Slate’s electric pickup will use a single 65kWh Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery manufactured by Gotion in Manteno, Illinois. The company had initially planned to offer nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries from SK On, with a 52.7kWh pack for the base truck and an 84.3kWh option for a longer-range version.
The new battery gives the truck a projected range of 205 miles. Slate describes that figure as an estimate based on an EPA test cycle, rather than a final EPA rating. The change also removes the planned 240-mile extended-range version. According to the report, the 65kWh pack fills the available space beneath the truck.
Slate says the switch helps it maintain its advertised starting price of $24,950, plus a $1,450 destination fee. The company has also cited the LFP pack’s lower cost and improved range as benefits. Unlike NMC batteries, LFP uses iron and phosphate instead of nickel, manganese and cobalt in the cathode.
The battery supply is also closer to Slate’s factory in Warsaw, Indiana: Manteno is about 90 miles away, compared with roughly 710 miles between the factory and the originally planned SK On supply in Commerce, Georgia. The report says the federal clean-vehicle tax credit, which had influenced Slate’s initial battery sourcing plans, ended for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025.
LFP batteries generally tolerate frequent charging to 100%, but store less energy for a given size and weight than NMC batteries. Slate’s current truck is rated at 181 horsepower, down from the originally announced 201 horsepower, and the company claims a 0-to-60-mph time of eight seconds. The battery and powertrain warranty is 10 years or 110,000 miles. Slate has not publicly explained what happened to its earlier announced battery deal with SK On.
Sources: Engadget.