S7E24: Why Slate Auto’s Head of Design Tisha Johnson Calls It Her Dream Job
About this episode
Design head Tisha Johnson talks through Slate Auto’s “blank slate” pickup/SUV platform, built to stay simple while letting owners personalize it. The key idea: instead of adding styling, the vehicle uses access points and an easy wrap-first design—factory-built in one slate gray, but engineered for DIY wrapping. Johnson says color demand surprised the team, leading to a palette of 100+ wrap colors and custom options. She also connects the mission to her long-standing goal of affordable, reliable mobility, sharing how she’d personalize motorcycles with low-cost accessories. Interior and seating configurations expand with the SUV kit.
In this episode, we’re in New York visiting Tisha Johnson, Head of Design at Slate Auto, an emerging startup preparing to launch an affordable, ultra-versatile electric pickup. Tisha shares why this role represents her dream job, offering insight into Slate Auto’s design philosophy, the challenges of building a new automotive brand, and how innovation is shaping the future of electric vehicles.
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pickup truck
"Well today we're sitting here in New York in the new Slate. It's a pickup truck originally"
A pickup truck is a car with a cab up front and an open cargo bed in the back. It’s designed to carry stuff, so the shape and layout are different from a sedan or SUV.
A pickup truck is a body style with an open cargo bed behind the cab. It usually emphasizes practicality and versatility, which affects how designers think about proportions, access, and interior packaging.
Slate
"Well today we're sitting here in New York in the new Slate. It's a pickup truck originally ... My name is Tisha Johnson I'm head of design at Slate"
Slate appears to be the brand/company behind the vehicle being discussed. In this segment, the host and Tisha frame the car as “Slate” and discuss design decisions made by Slate’s design group.
personalized
"it's a really simple statement and it is our blank slate and it's ready to be personalized"
Personalization refers to letting customers modify the vehicle’s look or configuration after purchase. In design terms, it changes how you plan surfaces, mounting points, and access so different options can fit cleanly.
access points around the vehicle
"What we have done is we've created access points around the vehicle so that people can really get their hands in it"
“Access points” suggests the vehicle has designed-in locations where owners or installers can attach or integrate accessories/parts. This is a key enabler for modular customization because it standardizes where changes can be made.
SUV kit
"we certainly expected that people would be interested in the SUV kit and we did see that we saw a lot of people beginning to look at the design add the back row"
An “SUV kit” sounds like an add-on package that makes the truck look or function more like an SUV. It’s a way to change the vehicle without starting from scratch.
An “SUV kit” implies a modular conversion or add-on package that changes the vehicle’s appearance and/or configuration toward an SUV-like form. Kits like this are often used to let customers transform a base platform without redesigning the whole vehicle.
add the back row
"we saw a lot of people beginning to look at the design add the back row and start to change the shape of the vehicle. The thing that's really"
“Add the back row” means adding rear seats so more people can ride. Changing seating layout can change the interior space and how the car is designed.
“Add the back row” indicates a modular seating configuration—likely adding or enabling rear seating. This affects interior packaging, safety considerations, and how the vehicle’s design accommodates different passenger layouts.
palette
"we began to add colors to our palette so we'll be offering over a hundred colors"
A palette is just the list of colors they offer. Expanding it means more choices for customers without having to start from scratch every time.
A “palette” here means the set of wrap colors the company offers as options. Expanding the palette is a product strategy to match what buyers are asking for, while still keeping the ordering process manageable.
accessorize
"you can order the vehicle you can accessorize it with any color wrap that you like"
Accessorize means adding extra features or style items. In this case, it includes things like wrap colors and other personalization choices.
To accessorize means adding optional add-ons—here, including wraps and other exterior personalization. The segment frames accessorization as something the customer can choose either through a service provider or by doing it themselves.
delivered to you
"you can decide to have the car the vehicle delivered to you in whatever wrap that you specify"
Delivered to you means the car can arrive already wrapped in the color you picked. That way you don’t have to arrange the wrap yourself right away.
