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Jeff Bezos backs radical $20,000 small electric pickup truck

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Jeff Bezos backs radical ,000 small electric pickup truck

Jeff Bezos is backing a bold new venture that’s positioning itself to disrupt the electric vehicle space: Slate Auto. It’s a startup that has unveiled a simple, modular electric pickup truck called the Slate Truck. It’s priced at $20,000 after federal EV incentives, a concept some would consider radical and even inconceivable.

The Slate Truck’s base model defies industry norms by stripping down to essentials, with no power windows, no touchscreen and a minimalist dashboard. 

However, at the same time, it offers a range of customization options, allowing buyers to transform it into a five-seat SUV.

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Image of the exterior of the Slate Truck. (Slate Auto)

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Slate Truck by the numbers

The Slate Truck is a compact electric pickup, measuring 174.6 inches in length, 70.6 inches wide excluding mirrors and 69.3 inches tall, making it more than 20 inches shorter than a Ford Maverick and reminiscent of classic pickups like the 1985 Toyota truck. It rides on a 108.9-inch wheelbase and features a five-foot bed that is slightly longer and wider than the Maverick’s, offering 37 cubic feet of cargo space. The truck is powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, delivering rear-wheel drive only and accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in about 8 seconds, with a top speed near 90 mph.

AMERICA’S SMALLEST EV TRUCK PROTOTYPE HAS ARRIVED

Buyers can choose between a standard 52.7 kWh battery with an estimated 150-mile range or an optional 84.3 kWh pack for up to 240 miles of range. Charging is flexible, with an 11 kW onboard AC charger and DC fast charging up to 120 kW through a NACS connector, allowing a 20% to 80% charge in about half an hour. The Slate Truck has a maximum payload capacity of 1,433 pounds and can tow up to 1,000 pounds, making it practical for everyday hauling needs.

Safety features include traction control, electronic stability control, automated emergency braking, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and up to eight airbags, with the company targeting a five-star NCAP safety rating. The curb weight is about 3,600 pounds.

Specific details of the Slate Truck. (Slate Auto)

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AMERICA’S SMALLEST EV TRUCK PROTOTYPE HAS ARRIVED

Funding and mission

Slate Auto, founded in 2022, secured $111 million in funding from Bezos and other investors, including Mark Walter, the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The company aims to disrupt the EV market by making electric trucks accessible to budget-conscious consumers. This is a stark contrast to an industry dominated by high-priced models.

The exterior of the Slate Truck. (Slate Auto)

TESLA’S CYBERTRUCK GETS A MILITARY MAKEOVER WITH A TACTICAL TWIST

Slate Truck manufacturing strategy

Slate Auto’s production is set to begin in Warsaw, Indiana, at a repurposed paper facility, an unconventional approach to manufacturing. The company is betting on affordability and modularity to carve out a niche in the EV market and is looking to challenge industry giants like Tesla and Ford. Maybe with Bezos’ backing, Slate Auto can redefine what an affordable EV looks like.

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DATA REMOVAL DOES WHAT VPNS DON’T: HERE’S WHY YOU NEED BOTH

An illustration of the Slate Truck’s customization options. (Slate Auto)

EXPLORING HYDROGEN-POWERED VEHICLES FOR THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

Customization options

One of Slate’s standout features is its extensive customization. Starting as a minimalist two-seater, the Slate Truck can be transformed into a five-seat SUV with an add-on kit that includes rear seats, a roll cage and airbags. Buyers can choose from over 100 accessories, including roof racks, cargo storage, all-terrain tires and lift kits. The vehicle’s exterior can be wrapped in different colors and designs instead of painted, allowing owners to easily change its look or even do it themselves with a DIY kit. This modular, build-it-your-way philosophy makes the Slate Truck feel like a rolling Lego set, appealing to both everyday drivers and enthusiasts who want a personalized EV experience.

TESLA LAUNCHES LOW-PRICED MODEL Y MUSK CALLED UNACCEPTABLE AS FORD, VW ENTER SEGMENT

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The Slate Truck. (Slate Auto)

When will the Slate Truck be available?

Reservations for the Slate Truck are open for a refundable $50 deposit. Customers should expect deliveries to start in late 2026. You can go to the Slate Auto website to reserve yours by clicking on this link.

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The exterior of the Slate Truck. (Slate Auto)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Slate Auto’s approach to building a simple, modular electric pickup truck at an affordable price could shake up the EV market. Its focus on practicality and customization, backed by Jeff Bezos, offers a fresh alternative to pricey, tech-heavy trucks. With production starting in Indiana and deliveries expected in late 2026, the Slate Truck may well redefine what an affordable EV looks like.

