Carvana ties up with Bezos-backed Slate Auto as it plans new car sales

Key points

• Carvana has been granted the option to invest in Slate Auto, the electric vehicle startup backed by Jeff Bezos, according to documents obtained by TechCrunch.
• Paperwork filed with Delaware’s division of corporations shows that the online used car retailer was given a warrant to buy shares in the startup in 2025 — around the same time Slate Auto was starting to put together its $650 million Series C funding round.
• It’s not clear if Carvana has exercised that warrant, or how many shares it is allowed to buy.
• Carvana declined to comment, and Slate Auto didn’t respond to requests for comment on the deal.
• The transaction with Carvana comes as the retailer is looking at ways to expand into new car sales, according to the Wall Street Journal.