Honestly cheaper than I was expecting. I'm not in the market for a vehicle, but I think Slate has done a great job in sticking to their principles and delivering on what they have promised so far....
Honestly cheaper than I was expecting. I'm not in the market for a vehicle, but I think Slate has done a great job in sticking to their principles and delivering on what they have promised so far. Quality remains to be seen, but I'm hopeful that this will be a success project.
Their add-ons don't seem ridiculously priced either, but I just briefly skimmed through them.
This is the exact sort of truck I would buy, if only I had a bit more spare money and wasn't constantly in fear of being laid off (again). It's too bad the tax credit is gone, because the base...
This is the exact sort of truck I would buy, if only I had a bit more spare money and wasn't constantly in fear of being laid off (again).
It's too bad the tax credit is gone, because the base model selling for under $20,000 would be a huge deal for the affordable EV (and truck) market.
I forget where I watched it, might have been an engineer at Slate but I think they actually said the tax credit expiring had an unexpected side effect: cheaper batteries. Instead of having to use...
I forget where I watched it, might have been an engineer at Slate but I think they actually said the tax credit expiring had an unexpected side effect: cheaper batteries. Instead of having to use US made batteries, they could source from wherever.
I don't love the lack of subsidized US-made batteries. But silver lining right?
Either way, this is the EXACT kind of truck I want. Small, cheap and stupid. I've been wanting an older Ranger or Tacoma for all my DIY BS. The cost on old trucks has gone bonkers. Same with old vans too. Hopefully Slate has success so I can get one in a bit!
If the tax credit were still in effect and the Slate does come out this year, then the Slate would be the only sub-$20k new vehicle for sale in the US in 2026.
If the tax credit were still in effect and the Slate does come out this year, then the Slate would be the only sub-$20k new vehicle for sale in the US in 2026.
I wish them luck. I don't think i need a truck, but I think society needs trucks like this, which are actually functional vehicles for standard city movement not luxury. I know people who have...
I wish them luck. I don't think i need a truck, but I think society needs trucks like this, which are actually functional vehicles for standard city movement not luxury. I know people who have larger trucks and do need them, but they also live in rural areas.
If they can actually start pushing things off the line at roughly these prices that would be huge.
Wow! I'd been following Slate and TELO from the sidelines, and it's kinda wild that the former is coming in at $17k USD less than the latter. I'm not in the market for a car, but it would've been...
Wow! I'd been following Slate and TELO from the sidelines, and it's kinda wild that the former is coming in at $17k USD less than the latter. I'm not in the market for a car, but it would've been neat to have fewer giant trucks rolling around.
Telo has much more features out of the box than Slate does, as far as I can tell. A bigger cab means more trim and furnishings, and the Slate pickup is already light on interior comforts.
Telo has much more features out of the box than Slate does, as far as I can tell. A bigger cab means more trim and furnishings, and the Slate pickup is already light on interior comforts.
Yeah, Slates mission statement makes a lot of sense to me though. No one else offers such a cut down car, and if you just need a pickup truck and nothing else there is nothing else in the EV...
Yeah, Slates mission statement makes a lot of sense to me though. No one else offers such a cut down car, and if you just need a pickup truck and nothing else there is nothing else in the EV market (in the US) that will beat this.
Not sure if EVs are there yet where that niche actually makes economic sense, but eventually it will.
I've seen Ford Mavericks used as fleet trucks around town, including by the local parks department. It's a hybrid, so not exactly equivalent, but there's a demand for inexpensive high-utility...
I've seen Ford Mavericks used as fleet trucks around town, including by the local parks department. It's a hybrid, so not exactly equivalent, but there's a demand for inexpensive high-utility pickups, and the Slate was designed for that. If you can set up charging at some home location, then you can easily service a small area with them. The SUV configurations would probably work as light-duty work "vans" as well, although they obviously don't have the capacity a real cargo van does.
Personally I think the Telo is better for the average consumer, having access to more seating by default without giving up the utility of the bed is a big plus. Also, it doesn't look like the SUV configurations for the Slate add more doors, so you'll be entering like a 4-seater coupe and that just doesn't seem comfortable for adults and teens to use.
Right, I really like the cut down offering and the DIY nature of being able to add things yourself. Especially with 3d printing now and what it could be in the future (like larger print beds...
