Slate Switches to LFP Batteries, Lifts EV Range to 205 Miles at $24,950

3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Jun 24

Slate dropped its planned 240-mile optional battery and raised the standard pack’s range from 150 miles to 205 while pricing the pickup at $24,950 before fees.
LFP cells made that tradeoff possible because they cost about 40% less than nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries, and Slate is pairing them with cell-to-pack construction to recover energy density and cut manufacturing steps.
Tax policy also shifted the calculus: after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act ended the $7,500 EV credit, concerns over LFP’s China-heavy supply chain became less restrictive for U.S. buyers.
Gotion, based in Hefei, is supplying the cells for production in Illinois, underscoring how Chinese-led LFP manufacturing is now feeding even low-cost U.S. EV programs.
The move aligns Slate with Ford, GM, Rivian and Tesla in adopting LFP, as cheaper chemistry and improving charging networks make sub-300-mile EVs more viable.