The Slate vs. Ford Fathom debate could be settled by this key tech feature

Ford and Slate are pursuing the same enticing goal: an electric pickup starting under $30,000. The Blank Slate Truck starts at $24,950 plus a $1,450 destination charge, while the Ford Fathom starts at $28,350 plus a $1,595 destination charge.

But things get more interesting when you look closer. Ford says the Fathom will feature a large touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Slate forgoes a traditional infotainment system and instead gives you a place to mount and charge your phone. It’s refreshingly simple for some, but it might seem too simple for anyone used to seeing maps, music and messages on a proper central screen.

Slate didn’t just leave CarPlay off the options sheet. His approach is to let your phone or tablet do the work. Phone mounting and charging are standard, and buyers can opt for accessory speakers and a stand to fit a larger tablet. Navigation, music and other compatible apps normally accessible via CarPlay or Android Auto remain on the device. Slate said Inside electric vehicles that vehicle software updates can be downloaded to a phone and transferred to the truck, avoiding the need for a built-in cellular connection.

There’s some logic to this: If the infotainment hardware is in your pocket, it can’t become hopelessly outdated as the truck ages. There are compromises, however. A phone’s screen is smaller than a dedicated dashboard screen. And although Slate left out the infotainment screen to keep things simple, some potential owners are already chatting online about aftermarket stereos, Raspberry Pi projects and other ways to integrate CarPlay or Android Auto into the truck.

Ford is taking the more familiar route. The Fathom’s built-in display will support CarPlay and Android Auto, and the truck will also get a digital key, two-way power, and hardware for Ford’s next-generation BlueCruise hands-free system, which requires activation. Ford has not yet announced the Fathom’s expected range, towing capacity, or payload. Pre-orders begin in early 2027.

This infotainment gap makes more sense when you consider how these companies build a cheap electric vehicle.

Slate starts from scratch and therefore ruthlessly asks what should be included. Ford has been making vehicles for more than a century, and its answer is to simplify engineering and assembly while retaining more familiar amenities in the cabin.

Ford is investing $2 billion to retool the Louisville assembly plant around its universal electric vehicle production system. The automaker says the platform uses 20 percent fewer parts than a conventional vehicle, 50 percent fewer cooling pipes and connections, and a wiring harness more than 4,000 feet shorter than that of its first-generation electric SUV, the Mustang Mach-E. Assembly is expected to be 15 percent faster than the factory’s previous products. This represents a lot of engineering aimed at reducing manufacturing costs without making the cabin look unfinished.

Smartphone integration is not an afterthought for buyers. Deloitte’s 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study surveyed more than 31,000 consumers across 30 countries and found that 63% of U.S. respondents considered smartphone connectivity through CarPlay or Android Auto in their next vehicle to be somewhat or very important.

Slate’s approach isn’t necessarily wrong. A cheaper two-door electric pickup with fewer electronics could be just what some buyers want. CarPlay or Android Auto might be one of those little features that seems much more important after living without them. The five-seater Fathom, on the other hand, promises to be a more conventional daily vehicle.