Right, I really like the cut down offering and the DIY nature of being able to add things yourself. Especially with 3d printing now and what it could be in the future (like larger print beds without astronomical costs), and with the amount of information available today, video tutorials etc. DIYing is much more attractive especially when it can save you thousands of dollars. The lack of power windows I could see being a big deal, hopefully there's an easy add-on for that later for people who want it.
To me, running wires in the car for auxiliary type items or additional functions like power windows, stereos etc. are something that is within the realm of the consumer to put in if it can save substantial money of not having to do it on the production line. Obviously not everyone would want to do this or can do it and some people would rather just pay for it to be done, but there's already tons of vehicles out there with that as an offering and not many with this slimmed down starting base for people who want that as an option. Even if it doesn't save a ton of money over what it would cost on the production line, you also get to choose more specifically what you want in it, the exact infotainment display or exact speakers etc.
Looks like a cool little car, I don't need a new vehicle any time soon but when I do it'll hopefully be something like this. I'm definitely in the wait and see category though, need to make sure...
Looks like a cool little car, I don't need a new vehicle any time soon but when I do it'll hopefully be something like this. I'm definitely in the wait and see category though, need to make sure its actually reliable and repairable since getting an EV fixed is already kinda a PIA.
I hadn't heard of this before. I really like the idea and the modularity and really hope something like this can succeed in the long term. An affordable EV with this versatility is very attractive...
I hadn't heard of this before. I really like the idea and the modularity and really hope something like this can succeed in the long term. An affordable EV with this versatility is very attractive to me
I hope they can nail quality (especially software) and customer/warranty support and all of the spots where other EVs have had problems
Even better actually. I haven't looked at it in detail or the upgrades but would hope there's a stereo at least but am definitely glad there's no massive software system and hopefully no massive...
Even better actually. I haven't looked at it in detail or the upgrades but would hope there's a stereo at least but am definitely glad there's no massive software system and hopefully no massive touchscreen either. The less "smart" (aside from battery stuff that requires it) the better.
Well damn. I use android auto a LOT. As in everything from maps to controlling my audiobooks on long drives. That's unfortunate that there's no headunit for even just something like navigation.
Well damn.
I use android auto a LOT. As in everything from maps to controlling my audiobooks on long drives.
That's unfortunate that there's no headunit for even just something like navigation.
Well, you could always pick up a tablet for use specifically in your Slate for cheaper than the price the auto manufacturers are charging you for one. Or at least, that is the pitch.
Well, you could always pick up a tablet for use specifically in your Slate for cheaper than the price the auto manufacturers are charging you for one. Or at least, that is the pitch.
https://www.crutchfield.com/g_462450/Android-Auto-Compatible-Car-Stereos.html Since it can have a double din mount, you can add it for a few hundred dollars. And most of these do wireless Android...
Honestly surprised they were able to keep to their $25k price tag, good on them. I'm not in the market for a second vehicle but an electric car in this gas price market is tempting. It's...
Honestly surprised they were able to keep to their $25k price tag, good on them. I'm not in the market for a second vehicle but an electric car in this gas price market is tempting. It's interesting to me that the options/customizations you can add to your car in their configurator are apparently supposed to be added on/done by you? There's difficulty ratings for what I imagine would be the installation process, which is kind of cool, I imagine it helps them keep manufacturing costs down too because they just have to produce the base vehicle and the parts separately and then just ship it to you.
Anyone have any informed opinions on when/whether these will become available in the EU? Right offhand, it looks like that's not even on their radar (and--I suppose--understandably so), but yeah,...
Anyone have any informed opinions on when/whether these will become available in the EU? Right offhand, it looks like that's not even on their radar (and--I suppose--understandably so), but yeah, this is exactly the kind of EV I'd go for -- and I mean, not even for the price, but for the bare-bones, DIY approach.
I think you might have other options from sellers before this goes international (probably?) I imagine trying to deliver cars to multiple countries is a huge regulation and logistical hurdle that...
I think you might have other options from sellers before this goes international (probably?) I imagine trying to deliver cars to multiple countries is a huge regulation and logistical hurdle that a small company won't be able to take on before they get established.
Not sure how bad the import tarrifs are on Chinese EVs in the EU but they're making tons of affordable EVs and are definitely leading the market. If this concept is successful I imagine they will offer something similar very soon (if they aren't already)
I had the $50 deposit from I think the day it was available, but when I logged in today, my delivery window was listed as "2027". There's a big difference between January and December 2027, so I...
