Slate Truck electric pickup to use LFP battery made by Gotion in Illinois

Slate, a US company building a stripped-back electric pickup called the Slate Truck, has dropped its two announced battery options in favor of a single lithium iron phosphate (LFP) pack. Gotion makes it in Manteno, Illinois. The change lets Slate keep its advertised starting price of $24,950 (plus a $1,450 destination fee) while raising projected range.

What changed

When Slate unveiled the truck in April 2025, the base model was to use a 52.7kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery from SK On, with an estimated 150 miles of range. A pricier 84.3kWh pack was meant to deliver about 240 miles. Now there is one 65kWh LFP pack with a projected 205 miles. That figure is an estimate based on an EPA test cycle, not a finalized rating from the US Environmental Protection Agency. The switch first emerged in a June Detroit Free Press report based on an interview with Slate CEO Peter Faricy.

Why LFP

Slate initially aimed to qualify for the federal clean-vehicle tax credit, worth up to $7,500, which had rules on the origin of battery parts and minerals. That credit ended for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025. LFP availability had also improved. Gotion can build the pack about 90 miles from Slate's factory in Warsaw, Indiana, versus 710 miles for the SK On modules from Georgia. LFP is cheaper because its cathode uses iron and phosphate rather than nickel, manganese and cobalt.

Trade-offs

LFP stores less energy for a given size and weight, so the 240-mile version was cancelled: the 65kWh pack fills all the battery space under the truck. Output fell from 201 to 181 horsepower, though Slate still claims 0-60 mph in 8 seconds. Aerodynamic and thermal improvements also contributed to the longer range. The battery and power train warranty is 10 years or 110,000 miles.