Slate Auto names former Amazon exec Peter Faricy as new CEO

Slate Auto, the electric vehicle startup backed by Jeff Bezos, has appointed former Amazon Marketplace vice president Peter Faricy as its new CEO. Faricy started in the role on Monday, according to Slate spokesperson Jeff Jablansky. The leadership transition moves the company’s first CEO, longtime Chrysler veteran Christine Barman, into the role of President of Vehicles. Barman, who was Slate’s first hire, had served as the face of the company since it emerged from stealth in April 2025. The startup originally began as a secretive project called Re:Car inside Re:Build Manufacturing, a manufacturing incubator based in Massachusetts. Barman was notable as one of only two women CEOs running a U.S. automaker. In her new position, Barman will do whatever is necessary to deliver the company’s electric truck on time and on budget, Jablansky said.

The executive shakeup comes as the automaker prepares to transition from development to commercial production. Slate has raised around $700 million from investors, including Bezos and other backers. It is now preparing to convert about 160,000 refundable preorders—which are customer reservations that can be refunded—into firm vehicle orders. The company had previously promoted a starting price of under $20,000 for its electric truck, but has adjusted its target to the mid-$20,000 range. Slate plans to reveal the final price of the basic electric truck in June. The transition from refundable preorders to firm orders represents a critical milestone for the startup as it moves closer to its launch date.

The decision to bring in Faricy highlights Slate’s focus on scaling its operations as it moves toward commercial production. Before joining Slate, Faricy served as an adviser at McKinsey and Bessemer Venture Partners, leaving his role at Bessemer to join the startup. His background at Amazon is seen as a key asset for the company’s next phase. “Peter’s experience building Amazon Marketplace was really critical for us,” said Slate spokesperson Jeff Jablansky. The startup maintains ties to Amazon; one of its co-founders and several department heads in mobility, user experience, e-commerce, fleet sales, and human resources are also Amazon alumni.

Why it matters

Slate Auto is pivoting from stealth development to commercial execution, bringing in Amazon-scale operational experience to manage the transition from refundable preorders to actual vehicle deliveries.