I had the $50 deposit from I think the day it was available, but when I logged in today, my delivery window was listed as "2027". There's a big difference between January and December 2027, so I don't think I'm going to move forward on the preorder.
It’s likely location-based. The speculation is that areas with less orders (correlating to lower EV uptake) have later dates to save on shipping (being able to ship on a whole truck versus one...
It’s likely location-based. The speculation is that areas with less orders (correlating to lower EV uptake) have later dates to save on shipping (being able to ship on a whole truck versus one slot). What’s your order spec?
Mine said Jan-Mar 2027 so I was willing to go ahead with that. Really no idea how they're doing the timing. Curious if there will be any telescoping as people with reservations drop out. Very...
Mine said Jan-Mar 2027 so I was willing to go ahead with that. Really no idea how they're doing the timing. Curious if there will be any telescoping as people with reservations drop out.
Very cautiously optimistic. This is coming along at a good time in my vehicle cycle and every other EV I've looked at there's at least one deal breaker. Between the price, how barebones their 'stock' configuration is, and the amount of options it seems like a silver bullet for my needs. Really hoping nothing changes that.
Honestly cheaper than I was expecting. I'm not in the market for a vehicle, but I think Slate has done a great job in sticking to their principles and delivering on what they have promised so far. Quality remains to be seen, but I'm hopeful that this will be a success project.
Their add-ons don't seem ridiculously priced either, but I just briefly skimmed through them.
This is the exact sort of truck I would buy, if only I had a bit more spare money and wasn't constantly in fear of being laid off (again).
It's too bad the tax credit is gone, because the base model selling for under $20,000 would be a huge deal for the affordable EV (and truck) market.
Maybe it'll come back in a few years 😠along with a bunch of other much needed policies for electrification incentives.
I forget where I watched it, might have been an engineer at Slate but I think they actually said the tax credit expiring had an unexpected side effect: cheaper batteries. Instead of having to use US made batteries, they could source from wherever.
I don't love the lack of subsidized US-made batteries. But silver lining right?
Either way, this is the EXACT kind of truck I want. Small, cheap and stupid. I've been wanting an older Ranger or Tacoma for all my DIY BS. The cost on old trucks has gone bonkers. Same with old vans too. Hopefully Slate has success so I can get one in a bit!
If the tax credit were still in effect and the Slate does come out this year, then the Slate would be the only sub-$20k new vehicle for sale in the US in 2026.
I wish them luck. I don't think i need a truck, but I think society needs trucks like this, which are actually functional vehicles for standard city movement not luxury. I know people who have larger trucks and do need them, but they also live in rural areas.
If they can actually start pushing things off the line at roughly these prices that would be huge.
I may be getting a Slate truck for my next vehicle…
Wow! I'd been following Slate and TELO from the sidelines, and it's kinda wild that the former is coming in at $17k USD less than the latter. I'm not in the market for a car, but it would've been neat to have fewer giant trucks rolling around.
Telo has much more features out of the box than Slate does, as far as I can tell. A bigger cab means more trim and furnishings, and the Slate pickup is already light on interior comforts.
Yeah, Slates mission statement makes a lot of sense to me though. No one else offers such a cut down car, and if you just need a pickup truck and nothing else there is nothing else in the EV market (in the US) that will beat this.
Not sure if EVs are there yet where that niche actually makes economic sense, but eventually it will.
I've seen Ford Mavericks used as fleet trucks around town, including by the local parks department. It's a hybrid, so not exactly equivalent, but there's a demand for inexpensive high-utility pickups, and the Slate was designed for that. If you can set up charging at some home location, then you can easily service a small area with them. The SUV configurations would probably work as light-duty work "vans" as well, although they obviously don't have the capacity a real cargo van does.
Personally I think the Telo is better for the average consumer, having access to more seating by default without giving up the utility of the bed is a big plus. Also, it doesn't look like the SUV configurations for the Slate add more doors, so you'll be entering like a 4-seater coupe and that just doesn't seem comfortable for adults and teens to use.
