Business plan is to sell the bare bones truck for cheap, and then make your money selling branded apparel and custom parts for the truck.
intercst
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https://www.kbb.com/car-news/what-is-slate-auto-stealthy-bezos-ev-company-emerges/
Most EV startups have followed an established business strategy: They start with an expensive luxury product. As sales of that car pay for the research and development involved in designing it and the tooling to build it, they introduce less expensive models over time.
Tesla pioneered the approach, with the high-end Model S opening a hole for the mass-appeal Model Y to drive through.
Lucid and Rivian are trying to follow it (though neither is yet profitable, both have hefty outside investments). Others, like Lordstown Motors and Fisker, have failed in the attempt.
Slate is reportedly trying the opposite tactic.
It’s not yet clear whether Slate intends to hit that price with or without the help of the federal government’s $7,500 EV tax credit.
Automakers have almost completely abandoned shoppers looking for cars under $25,000 in recent years.