Female Design Chief Redefines Slate Truck with Affordable, Modular Aesthetic
Tisha Johnson, Slate’s head of design, explains how her female-focused, low-ego approach produced a cheap, customizable electric pickup that’s winning praise.
In an industry where women are usually confined to interior styling, Tisha Johnson has become the head of design for Slate and shaped its electric truck’s exterior. Rejecting the typical macho grille and aggressive stance, her team created a vehicle with wide, round headlamps, a confident hood line and easy-to-customize surfaces that invite personal expression. Priced at $24,950, the truck will debut later this year as the cheapest EV and pickup on the U.S. market, yet it offers a modular architecture that lets buyers switch between pickup, square-back SUV and fastback forms.
Color changes cost $500 and can be applied in two days, while owners may download 3D files to print their own panels and accessories. Johnson’s design stripped away superfluous technology, opting for a manual window crank over a power pack to keep the price low. The result has garnered multiple aesthetic awards, widespread industry acclaim, and more than 180,000 pre-orders.
Why it matters
The truck shows how inclusive design can produce affordable, customizable EVs that appeal to a broad market.
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