Mini truck boom: Rio Industries launches $21,500 gas-engine competitor to the Slate truck

Mini Truck Boom: Rio Industries Takes Aim at Slate with $21,500 Gas Alternative

Rio Industries, relaunched in 2026 after a century-long dormancy, is entering the compact truck market with a deliberate undercut of Slate's electric offering. The company's base model starts at $21,500 for a four-cylinder gas engine truck with manual and automatic transmission options, body-on-frame construction, four-wheel drive, and a 600-mile range per tank.

The timing is pointed. Rio positions itself directly against Slate's electric truck and explicitly compares itself on the company website against the Ford Maverick and Slate, claiming a price advantage and the reliability of proven gas-engine technology. The truck is Texas-built, framing the move as a domestic response to Slate's EV bet.

The competitive landscape is crowded. The Ford Maverick XL already exists at a lower price point and offers many of the features Rio and Slate are targeting. Ford is also launching a $30,000 all-electric pickup truck next year with four doors, longer range, faster charging, and standard power windows and speakers. The hybrid Maverick starts at $23,000. Tesla's Model 3, priced around $38,000, competes for the first-car buyer with more range, self-driving features, and broader utility for daily commuting.

Slate's defense is customization and design freshness. The truck offers near-infinite configurability through its website, allowing buyers to shape the vehicle's appearance and function—from SUV seating to basic truck bed—without committing to every option upfront. Wraps and add-ons run around $1,000 each, letting buyers incrementally upgrade. The Slate's 200-mile range is sufficient for daily city use and errands, though it requires a second vehicle for longer trips.

The weak point in Slate's execution is the configurator software itself, which feels clunky and does not seamlessly support design exploration. Ford's platform handles this more smoothly, a not-insignificant advantage in the buying experience.

The real question is whether Slate can compete as a primary vehicle rather than a leisure or weekend option. Rio and Ford offer proven drivetrains, lower friction in dealer networks, and price advantages. Slate's edge lies in design novelty and the fun of customization, but those may not be enough to crack the first-car market where practicality, range, and cost dominate.