A Jeff Bezos-Backed 'Secretive' Electric Vehicle Startup Is Reportedly Making an Affordable Truck — and It Was Just Spotted in Los Angeles

Earlier this week, TechCrunch reported that Jeff Bezos is backing a "secretive EV startup" called Slate Auto that intends to launch a $25,000 single-cab electric truck in late 2026. The company's LinkedIn says it is based in Troy, Michigan.

Then, the next day, a photo appeared on Reddit of an unidentifiable small truck in Los Angeles, first reported by Carscoops. The outlet noted that the "absence of a grille opening at the front suggests [it's] electric, reinforced by what appears to be a charging port near the rear corner. A quick image search doesn't match it to anything currently on the market, though admittedly, that's far from definitive."

What is this car?
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One commenter cited TechCrunch's report and noted some Rivian-looking similarities.

"No images yet, but using the EV delivery vehicle designed by Rivian for Amazon as an example, it follows the very clean-&-simple aesthetic - round headlights, steel wheels, plastic cladding, upright B-pillar," the commenter wrote. "Not saying they look the same, or like they share a platform, but if the same design team was used for both, it would make sense that they might share some vague aesthetic elements."

Related: Rivian Announces New Electric Vehicles That Will Cost a Lot Less — and Are 'Bursting With Personality'

Then, on Thursday, TechCrunch confirmed that the truck in the Reddit image is the actual Slate Auto concept car, according to "a person with direct knowledge of Slate Auto's vehicle design, who spoke on the condition of anonymity."

TechCrunch, which reports that the manufacturing facility with be "somewhere near Indianapolis, Indiana," spoke to "multiple sources" and examined extensive documents and filings, including job listings, state lobbying records, and past interviews.

The source said it is likely a concept vehicle to show to investors. The design studio is reportedly in Long Beach, California.

More news is expected on April 23, per CarScoops.