Bare-bones electric vehicle (EV) startup Slate said on Thursday it will build its first production facility in Indiana, marking a significant milestone in its plan to bring a low-cost pickup and SUV to market by late 2026.
The young automaker, which first gained attention earlier this year with its “Blank Slate” design, officially opened the doors to its planned manufacturing site in Warsaw, Indiana, where it intends to retool a former printing plant. The facility will serve as the production hub for Slate’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV), a simplified pickup with over 100 accessory options and an SUV conversion kit.
Slate’s flagship model had initially been promoted as starting below $20,000 after federal tax credits. However, following the rollback of many EV incentives under the Trump administration, the company now expects pricing to begin below $30,000. Despite the shift, Slate said consumer demand has been strong, reporting more than 100,000 reservations secured with refundable $50 deposits.
Chief Executive Chris Barman emphasized the company’s manufacturing strategy during a launch event in Kosciusko County. “What Slate is about to build for America begins in Warsaw. We’re retooling the factory in such a way that truly allows for manufacturing simplicity and rapid scaling,” he said. “The Blank Slate is made the same way, each and every time: designed to be accessorized and wrapped by the customer after it leaves the factory.”
Slate said the refurbished plant is expected to generate more than 2,000 jobs and contribute as much as $39 billion to the local economy over the next two decades. The company aims to begin series production in 2026, with the first customer vehicles expected to roll off the line in the fourth quarter of that year.