Slate Truck Passes Grueling Test, Crawls Closer to Debut

PLUS: Is an electric Maybach van really in the works?

If you have trouble reading this message, view it in a browser. Slate Truck Passes Slush Test, On Track for Q4 Debut      Slate is freezing its pickup bed off to make sure its truck will work in all weather once it debuts in showrooms late this year. The upstart affordable truckmaker plans to offer the most affordable pickup in the U.S. by the end of this year, with a price aimed at the mid-$20,000 range.    The slush test is literally that, driving the truck into and out of a pit of slush, half-frozen water, and half chunks of ice and snow. The test took place at Keweenaw Research Center, a cold-weather test facility that's part of Michigan Technological University in Houghton County, Michigan, where they know a thing or two about slush.    Read more here. READ THE FULL STORY Sony and Honda Cancel Development of the Afeela 1 Electric Sedan        When Honda announced earlier this month that it was canceling plans to build three EVs on an all-new platform in the United States, we immediately assumed this spelled disaster for Afeela. The joint venture between Sony and Honda aimed to build an electric sedan in the same Honda factory in Ohio, but the company initially said it was "operating as usual." Now, however, Sony Honda Mobility has confirmed what we had suspected: the development and launch of the Afeela 1 sedan has been discontinued.    Read more here. READ THE FULL STORY Mercedes-Maybach VLS Will Add an Electric Van to the Ultra-Luxury Portfolio      The idea of a luxury van may seem counterintuitive at first, but it's actually been part of the automotive market for some time. Even before the likes of Kia and Chrysler began adding throw pillows and reclining captain's chairs to Carnivals and Pacificas, third-party companies were creating conversion vans that straddled the line between transportation and living room. And with car companies seemingly finding nothing but room to grow in the uppermost parts of the market, it's no surprise to see luxury automakers pursuing sliding-door ideas of their own, such as Lexus's recent LS concept.    Read more here. READ THE FULL STORY Fuel Price Spike Drives Surge in Used EV Sales in Europe READ MORE Subaru's Next EV to Pack 420 Horsepower, Making It the Most Powerful Subie Yet READ MORE VW Issues Recall for 100,000 Electric Vehicles READ MORE The Tesla Cybertruck Is the Only Pickup Truck to Earn IIHS's Highest Safety Rating This Year READ MORE 2026 Polestar 4 Long Range Dual Motor Test: Camera Obscura READ MORE Future Electric Vehicles: The EVs You'll Soon Be Able to Buy READ MORE Spread the word: If you know someone interested in staying on top of the rapidly growing EV segment, feel free to pass this newsletter along. SIGN UP Follow Us Unsubscribe | Manage Preferences | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection Autoweek is a publication of Hearst Autos. ©2026 Hearst Autos, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Autos, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779 https://link.autoweek.com/oc/5e72241397a2142fca606ee4qr9dd.h4x/377ad72e