Since bursting onto the scene last week, Slate Auto and their ambitious $20,000 electric truck have been the talk of the internet. Speculation ran rampant, with many wondering where this revolutionary, bare-bones EV would be built. The mystery is finally solved: production will take place in a repurposed printing plant in Warsaw, Indiana.
This isn’t just any factory; it’s a massive 1.4 million square foot facility, formerly home to R.R. Donnelly. The company plans to eventually churn out 150,000 trucks annually from this location, a significant undertaking that will transform a previously shuttered facility and provide employment for around 2,000 people.
Remember Slate’s minimalist approach? No touchscreen, no radio, no power windows, and even no paint. These design choices aren’t just cost-cutting measures; they streamline the production process significantly. The absence of a paint shop, for instance, saves a considerable amount of money and resources—a stark contrast to manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz who recently invested a billion dollars in a new paint facility. Similarly, the use of plastic body panels eliminates the need for expensive metal stamping presses.
The renovations alone will cost hundreds of millions of dollars, according to Slate Auto’s head of PR, Jeff Jablansky. While the exact figures and terms of the property’s use remain undisclosed, the scale of the project is impressive. This ambitious project aims to have the truck ready for production in Q4 of 2026.
It’s worth noting that Slate’s Indiana facility is considerably smaller than Tesla’s Fremont factory, but its streamlined production processes could lead to a much faster ramp-up. Tesla took over five years to achieve a similar annual production rate in Fremont. Slate is clearly hoping to achieve this much more quickly.
Slate’s commitment to American manufacturing extends beyond the factory itself. The company is dedicated to sourcing materials domestically, a strategic move in the face of escalating global trade tensions. Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy Snyder emphasized this commitment, stating that the truck is “designed, engineered, and manufactured in the U.S., with the majority of our supply chain based in the U.S.” This strategy could give Slate a competitive edge in the long run.
The news of Slate’s Indiana location is a significant development, solidifying the company’s commitment to domestic manufacturing and hinting at a potential game-changer in the affordable EV market. We’ll be watching closely as production gets underway.
