Radically simplifying EVs at Slate Auto | Ben Whitla & Tisha Johnson

Devin speaks with two leaders  at Slate Auto, an EV startup that’s designed a cheap modular pickup truck. Tisha Johnson, Head of Design, and Ben Whitla, Head of Brand and Marketing, join Devin to share the big, gnarly challenges Slate is facing in getting a low-cost, personalizable vehicle to consumers—from design to production.

They tell Devin about the joy and terror of relinquishing design control to their customers, and how they take inspiration from collaborative brands like Lego and Vans. They explain where their two disciplines, vehicle and brand design, inform one another at Slate, leading to a more integrated design approach than either of them expected. Plus, they share their hot takes on why screens in vehicles are totally overrated. 

1:49 Why this kind of modularity hasn’t been seen before

3:43 Their breakthrough in designing the front fascia 

5:51 How brand and vehicle design align

8:58 Designing for customer’s self-expression

11:38 When car owners go wild

14:30 Affordability through minimalism

19:00 Taking the leap on a start-up

23:26 Collaboration vs. AI agents

26:16 Lightning round