Right, I really like the cut down offering and the DIY nature of being able to add things yourself. Especially with 3d printing now and what it could be in the future (like larger print beds without astronomical costs), and with the amount of information available today, video tutorials etc. DIYing is much more attractive especially when it can save you thousands of dollars. The lack of power windows I could see being a big deal, hopefully there's an easy add-on for that later for people who want it.
To me, running wires in the car for auxiliary type items or additional functions like power windows, stereos etc. are something that is within the realm of the consumer to put in if it can save substantial money of not having to do it on the production line. Obviously not everyone would want to do this or can do it and some people would rather just pay for it to be done, but there's already tons of vehicles out there with that as an offering and not many with this slimmed down starting base for people who want that as an option. Even if it doesn't save a ton of money over what it would cost on the production line, you also get to choose more specifically what you want in it, the exact infotainment display or exact speakers etc.
Looks like a cool little car, I don't need a new vehicle any time soon but when I do it'll hopefully be something like this. I'm definitely in the wait and see category though, need to make sure its actually reliable and repairable since getting an EV fixed is already kinda a PIA.
I hadn't heard of this before. I really like the idea and the modularity and really hope something like this can succeed in the long term. An affordable EV with this versatility is very attractive to me
I hope they can nail quality (especially software) and customer/warranty support and all of the spots where other EVs have had problems
There's really not much software for them to get right. They don't have an infotainment system at all, for example.
Even better actually. I haven't looked at it in detail or the upgrades but would hope there's a stereo at least but am definitely glad there's no massive software system and hopefully no massive touchscreen either. The less "smart" (aside from battery stuff that requires it) the better.
No head unit, but there’s optional speakers and a Mount for Bluetooth speakers. There’s also apparently accommodation for a double DIN.
Well damn.
I use android auto a LOT. As in everything from maps to controlling my audiobooks on long drives.
That's unfortunate that there's no headunit for even just something like navigation.
You can still use android auto, it just won't be cast to another screen. The idea being you can mount the device you already have.
I use wireless android auto precisely so I don't have to take my phone out of my pocket and forget it in my car all the time though. Haha
Well, you could always pick up a tablet for use specifically in your Slate for cheaper than the price the auto manufacturers are charging you for one. Or at least, that is the pitch.
https://www.crutchfield.com/g_462450/Android-Auto-Compatible-Car-Stereos.html
Since it can have a double din mount, you can add it for a few hundred dollars. And most of these do wireless Android auto, not just wired.
Honestly surprised they were able to keep to their $25k price tag, good on them. I'm not in the market for a second vehicle but an electric car in this gas price market is tempting. It's interesting to me that the options/customizations you can add to your car in their configurator are apparently supposed to be added on/done by you? There's difficulty ratings for what I imagine would be the installation process, which is kind of cool, I imagine it helps them keep manufacturing costs down too because they just have to produce the base vehicle and the parts separately and then just ship it to you.
Anyone have any informed opinions on when/whether these will become available in the EU? Right offhand, it looks like that's not even on their radar (and--I suppose--understandably so), but yeah, this is exactly the kind of EV I'd go for -- and I mean, not even for the price, but for the bare-bones, DIY approach.
I think you might have other options from sellers before this goes international (probably?) I imagine trying to deliver cars to multiple countries is a huge regulation and logistical hurdle that a small company won't be able to take on before they get established.
Not sure how bad the import tarrifs are on Chinese EVs in the EU but they're making tons of affordable EVs and are definitely leading the market. If this concept is successful I imagine they will offer something similar very soon (if they aren't already)
This is the most cyberpunk vehicle I think I've ever seen.
As in it reminds me of some of the low cost vehicle options in Cyberpunk 2077.
I had the $50 deposit from I think the day it was available, but when I logged in today, my delivery window was listed as "2027". There's a big difference between January and December 2027, so I don't think I'm going to move forward on the preorder.
It’s likely location-based. The speculation is that areas with less orders (correlating to lower EV uptake) have later dates to save on shipping (being able to ship on a whole truck versus one slot). What’s your order spec?
Mine said Jan-Mar 2027 so I was willing to go ahead with that. Really no idea how they're doing the timing. Curious if there will be any telescoping as people with reservations drop out.
Very cautiously optimistic. This is coming along at a good time in my vehicle cycle and every other EV I've looked at there's at least one deal breaker. Between the price, how barebones their 'stock' configuration is, and the amount of options it seems like a silver bullet for my needs. Really hoping nothing changes that.