The city's 57 deaths last year represented a decline of nearly 20 percent compared to 70 deaths in 2024, Mayor Cavalier Johnson said at a press conference this week at South Division High School. It's the largest single-year decline since the 2022 peak for traffic deaths at 77.
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Slate Auto is becoming an example of what a small startup can do with vast amounts of cash. It’s navigated several trials and tribulations and market shifts that other, less well-funded EV startups simply couldn’t survive. Now, it’s handling another as it appoints a new CEO just months before launching its first product, a heavily promoted $25,000-$30,000 electric truck.
The company announced that Peter Faricy, a former Amazon executive, has taken over as Chief Executive Officer, Newsweek reported. He replaces longtime Chrysler veteran Chris Barman, who will remain at the company as President of Vehicles with a focus on engineering, manufacturing, and product development. Keep in mind that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is an investor in Slate Auto.
Read: Slate Teases EV Truck Price As $20K Dream Collapses
The leadership shift comes as Slate prepares to switch from development mode to real-world sales. The startup says customers will soon be able to configure and order their vehicles, with reservations expected to convert into orders by the end of the year.
The Slate Auto pickup is stripped down and simplified to what some would call an extreme degree. For example, it doesn’t have an infotainment screen, it features crank windows, and customers are offered several options to add after initial purchase. The company said it has around 160,000 reservations and believes it can build 150,000 trucks annually at its Indiana manufacturing plant.
The CEO Shift
Slate is going to sell cars direct-to-consumer the same way Rivian, Tesla, and Lucid do. To that end, the shift to Faricy begins to make more sense. He previously worked at Ford before moving through roles at Borders and eventually Amazon, where he spent more than a decade helping build the company’s Marketplace platform into a global ecosystem for third-party sellers.
He later served as CEO of solar company SunPower from 2021 to 2024 and most recently worked with venture capital firm Bessemer Venture Partners.
According to Newsweek, Faricy will oversee the company’s commercial operations, digital strategy, finance, HR, legal, and IT divisions, while Barman focuses on building and delivering the vehicles. One thing is certain: an undertaking of this magnitude can only benefit from more hands on deck.
Slate Auto is only a few months away from what could become the most consequential moment in its brief existence. It will soon tell the world exactly how much its trucklet will cost. We already know it is targeting the “mid-$20,000 range,” but whether or not that’ll be cheap enough for widespread adoption is an open question.
This week, the startup teased on social media that final pricing for its two-door EV will arrive in late June. In the video, CEO Chris Barman reiterates that the base “Blank Slate” model is still expected to land in the mid-$20,000 bracket.
More: Slate Still Doesn’t Know What Its EV Truck Will Actually Cost
“We’ve been working tirelessly to get the lowest price possible,” Barman said. “While we’re not pencils down just yet, we’re wrapping negotiations on final parts with suppliers. We’re on track to share new info on the price in June. We think it’ll be worth the wait.”
Obviously, the mid-$20,000 range is a break from Slate’s initial promise of a truck that starts under $20,000. That said, its initial promise relied heavily on the now-defunct $7,500 federal EV tax credit. Without it, breaking that price barrier was always going to be a stretch given material costs and industry margins. The updated estimate sounds a lot more realistic, but also far less revolutionary.
The Reality Ahead
Let’s say that the trucklet launches with relatively approachable MSRP. Slate will still need to nail the details. Execution at the manufacturing, service support, parts supply, and consumer education level will be paramount. Other startup automakers have failed on fewer issues.
Then, there’s the competition. We’ve pointed out just how unattractive a $25,000-$28,000 Slate might appear next to something like the Ford Maverick. That isn’t the only compact truck in the market and the Blue Oval brand is already working on an electric version of its own, which it promises to start from $30,000.
And while we’re still light on specifics, it is hard to imagine Ford delivering something as unapologetically stripped back as the Slate, which famously does without even basic features like integrated speakers and power windows.
That all said, a small, affordable, modular EV with tons of personality might just manage to escape the fray. Production is supposed to begin by the end of the year in Indiana.
Amid all the noise and high-concept EV launches, one company is quietly betting that simple might be the next big idea. Slate Auto has its skeptics, including Ram boss Tim Kuniskis, but tens of thousands of people have placed reservations for its back-to-basics electric vehicle, suggesting a real appetite for something more grounded and affordable.
Production of the Slate is scheduled to start at a converted factory in Warsaw, Indiana, before the end of this year, but well before this happens, the carmaker has brought one example to Jay Leno’s Garage, eager to show what makes it special.
Read: Slate Still Doesn’t Know What Its EV Truck Will Actually Cost
Joining the bright red and white Slate with Leno was the head of design at Slate, Tisha Johnson, and the company’s chief commercial officer, Jeremy Snyder.
According to Slate, its philosophy is to build an affordable vehicle, which is desperately needed now that the average new car in the US costs almost $50,000. During the interview with Leno, Snyder says the Slate will start in the “mid-$20s,” although the firm still doesn’t appear to have nailed down a final price.
When the EV was announced, it had a promised starting price of under $20,000, thanks largely to the $7,500 federal EV tax credit. Now that the tax credit has been axed, the price has increased.
Personalization is also a key part of what makes Slate interesting. Many exterior parts have exposed fasteners, making it easy to remove and customize panels. Buyers who prefer an SUV body style can purchase a conversion kit, either to install themselves or through a Slate service provider. This places the owner at the center of the experience, and also helps cut costs.
Slate is also placing right-to-repair at the forefront of the ownership experience. Owners won’t need to visit Slate service centers to have their vehicles repaired, whether under warranty or not, and can shop around and take them to their preferred mechanic. If desired, owners can easily repair the Slate truck themselves.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: California’s demand for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) is surging despite federal attempts to derail the Golden State’s pursuit of a 100% clean energy future. A record 29.1% of all new cars purchased in Q3 of 2025 were ZEVs. SACRAMENTO — Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Californians purchased 124,755 zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the third …
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Arkansas hospital increases energy efficiency by diagnosing cooling tower issues and treating its entire mechanical system.Healthcare facilities require a substantial amount of energy to operate. In fact, the average hospital consumes approximately 250% more energy than a comparably sized commercial building, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. As hospitals face increasing financial pressure to …
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Saildrone, the global leader in maritime autonomy, today announced it is establishing a European subsidiary in Denmark, to address the urgent need for maritime domain awareness in European waters. Announced at the Maritime Industry Symposium at the Danish Embassy in Washington, DC, Saildrone Denmark will be a European entity, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. This strategic …
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New Poll: American Voters Support Federal Investments in Electric Vehicles Broad, Bipartisan Support for EV Investments and Incentives that Lower Costs, Expand Access, and Help the U.S. Beat China in the Race for Auto Manufacturing WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new bipartisan national poll conducted by Meeting Street Insights and Hart Research finds broad public support …
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Bergen, Norway February 17th, 2025 — Since going into service in 2015, the MF Ampere has now sailed an astonishing distance equivalent to 17 times around the equator on batteries alone, solidifying its place as a groundbreaking achievement in sustainable maritime transport. A decade on and the Ampere continues to showcase the transformative potential of electric …
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