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Engineer-turned-YouTuber Michael Pick converted an auction-purchased BMW i3 REX into a small electric pickup, fabricating a cargo bed and keeping much of the original car intact. Pick said the project came in below his $10,000 budget; comparisons with the forthcoming Slate pickup are The Drive’s assessment, not a measured vehicle-to-vehicle test.
Engineer-turned-YouTuber Michael Pick converted an auction-purchased BMW i3 REX into a compact pickup, replacing the rear cabin area with an open cargo bed. The Drive reported that Pick completed the project for under $10,000, creating a homemade electric-truck alternative while the Slate pickup remains a future product.
Pick bought the i3 sight unseen at auction and cut away part of its rear structure to make room for the bed. A steel frame connects the new cargo area to the vehicle, while the bed is made from plywood sealed with epoxy and finished with bedliner. The report describes the build as a complex fabrication project, rather than a simple body conversion.
The donor is an i3 REX, which has a gasoline-powered range extender beneath the rear-seat area. Because the conversion removes that seating area, Pick made the bed removable for engine servicing. He also applied waterproofing sealant at the seams and coated exposed portions of the cut carbon-fiber structure with epoxy, according to The Drive.
Much of the original i3 was retained, in part because of its electronic systems. The report says Pick decided that adapting the build around the car’s existing components was less troublesome than modifying its software to account for removed locks, lights and data connections. The project also included purchases such as a replacement windshield and a larger-display head unit.
A Homebuilt Alternative to Slate
The build offers a concrete example of how a used electric car can be repurposed into a utility vehicle without waiting for a new model to reach buyers. Pick’s reported sub-$10,000 total may draw interest from people looking for a low-cost electric runabout with cargo space, though the figure describes this individual project and is not a general cost estimate for similar conversions.
The headline’s comparison to Slate is a framing device, not evidence that Pick’s truck outperforms a production vehicle. The Drive argues that the converted i3 has more standard equipment than Slate is expected to offer and cost less, but the source does not provide a direct, controlled comparison of price, capability, safety or ownership costs. A one-off build also requires fabrication skills and may not suit buyers seeking a refined, supported vehicle.
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Why the i3 Needed Careful Changes
The BMW i3 is a small hatchback whose body structure includes a carbon-fiber monocoque, an uncommon approach for a mass-market car when the model arrived in 2014 and still rare in ordinary vehicles, according to The Drive. That construction gave Pick a distinctive platform, but cutting into it meant the exposed material needed protection. The conversion also had to work around the i3’s existing electronics and, in this case, the range extender.
Pick’s motivation, as described in the report, was to get a cheap electric truck rather than wait for the Slate’s eventual launch. He set a budget ceiling of $10,000 and finished a couple of thousand dollars below it, The Drive reported. The article does not give a detailed itemized budget or identify how much the auction car itself cost.
“Pick wanted a cheap electric truck for himself.”
— The Drive, reporting on Michael Pick’s project
Durability and Road Use Remain Unreported
The source does not state when the conversion was finished, how many miles it has covered, or whether the modified vehicle has undergone formal crash or durability testing. It also does not provide details on registration, insurance, payload capacity, range after conversion, or whether the changes affect the car’s warranty or service options. The bed’s removability is described as a way to access the range extender, but the report gives no long-term maintenance results.
The $10,000 figure is reported as Pick’s project total, but an itemized accounting is not included. The Slate comparison is also not a like-for-like test: the source does not establish final Slate pricing or specifications alongside verified figures for the modified i3. Those details limit what readers can conclude about either vehicle’s relative value.
Further Build Details Could Clarify Costs
The Drive’s report points readers to Pick’s YouTube documentation of the project, where additional build steps may be visible. The source material does not announce a production plan, commercial conversion service, or formal testing schedule for the i3 pickup. For now, the next useful information would be an itemized budget, operating and range figures, and updates on how the bed and modified structure hold up in use.
A fuller comparison with Slate will also depend on Slate’s eventual launch and confirmed specifications. Until then, Pick’s truck is best understood as a single custom conversion, not proof that a used i3 pickup can be built or operated at the same cost by other owners.
Key Questions
Who built the BMW i3 pickup?
Michael Pick, an engineer who became a YouTuber, built the conversion after buying a BMW i3 REX at auction, according to The Drive.
How much did the conversion cost?
The Drive reported that Pick finished a couple of thousand dollars below his $10,000 budget cap. It did not publish an itemized cost breakdown.
How was the pickup bed made?
The bed uses plywood sealed with epoxy and finished with bedliner. A steel frame links it to the car, and the bed can be removed to reach the range extender beneath the former rear-seat area.
Does the build prove the i3 is better than the Slate?
No. The comparison is the report’s framing, not a documented head-to-head test. The source does not provide verified, directly comparable figures for price, range, payload or safety.
Source: thedrive.com
