At a time when Tesla is suffering, Jeff Bezos imagines, like his rival Elon Musk, propelling an automobile brand and winning the hearts of the general public. Unlike Rivian, in which Jeff Bezos invested through Amazon, Slate Auto would be intended for more accessible electric models, under $25,000 in the United States. To gain the interest of the general public, the billionaire and the teams of the young startup have decided to go through TikTok.
This is how a video published on the social network was viewed 1.6 million times in a few days, via an account called "The Mani Family," followed by 521,000 people. In it, we can see one of the models that Slate Auto plans to market later, covered in a wrap in the colors of an imaginary cat therapy company. In the description, the mention that it is an advertisement is clear, for the simple reason that a URL is displayed, which Slate hopes Internet users will click on. Remember that when it comes to sponsored content on social networks, you sometimes have to be wary of the number of views displayed, which may contain views purchased by the creator.
On this web page, there is a countdown, accompanied by a clear statement: the marketing operation is signed by Slate, the new brand about to emerge on the American automobile market. An announcement is planned for Friday, April 25, 2025 at 4 a.m. French time, or Thursday evening on the West Coast of the United States — probably during a virtual event, or even on social networks. Less than 48 hours after this announcement, several pieces of information about Slate Auto are already available.
Slate Auto was born in 2022, out of sight
So, we know that the company was registered in the state of Michigan, where Ford is also located, but also Rivian (with an R&D center), General Motors, and Stellantis North America. A land conducive to the automotive industry, the American state is also home to Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, Volkswagen, and Honda, with technical, engineering, and testing centers. Slate Auto is not such a recent name, however, as it was registered in 2022, within another Jeff Bezos company, Re Manufacturing.
It is certain that Slate Auto will have a connection with Rivian. The new startup will certainly seek to offer more accessible models by taking elements from Rivian, while a first photo in Los Angeles of the company's future pickup truck revealed lines particularly close to those of the other automotive startup from Amazon and Jeff Bezos. On April 20, 2025, another vehicle with a link to a website also referred to the countdown before an official announcement from Slate Auto.
At the end of March, the startup also filed an advertising slogan, allowing us to better understand Slate Auto's positioning on the market. In French, it read: "We built it. You do it», suggesting that the company will focus on customization and à la carte configuration of its cars, keeping only the essentials and offering very flexible prices.
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