“Delivered to you” in this context means the car can be shipped already wrapped in the color you specify. That’s an important ordering/fulfillment concept because it reduces the need for the owner to coordinate wrap installation.
service provider
"if for you it's best to have a service provider that takes care of adding any of the accessories including wraps will support you through that process"
A service provider is a shop or installer that can do the work for you. If you don’t want to wrap the car yourself, they help handle it.
A service provider is a third-party or partner shop that installs accessories like wraps on the customer’s behalf. The speaker is emphasizing support through the process if the buyer prefers not to do it themselves.
affordable
"this vehicle is affordable and the first principles of the vehicle are around making sure that the vehicle is affordable at the time that you purchase it it remains affordable as you own it"
They’re saying the car is designed to be affordable when you buy it and to stay affordable as you own it. It’s about keeping costs under control over time.
The speaker ties affordability to “first principles,” meaning the design and business model aim to keep the vehicle cost reasonable at purchase and maintain affordability over ownership. This is a concept about total cost strategy, not a specific pricing term like MSRP.
first principles
"and the first principles of the vehicle are around making sure that the vehicle is affordable at the time that you purchase it it remains affordable as you own it"
“First principles” means starting from the most basic goals and building from there. In this case, they’re saying affordability is a core goal they designed around from the beginning.
“First principles” refers to building a product by starting from fundamental goals and constraints rather than copying existing solutions. Here, it’s used to explain the design philosophy behind affordability and ownership cost.
unexpected high ticket or high cost items
"[403.5s] with very suddenly unexpected high ticket or high cost items and and so that's why we know [413.1s] what is the least expensive way for you to be able to get color it's to have a wrap that you"
They’re talking about not wanting big surprise expenses. The goal is to keep costs predictable so you’re not hit with expensive add-ons later.
This phrase points to the idea of predictable ownership costs—avoiding sudden, expensive surprises during the purchase or customization process. It’s essentially about cost transparency and managing total spend.
car wrap
"[413.1s] what is the least expensive way for you to be able to get color it's to have a wrap that you [419.4s] can wrap yourself there there really could be no less expensive way to have a beautiful outcome"
A car wrap is a sticker-like film that covers your car’s paint. People use it to change the color or style without repainting the whole car.
A car wrap is a vinyl film applied over a vehicle’s paint to change its color or look. It’s often used because it can be cheaper than a full paint job and can be done in stages or customized by the owner.
reliable mobility
"[447.7s] affordable vehicles to the market uh to those folks that are wage earning individuals that [456.9s] are working hard and need to have good reliable mobility so when i found out about this project"
It means having transportation you can count on. The speaker is emphasizing that people need cars that won’t constantly cause problems or unexpected expenses.
“Reliable mobility” refers to having dependable transportation that can consistently get you to work and daily life. In the context of the segment, it’s tied to delivering affordable vehicles and avoiding unexpected high-cost surprises.
affordably personalize your car
"[522.4s] achieved so when i found out about this this project i knew this was where i wanted to be [528.7s] and i would also like to share with you some personal consumer experience that i have that [534.7s] also relates to this idea so i thought the idea of being able to affordably personalize your car [544.0s] through accessories"
It’s about making your car feel more like yours without spending a ton of money. Instead of big upgrades, you use smaller add-ons that still make a big visual difference.
This is the idea of improving a vehicle’s look and feel through lower-cost customization rather than expensive upgrades. In practice, it often means using accessories like wraps, trim, or cosmetic parts to get a “new” appearance while keeping costs predictable.
accessories
"[534.7s] also relates to this idea so i thought the idea of being able to affordably personalize your car [544.0s] through accessories we have seen that in another place and it's in particular it's in the motorcycle [552.4s] industry"
Accessories are extra parts you add to your car to change how it looks or works. They’re usually easier and cheaper than major repairs or performance changes.
In automotive terms, accessories are add-on items installed to change appearance or convenience without altering the core powertrain. Examples include mirrors, lighting, and cosmetic upgrades like wraps.
side mirrors
"[574.5s] very very simple things myself and you know one example is i will instantly put on new [582.0s] side mirrors for the motorcycle"
Side mirrors are the mirrors on the outside of the car that help you see behind you. The host is saying swapping them can make the vehicle look different without doing anything complicated.
