits, according to its website.
On Wednesday, the company confirmed with Business Insider that it will assemble the EV trucks in Warsaw, expecting to make its first customer deliveries by the end of next year.
It will take over the former RR Donnelly & Sons Co. printing plant, a 1.4 million-square-foot compound with two facilities at 2801 W Old Road 30, west of downtown Warsaw, according to the report.
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Business Insider reports the factory is expected to bring over 2,000 jobs to the city. According to News Now Warsaw, 500 jobs were lost when RR Donnelly closed in 2023.
The company is dubbed Slate as they refer to their base truck design as a “blank slate”, a simplistic design that goes without tech add-ons, save for an HVAC system, and offers customers the ability to add their desired features.
Among the 100+ customization options is an SUV Kit that turns the truck into a five-seat SUV, which includes a roll cage, airbags, and a rear seat. Customers can assemble the kit themselves or have it done for them, Slate says.
The company focuses on offering an affordable EV model that delivers vehicles directly to customers rather than going through dealerships.
According to the Associated Press, Slate is helping fill the need for an affordable EV option, as the current average price for an EV in the U.S. is $59,000, which can go up to $100,000 for some truck models like the Ford F-150 Lightning or Rivian R1T.
READ MORE: Slate Auto CEO outlines vision for affordable EV truck
“The definition of what’s affordable is broken. Slate exists to put the power back in the hands of customers who have been ignored by the auto industry,” Slate CEO Chris Barman said.
Refundable vehicle reservations are available now for $50 on Slate’s website.
21Alive News has reached out to both Slate Auto and the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation for comment, but has not heard back at the time of this report.
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