Slate Auto, the electric vehicle startup backed by prominent billionaire Jeff Bezos, has made a significant announcement regarding its upcoming $25,000 electric pickup truck. In a statement to Business Insider on Tuesday, the company confirmed that the production of this innovative vehicle will take place at a former printing plant located in Warsaw, Indiana.

In a recent interview, Slate CEO Chris Barman expressed the company's commitment to revitalizing the local community through this initiative. We would like to see what we can do to go into an existing facility that has been shuttered and reindustrialize and revitalize that community, Barman stated, underscoring the importance of job creation in areas affected by industrial decline.

This decision is expected to breathe new life into Warsaw, potentially bringing back over 2,000 jobs to the region. This figure notably exceeds the number of jobs lost when the previous occupants of the plant ceased operations, with a local news source reporting that around 500 jobs were eliminated in 2023.

Slates approach to repurposing existing manufacturing facilities aligns with strategies employed by other leading electric vehicle manufacturers. For instance, Tesla famously took over the NUMMI factory previously operated by General Motors and Toyota, while Rivian has made its home in a former Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Illinois. However, unlike Tesla and Rivian, Slate's choice of a production site is somewhat unconventional; their future facility is not a former automotive plant but rather a sizable complex that once housed a printing operation, situated approximately 40 miles from Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The plant itself covers an impressive 1.4 million square feet and includes office space along with two production facilities, each measuring about 600,000 square feet. Although the specific plans for utilizing this substantial space have not been disclosed, the promise of reindustrialization is a key aspect of Slates vision for the area.

Local officials from the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation have opted not to comment on the matter, citing a nondisclosure agreement, which leaves some details of the project shrouded in mystery.

The Slate electric pickup truck was unveiled earlier this month and is making waves in the automotive market. With a standard range of 150 miles and a starting price of around $25,000, it is poised to become the most affordable new electric vehicle and pickup truck currently available in the United States. This strategic pricing could potentially allow the truck to enter a segment of the market that has been largely untapped for both electric and conventional trucks.

As for customer deliveries, Barman indicated that the trucks are expected to start reaching customers by the end of 2026. Moreover, prospective buyers can reserve their trucks now with a refundable fee of just $50, making it easier for customers to express their interest in this groundbreaking vehicle.

With an eye towards the future, Slate Auto is not only focusing on the affordability of its vehicles but also on the critical aspect of creating jobs and rejuvenating communities in the heartland of America.