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Use this map to find the data centers in your backyard

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Use this map to find the data centers in your backyard

When Oregon resident Isabelle Reksopuro heard Google was gobbling up public land to fuel its data centers in her home state, she didn’t initially know what to believe. “There’s a lot of misinformation about data centers,” she said. “Google has denied taking that land.”

Technically, she explains, The Dalles, a city near the Washington state border, sought to reclaim that land, “and Google is just a big, unnamed power user.” The city had in fact asked for ownership of a 150-acre portion of Mount Hood National Forest, claiming it needs access to Mount Hood’s watershed to meet municipal needs as its population — 16,010 as of the 2020 census — grows. But critics, including environmentalists, say the city is trying to secure more water for Google, which has a sprawling data center campus in The Dalles that already consumes about one-third of the city’s water supply.

This controversy made Reksopuro curious about the backlash to data centers being built in other communities. So Reksopuro, a student at the University of Washington who studies the connections between tech and public policy, decided to map it out. Using information collected by Epoch AI and data scraped from legislation on data centers, she built an interactive map tracking AI policy around the world. She designed it to be simple enough for anyone to use. “I wanted it to be something that my younger sisters could play through and explore to understand what are the data centers in the area and what’s actually being done about it,” Reksopuro said. She hoped to shift their opinions that way, “instead of like, through TikTok.”

Four times a day, the map searches for new sources and checks them against the existing database Reksopuro built out. “Once it does that, it will write a new summary, add it to the news feed, and populate it on the sidebar,” she said. “I wanted it to be self-updating, since I’m also a student.”

Reksopuro isn’t against data centers, but she thinks tech giants benefit from a lack of transparency around data center policies. “Right now, it’s this really opaque thing — and all of a sudden, there’s a facility,” she said. “I think that if people knew about data centers beforehand, it would give them leverage. They would be able to negotiate: ask for job training programs, tax revenue, environmental monitoring, things to improve their community.”

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Fox News AI Newsletter: Graduation speaker praises AI, gets instantly booed

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Fox News AI Newsletter: Graduation speaker praises AI, gets instantly booed

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

 

Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.

IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:

– UCF graduates clobber commencement speaker with boos after she says AI is the ‘next Industrial Revolution’

– OPINION: DIRECTOR KASH PATEL: We brought the FBI out of the past and into the AI age

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– OpenAI backs creation of global AI governance body led by the U.S. that would include China as a member

TOUGH CROWD: During a recent commencement ceremony at the University of Central Florida, a speaker was met with loud boos from the graduating class after declaring that artificial intelligence represents the next industrial revolution. Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI’s growing footprint in daily life.

A statue on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. (iStock)

BADGE MEETS BYTE: Reflecting on the modernization of national security in a Fox News op-ed, FBI Director Kash Patel explores how the bureau must adapt its strategies to address modern threats and advance beyond the artificial intelligence age.

TECH DIPLOMACY: OpenAI is throwing its support behind the establishment of a new global artificial intelligence governance organization that would be led by the United States while notably including China as a member. Fox News Digital reporting examines the geopolitical dynamics and regulatory implications of this proposed framework as global powers race to set the standards for AI development.

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EQUITY ELEVATION: The massive wave of wealth generated by the explosive growth of ChatGPT and the broader AI industry is driving a sudden surge in the San Francisco Bay Area’s luxury real estate market. Fox News Digital reporting breaks down how the influx of new tech capital is reshaping local housing dynamics and fueling a high-end property frenzy.

FBI Director Kash Patel listened as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference at the Department of Justice on April 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

STRATEGY RESET: Tech giant Cisco is planning to eliminate thousands of jobs as the company shifts its primary focus to accelerate its artificial intelligence initiatives, a move that comes despite the company beating earnings expectations. Fox News Digital reporting details the corporate restructuring and broader economic trends pushing legacy tech firms to aggressively pivot toward AI.

ROAD HAZARD: Waymo is issuing a sweeping recall of its autonomous vehicle fleet following a concerning incident that highlighted significant safety issues with the self-driving technology. Fox News Digital reporting outlines the specifics of the recall, the nature of the safety flaw, and what this setback means for the future of fully autonomous transportation on public roads.

BOTS IN THE BAY: A newly developed, artificial intelligence-powered robot has been engineered to seamlessly change and balance vehicle tires without human intervention. Fox News Digital reporting showcases this latest innovation, exploring how automation and AI mechanics could soon revolutionize the automotive service and repair industry.

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the 2026 Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C., on March 11, 2026. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)

 

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Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.

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Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs

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Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs

Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.

In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.

Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.

You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.

Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”

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