Slate Auto has opened its first-ever brick-and-mortar location, the Slate Experience Center, in Chicago on October 15, giving prospective buyers their first hands-on look at what the company pitches as America’s most affordable electric vehicle: the $24,950 Slate Truck. The debut of a physical showroom marks a major step for the EV startup as it races toward promised customer deliveries before the end of 2026.

The new center sits at 1053 W. Grand Ave. on Chicago’s Near West Side, according to Slate Auto’s own announcement and reports from Electrek, InsideEVs, and Autoblog. The location is a familiar one for EV shoppers — it occupies a former Tesla showroom, which, as Electrek noted, means the space was already laid out with a small showroom, garage, and retail area, and was even wired for NACS EV charging.

“This is a space for customers to get hands-on with the truck — and walls of accessories and wraps — without the sales pressure of a traditional dealership,” Slate Auto said in a LinkedIn post announcing the opening, adding that Chicago is “just two hours from our factory in Warsaw, Indiana.”

Why Chicago — and why now

The choice of Chicago is strategic on multiple levels, according to Slate Auto. Beyond the two-hour proximity to its Warsaw, Indiana, factory, the company says the Chicago location gives Midwest fleet buyers and the public their first real, up-close look at the truck. The company held public demonstration events from October 15 through 17, with appointments available for ride-alongs, according to reports.

The company has also signaled that Chicago is only the beginning. Upcoming Slate events are planned for Boston, Northern California’s Radwood, and New York City, The Auto Channel reported, suggesting a growing physical footprint as the brand pushes toward nationwide sales.

The truck: $24,950 and proudly simple

The simplicity is the point. Where legacy automakers pack in screens, driver-assistance suites, and subscription features, Slate has stripped the truck back to basics — and made customization the product. Buyers can add accessories or even change the body style entirely, with conversion options that turn the pickup into five-seat SUV variants. There’s also an Open Air body kit that adds seats to the bed with a rollover bar above rear passengers’ heads, according to InsideEVs.

Slate’s entire pitch rests on a single number: $24,950. InsideEVs reports the price including destination is $26,400, which would still make it the cheapest electric vehicle on sale in America. For that money, buyers get a small two-door pickup truck with 205 miles of range from an LFP battery, a basic interior, and no frills whatsoever, according to InsideEVs.

Electrek, which attended the Chicago opening, reported that the truck’s build quality belied its price tag. “Slate may be inexpensive, but it’s not cheap,” the outlet wrote, praising the reassuring haptics of everything from the door handles to the tailgate latch, and

describing a test ride as “quiet, smooth, free of squeaks and rattles.”

A different business model

Slate is testing whether an automaker can combine direct online sales with physical locations where buyers can examine an unfamiliar vehicle before ordering, according to usedcarnews.com. The approach also breaks with the traditional franchised-dealer model on the service side: rather than building its own network of service centers, the company plans to use RepairPal’s network of independent repair shops for maintenance and warranty work.

Slate, which Electrek has described as a Jeff Bezos-backed startup, has been building momentum all year. The company recently wrapped up its “You Asked For It” tour — 3,130 miles and 15 challenges across the country, according to its LinkedIn updates — and has teased upcoming news from its Warsaw factory.

Whether that momentum translates into sales will depend on pricing holding steady, production ramping on schedule, and the ownership experience once deliveries begin, usedcarnews.com noted. Slate is preparing to build the truck in Warsaw, Indiana, with customer deliveries expected before the end of 2026.

What to watch next

The industry will be watching whether Slate’s bet on radical simplicity — crank windows, manual seat adjusters, and a pay-for-everything-else accessories model — can crack a pickup market long dominated by big, expensive trucks. The Chicago Experience Center is where that case gets made in person: no sales pressure, just the truck, the accessories wall, and the test ride.

FAQ

How much does the Slate Truck cost?
Slate Auto advertises a starting price of $24,950 before destination charges. InsideEVs reports the price including destination is $26,400, which would make it the cheapest electric vehicle in the country.

Where is the first Slate Experience Center?
It opened October 15, 2026, at 1053 W. Grand Ave. in Chicago, in a former Tesla showroom on the city’s Near West Side.

Can I test drive the Slate Truck there?
Yes. InsideEVs reports customers can check out the trucks, browse accessories, and take test drives from the Experience Center. Public demo events ran October 15–17, with ride-along appointments available.

When will Slate Truck deliveries start?
Slate is preparing to build the truck in Warsaw, Indiana, with customer deliveries expected before the end of 2026, according to multiple reports. For service, the company plans to use RepairPal’s network of independent shops rather than building its own service centers.

Related reading: Tesla Q3 deliveries beat estimates and Rivian’s Q3 record deliveries. Sources: Electrek, InsideEVs, Autoblog, usedcarnews.com, The Auto Channel, Slate Auto.