The electric vehicle market is currently a mess. A lot of expensive cars with range anxiety. A lot of startups folding. So where does the money go?
Look at the Slate truck. It is $25,000. No-frills. Bezos-backed. It launches with better specs than anyone expected for that price point. It aims directly at Ford’s Maverick. But unlike Ford’s gas-guzzler, you can actually fix the Slate yourself.
The Slate Truck and the China Battery Question
How did they get the cost down so low? Look at the supply chain. The latest round of battery tech comes from China. These lower-cost cells are now perfected.
This shift was driven in part by political moves. The repeal of certain EV tax credits meant companies no longer had to source materials strictly domestically. So they looked elsewhere. Specifically, East Asia.
This has made Slate the most affordable EV truck in the US. And they just got a color upgrade. The $25,000 Slate is now available in “Crayola” colors. They teamed up with the crayon company to brighten the ride. Make yours Razzmatazz if you are bold.
Bentley, Jaguar, and the Luxury EV Wreckage
While the mass market fights over pennies, the luxury segment is stumbling.
Bentley just revealed its first electric car. The Torcal. 300-mile range. Arriving in September. But timing is everything. Look at Ferrari. Look at Porsche. Look at Mercedes. All of them have stumbled with EVs recently. So why is Bentley doing this now?
Meanwhile, reports suggest the all-new Range Rover GT is stepping on Jaguar’s tail. It is a crowded field. The “wreckage of the luxury EV market” is visible in every quarterly report from these legacy brands.
Small Wonders and Big Robotaxis
Not every EV story is about giant trucks or luxury sedans.
Apple and Audi alumni have built something else entirely. The Amble One. It is based on a moon buggy. It is street-legal. It costs $25,000 at luxury resorts. A regular car is also coming from this same team, but for now, this buggy is the novelty.
Then there is Tesla. Elon Musk’s company is building a wheelchair-accessible robotaxi. A rep in DC called it “an active product.” But they refused to give a timeline. Is it next year? Next decade?
The Unlikely Winners
If you need oil changes, check Valvoline coupons. They have promo codes for 2026. Full synthetic deals are available now. It’s not sexy. It’s necessary maintenance.
And if your pool needs cleaning? Stop paying the pool guy. Use a robotic cleaner. Most of the best ones I’ve tested are on sale anyway. Prime Day brings them down.
It is a weird time to own an EV. Dealerships are closing due to tech bans (looking at you, Polestar). XPeng is launching a “budget” EV that looks like a Ferrari Luce. It’s called the L03. It’s hitting 60 countries.
Which car will survive the shakeout? The Slate is affordable. The Bentley is prestigious. The Amble is fun. The Tesla is… whatever it ends up being.
We are left with a grid of uncertain outcomes. The robots are coming. The crayons are bright. The batteries are Chinese. The future is cheap, confusing, and possibly electric.
Maybe.
