Electric Vehicle Startup Appoints New Chief Executive Before Budget Truck Launch
An electric vehicle company supported by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has installed a new chief executive just months before introducing its budget-friendly electric pickup truck to the market.
Peter Faricy, previously a vice president at Amazon Marketplace, assumed leadership of Slate Auto beginning Monday, according to company representative Jeff Jablansky. Prior to this appointment, Faricy served as an advisor for McKinsey and Bessemer Venture Partners, leaving his position at Bessemer to take on this new role.
The leadership transition moves Christine Barman, a former Chrysler executive who served as Slate’s inaugural CEO, into the position of President of Vehicles. Barman joined as the company’s first employee when it operated under the codename Re:Car within Re:Build Manufacturing, a Massachusetts-based manufacturing incubator.
Barman had distinguished herself as one of only two female chief executives leading American automotive companies and became the public face of Slate following its emergence from stealth mode in April 2025. She appeared prominently in the company’s marketing materials, including a recent video where she announced plans to reveal pricing for the basic electric truck model in June.
In her restructured role, Barman will focus on ensuring the truck’s delivery meets timeline and budget expectations, Jablansky explained.
The startup, which has secured approximately $700 million in funding from Bezos and other high-net-worth investors, initially marketed its electric truck with a starting price below $20,000. However, following the elimination of federal EV tax credits by Congress and the Trump administration, the company now targets a starting price in the mid-$20,000 range. Customers will have extensive customization options, including SUV conversion capabilities, available at additional cost.
Faricy’s appointment comes as Slate prepares to convert its substantial waitlist of approximately 160,000 refundable preorders into actual vehicle purchases. The company spokesperson emphasized that Faricy’s background in developing Amazon Marketplace proved crucial to his selection.
While the executive change might appear unexpected given the company’s early stage, the choice of a former Amazon executive aligns with existing organizational patterns. The startup maintains strong Amazon connections throughout its leadership structure, including co-founder Jeff Wilke, former Amazon Consumer CEO, and executives across multiple departments who previously worked at the e-commerce giant.