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Unsettling tariffs, fluctuating markets, and shifting public opinion have sent the all-electric automotive segment into tumult. Not only that, but the EV tax credit of $7,500 ended on Sept. 30. In the run up to the tax incentive expiration, Kelley Blue Book estimates that sales volume in the U.S. hit an all-time high in Q3 with 438,487 units sold.
Despite that surge, it’s been rocky. This year alone, several EVs were discontinued in the U.S., like the Acura ZDX, Genesis Electrified G80, and Nissan Ariya. And some models didn’t even make it to the market, like Volkswagen’s ID.7 and the Ram 1500 EV. Ford switched up its EV strategy, swapping out the all-electric F-150 Lightning for an extended-range EV with a gas generator.
On December 15, Cox Automotive reported that year-to-date EV sales remain 2.1 above last year’s despite the fact that the EV share of total sales was just 5.4 percent in November. That’s the lowest since April 2022 and down from 5.8 percent in October, Cox says.
In spite of all this turbulence, three American companies—Slate Auto, Scout Motors (which, to be fair, is a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group), and Telo Trucks—are standing strong in the melee, advancing their plans with key strategies and cautious optimism. Here’s how they’re handling the uncertainty going into 2026.
Slate is focusing on simplicity
Bursting onto the scene from stealth mode in April, Slate has received more than 100,000 reservations for its bare-bones, customizable all-electric vehicles. Fifty bucks secured each reservation a place in line as Slate opens for orders in the middle of 2026, with delivery by the end of next year. Slate set up its manufacturing plant in the Midwest automotive corridor in Warsaw, Indiana, ensuring proximity to its suppliers and reducing shipping costs.
Staying flexible, says CEO Chris Barman, is key. It helps that Slate’s truck is a single configuration. By offering a truck with unpainted gray composite body panels, Slate eliminated paint shops and metal stamping from its process, which can eat up a huge chunk of resources. Owners can choose to personalize their trucks with vinyl wraps, or they can leave them blank; they can even choose an SUV conversion kit. A Slate vehicle has under 700 parts, compared to a typical truck of that size that might have 3,000 or more. The simplicity, Slate believes, will serve it well by staying fleet footed.
“Slate’s price and marketing strategy was always to deliver a high-value product at an affordable price,” says the company’s head of public relations and communications Jeff Jablansky.
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Kristin Shaw
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