Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Amazon founder and executive chair Jeff Bezos is backing a Michigan-based electric vehicle startup called Slate Auto, which aims to build a $25,000 two-seat electric pickup truck, TechCrunch reported on Monday, citing filings and people familiar with the matter.
The company, which has operated in stealth since 2022, is developing a two-seat electric pickup priced around $25,000, according to the report. Hundreds of employees have been hired over the last few years, including from major automakers such as Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, and Harley-Davidson.
As of Tuesday, the company had 46 job openings listed on LinkedIn, including positions such as marketing coordinator, manufacturing quality engineers, and head of powertrain and propulsion.
Bezos’ investment in the company is linked to his family office, with Melinda Lewison, who manages the office, listed as a director in regulatory filings, TechCrunch said. The startup originated as a project called Re:Car within Re:Build Manufacturing, a company co-founded by former Amazon executive Jeff Wilke.
Slate raised at least $111 million in a Series A round in 2023, with Bezos among 16 investors, the report said. The company has since closed a Series B round, authorizing nearly 500 million preferred shares at $2.37 each, though details of the round have not been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter and investor Thomas Tull were listed as new board members in Delaware filings, suggesting they participated in the Series B round.
Production is targeted to begin in late 2026 at a facility near Indianapolis, Indiana, according to job postings, state records, and an interview with executive chairman Rodney Copes, the report said. It is unclear whether the company has acquired an existing factory or plans to build a new one.
In addition to vehicle sales, Slate is developing accessories and branded merchandise to generate additional revenue, a strategy aligned with the backgrounds of some of its executives from Harley-Davidson and Stellantis, the report said.
Slate is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, and has shown a prototype vehicle to investors at a design studio in Long Beach, California, according to TechCrunch.
