The tiny-truck niche is about to get its first electric entrant. Slate Auto’s newly revealed S1 pickup, confirmed this month by the company and detailed in a Car and Driver preview, will open at “just under thirty thousand dollars before incentives” and arrive in 2027. That price puts it nose-to-nose with Ford’s Maverick XL hybrid, the reigning value leader among combustion pickups. The similarities end there: one is an all-electric skateboard, the other a unibody gasoline truck whose secret weapon is a frugal hybrid power-train. Here is how they line up.
Size and format
Both trucks embrace compact proportions. Slate quotes an overall length of 181 inches on a 112-inch wheelbase, versus the Maverick’s 199.7 inches and 121.1-inch wheelbase. Shorter overhangs mean the S1’s footprint is closer to a small crossover than a midsize pickup. Each offers a single 4.5-foot bed and a four-door crew-cab layout seating five adults. Slate’s designers carved out an additional 6 cubic feet of lockable front-trunk space—the first “frunk” in the class.
Power-trains
The Maverick XL pairs a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder with an electric motor for a combined 191 hp driving the front wheels; the optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbo with all-wheel drive lifts output to 250 hp. Slate counters with two battery options: a 55-kWh pack good for a projected 230 miles and a 75-kWh pack stretching to roughly 300 miles. The base single-motor S1 makes 201 hp and rear-wheel drive; the up-level dual-motor version delivers an estimated 275 hp and standard all-wheel drive. DC fast-charging peaks at 180 kW, recovering 80 percent in 28 minutes, according to Slate.
Slate Autos plans to offer its base variant as a truck and an SUV
Towing and payload
Ford’s hybrid Maverick tows 2,000 lb and carries 1,500 lb in the bed. Tick the EcoBoost plus the 4K Tow Package and the rating doubles to 4,000 lb. Slate is aiming for 3,500 lb of towing and 1,400 lb of payload on its dual-motor truck, figures that split the difference. A factory-installed 120-volt bidirectional outlet array in the bed lets the S1 power job-site tools or campsite gear at up to 3 kW—roughly the draw of a small generator.
Customization and features
Ford already sells the Maverick with a menu of dealer add-ons (Spray-In Bedliner, Yakima bed racks) and the nifty Flexbed slot-system that encourages DIY hacks. Slate’s hook is modularity: the S1’s bed floor has an integrated rail that accepts clip-in panels for bike mounts, closed-top cargo bins, or a tailgate workbench, and the company will offer software-unlockable drive modes—including a drift-limiting Teen Mode—over the air. Inside, both trucks keep costs down with durable plastics but hide enough tech to satisfy younger buyers: a 10-inch infotainment screen in the Maverick, a 12-inch landscape display running SlateOS in the S1.
| Specification | Slate Auto S1 (base) | Ford Maverick XL Hybrid (base) |
| Starting price (pre-incentive) | just under $30 000 (projected) | $24 995 MSRP |
| Power-train | single rear motor, 55 kWh LFP battery | 2.5 L Atkinson I-4 hybrid, e-CVT |
| Output | 201 hp (est.) | 191 hp combined |
| Drive layout | RWD | FWD |
| Range / fuel economy | 230 mi target (EPA cycle) | 37 mpg combined (EPA) |
| Towing capacity | 2 500 lb target | 2 000 lb |
| Payload | 1 400 lb target | 1 500 lb |
| Overall length / wheelbase | 181 in / 112 in | 199.7 in / 121.1 in |
| Seating configuration | crew cab, 5 seats | crew cab, 5 seats |
| Bed length | 4.5 ft | 4.5 ft |
| Front-trunk storage | 6 cu ft | none |
| DC fast-charge | 10–80 % in ~28 min (180 kW) | not available |
Target audiences
Ford carved a loyal following of first-time truck buyers, city dwellers, and small-business owners who value 40-mpg economy and a low monthly payment. Slate is chasing the same wallet but banking on customers ready to ditch gasoline entirely. “We think the transition stalls if the entry point stays above thirty grand,” CEO Maya Gomez told Car and Driver. Federal EV credits could push the S1’s effective price below the Maverick hybrid in some states, though battery eligibility rules remain fluid.
Verdict (for now)
The Maverick is available today, with rock-solid dealer support and proven power-trains. Slate’s S1 is an enticing promise: more torque, zero tailpipe emissions, and competitive towing in a package that costs no more up front. If the company hits its volume and quality targets, the under-$30K bracket will have its first real combustion-to-electric cross-shopping moment. Until then, Ford’s unchallenged value crown stays put—but not for long.