Side mirrors are exterior mirrors mounted on the doors or fenders to provide rearward visibility. In the segment, new side mirrors are used as an example of a relatively simple, lower-cost accessory that can noticeably change a vehicle’s look.
headroom
"you can see that there is a lot of headroom it's a very comfortable open environment..."
Headroom is how much space you have above your head when you’re sitting. More headroom usually means fewer people feel cramped.
Headroom is the vertical space between the seat and the roof. It’s a key comfort metric, especially in vehicles designed with an “open” cabin or tall seating positions.
EV platform
"...we're really able to leverage our EV platform in order to create lots of interior space..."
An EV platform is the basic design of the car built for an electric drivetrain. It usually helps the cabin feel bigger because there’s less stuff like an engine taking up space.
An EV platform is the vehicle “underbody architecture” designed around an electric powertrain. Because EVs don’t need a large front engine bay, they often free up packaging space for a roomier cabin and more flexible interior layouts.
modular interior
"...more of the story about how we can help people personalize it can be things like these bin doors... you could replace the bin doors with speaker mesh... the truck is a true two-seater but when you go to the suv setup then we pop the rear bulkhead out..."
A modular interior is built so parts can be changed or swapped. That lets you customize the car—like turning storage areas into speaker locations or changing seating.
Modular interior design means components can be swapped or reconfigured to change function and layout. This segment highlights a “blank slate” approach where storage panels can be replaced with speaker components, and seating configurations can change based on the vehicle setup.
bin doors
"...personalize it can be things like these bin doors... you could replace them and you could put in a full sound system... in this area you have these bin doors... if you want to you could replace the bin doors with speaker mesh..."
“Bin doors” are the doors/panels for built-in storage inside the vehicle. In this concept, they can be changed to do other things like audio.
“Bin doors” here refers to interior storage panels/doors that can be swapped or reconfigured. The speaker uses them as an example of modular interior design that supports personalization.
speaker mesh
"...if you want to you could replace the bin doors with speaker mesh and behind that you'll have full speaker sound system..."
Speaker mesh is the protective grille you see over speakers. Here, it’s used so the storage area can become part of the car’s sound system.
Speaker mesh is the grille material/cover used to protect and present the speaker openings. In this design, swapping bin doors for speaker mesh turns storage locations into part of the audio system.
sound bar
"...your instrument panel can go from being what you expect in an instrument panel to a true sound bar for your vehicle..."
A sound bar is a long speaker setup that helps spread sound across the cabin. In this case, it’s integrated into the front dashboard area.
A sound bar is a long, horizontal speaker arrangement that can deliver audio across a wide area. The speaker describes converting the instrument panel area into a sound bar-style audio setup.
rear bulkhead
"...when you go to the suv setup then we pop the rear bulkhead out and you're able to put in a rear bench..."
A rear bulkhead is a divider wall behind the main cabin. If you remove it, you can open up space and change how many people can sit in the vehicle.
A rear bulkhead is a structural partition between the front cabin area and the rear cargo/passenger area. Removing it (as described) enables different seating layouts, such as adding a rear bench.
five seats comfortably
"...so that you can have five seats comfortably so this is the blank slate..."
“Five seats comfortably” means the vehicle is designed to carry five people in a way that’s meant to feel roomy. It’s part of the customization story.
“Five seats comfortably” refers to the intended passenger capacity and packaging goal for the SUV configuration. It’s a key part of the pitch: the same underlying platform can be configured for different seating needs.
rear bench
"...we pop the rear bulkhead out and you're able to put in a rear bench so that you can have five seats comfortably..."
A rear bench is a seat in the back that can hold more than one person. Here, it’s how the vehicle changes from two seats to five seats.
A rear bench is a multi-person seat spanning the width of the vehicle’s rear area. The speaker uses it to explain how the platform can switch from a two-seat truck layout to a five-seat SUV layout.
reserve one
"...there you can begin to personalize your own vehicle you can reserve one and we will begin deliveries at the end of this year..."
Reserving a vehicle typically means placing an order/deposit before production or final configuration is complete. The speaker ties this to the delivery timeline, implying a staged rollout.
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