AUTONEWS

Why doesn't Europe like cheap cars?

In recent days, a brand that is unknown to the general public has been on everyone's lips. It's called Slate, it comes from the US and is stealing attention for a simple reason: it offers practically nothing, except for virtually unbeatable prices.

The first model is a compact electric pickup truck: it will cost a little over 24 thousand euros in the US and with incentives, it could even go below 18 thousand euros.

At a time when cars seem to be increasingly loaded with technology, the Slate Truck is a kind of return to the essentials and to a certain automotive minimalism, long forgotten. But this pickup is not unique — remember the Toyota Hilux Champ with prices starting at $12 thousand?

These are two models with different DNA, but they have points in common: low prices, extreme simplicity and one certainty — neither of them will come to Europe. After all, why doesn't Europe seem to like cheap cars?

The Slate Truck seems to be everything that the Tesla Cybertruck is not. If Elon Musk's pickup truck is all about technology, extreme design and supercar performance, the Slate follows a different path: offering the bare minimum.

It has two seats, a spartan interior with cranked windows and zero screens. But it doesn't forget the essentials of safety, with emergency braking and cruise control as standard.

The secret to keeping the price low? Sales exclusively online and, most importantly, extremely simplified production. All units leave the brand's factory in Indiana with the same body and color. Customizations? Only later, with vinyl wraps and more than 100 accessories to choose from.

Although the watchword was "simplify", under the hood the Slate Truck doesn't disappoint: 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor, two battery options — 52.7 kWh and 84.3 kWh — and up to 450 km of autonomy. All this with a payload of up to 650 kg, a sufficient amount for a proposal of this type.

Oh, and by the way: one of the investors behind this project is none other than Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. And that's also why comparisons with the Tesla Cybertruck are inevitable.

Toyota Hilux Champ: simplicity taken to the extreme...On the other side of the world, Toyota follows a similar recipe with the new Hilux Champ. A smaller and much more affordable version of the famous pickup truck, designed for the Southeast Asian markets.

Straight lines to facilitate production, hard plastics inside and not even a cargo bed is standard. But what's most impressive is the price: starting at $12,000. Of course, to reach this price, many compromises had to be made — the safety and comfort of this model are far from what we expect in Europe. Unlike the Slate Truck, this pickup truck that Toyota sells in markets such as India and Indonesia, whose safety requirements are much lower than those in Europe and the US, the range of safety equipment is therefore minimal. This makes this model unable to pass the homologation process in the “old continent”.

Why don’t these cheap cars reach Europe?...The answer is simple and complex at the same time. But there are three reasons for this: strict safety and emissions standards; consumers with high expectations; and homologation costs. And meeting all these requirements would completely eliminate the price advantages that these models have.

If in the case of the Hilux Champ it seems obvious that it is far from what European customers are looking for and demanding, we cannot say the same about the Slate Truck, which meets the minimum requirements in terms of safety but at the same time gives freedom of choice to those looking for it.

For those who want a simpler and more Spartan model, it is possible to opt for a basic configuration, at frankly low prices. If, on the other hand, they want a more equipped proposal, with another level of technology and comfort, it is also possible: just pay more.

The exceptions: Dacia, Citroën…and Chinese brands...That said, all is not lost for those who want a new and cheap car in Europe. Dacia continues to be the great champion of low prices and simplicity. In 2024, it rose to 3.9% of market share in Europe and entered the Top 10 of the best-selling brands, thanks to models such as the Sandero (the best-selling in Europe) and the Duster (the best-selling SUV for individuals). Citroën is not far behind and has positioned the new generation of the C3 with prices that are allowing it to compete “toe to toe” with the Romanian brand of the Renault Group.

The new 100% electric ë-C3 will have a version under 20 thousand euros this year and the combustion C3 is already available with prices starting at 14,490 euros — it was the best-selling model in Portugal in April.

The fact that Dacia is a success story in Europe and that recent sales of the new C3 are also corresponding, shows that European customers are also looking for affordable cars. But as we started by saying: Europe doesn't seem to like them.

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