Slate is promising a $25,000 electric truck with no traditional trim levels, no sprawling options list and a radically different approach to personalization. But can that idea survive contact with manufacturing, service and the realities of launching a new car company?
CJ Waelti joins the MotoMan Podcast to explain why the electric powertrain may be the least interesting part of Slate. Drawing on a career that has taken him from Harley-Davidson to Tesla, Rivian and now Slate, CJ lays out how the company is combining old-school mechanical expression with modern manufacturing.
We dig into Slate’s blank-canvas philosophy, the risk that personalization becomes an expensive upsell, its DIY accessory strategy, removable seat covers, swappable body panels, simplified vehicle wraps and the company’s plan to begin delivering trucks in late 2026.
More importantly, CJ answers the question hanging over every automotive startup: Why should anyone believe Slate can actually deliver?
Chapters
00:00 Why Slate may be different
01:45 CJ Waelti joins the podcast
02:23 From Harley-Davidson to Tesla
04:26 Why CJ believes in Slate
06:31 The EV may be the least interesting part
07:46 No options, no trims
09:09 Can personalization work on a $25K truck?
10:31 Avoiding the upsell trap
11:12 Removable seats and swappable accessories
12:17 Why affordability is the real message
14:36 Bringing DIY back to the automobile
16:42 Can Slate reconnect young people with cars?
18:56 Have automakers gone too far with screens?
20:30 How Slate plans to handle service
21:45 Designing accessories for DIY installation
24:17 How Slate made wrapping a car easier
27:37 Three reasons Slate will deliver in 2026
28:36 What should Slate build next?
#SlateAuto #ElectricTruck #ElectricVehicles #EVStartup #AutomotiveIndustry #CarPodcast #MotoManPodcast #MadeInAmerica #Tesla #Rivian
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