SLATE Truck Debuts as Modular Pickup & SUV

[Outdoors]

I am excited to see what happens here. The public has been vocal about how they want a vehicle with no frills for a decade, since the small car largely stopped being manufactured. Time to see if all the no frills people put their money where their mouth was.

I think that there is a larger overlap than anticipated between the no frills crowd, and the crowd that needs 300 miles of range in 3 minutes. I think that one frill this segment wants is larger battery, which essentially makes shoppers in this segment not exist.

Leaf tried something similar with a limited featured limited range vehicle. It was priced under $20k when the tax rebate existed and they sat on lots. Is the addition of a mini truck bed, removal of lots of features, and addition of $10k of cost going to bring in a bunch of buyers when the Leaf already failed with this strategy? I don't see it.

There may be a market of tens of thousands of DIY fans who want the vehicle for this purpose. But then there's a chicken and the egg scenario where cool mods don't become available until scale exists.

Much agreed. Hey I wanted a Boligner truck. I do think the industry is at a level with motors and batteries that it is becoming easier to figure out the whole EV thing. As in most things in life a consumer is the final arbiter of the purchase.

American consumers care much about room and comfort. Much of the rest of the word is about practicality and cost. As the rest of the world matures economically they want much of the creature comforts of the American consumer.

The other people I know personally that reserved have beachfront family homes, and want something they can leave there without worrying or caring about. Something for the help to go to the store, or a bum guest that stays that needs a car. It is a trivial amount of money. So there is no economics to it. You just buy it for fun.

I love the a used gas pickup would be better option comments. Slate is unique, new, and interesting. Some old used F-150 is for common folk.

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[Cybertruck2024]

Much agreed. Hey I wanted a Boligner truck. I do think the industry is at a level with motors and batteries that it is becoming easier to figure out the whole EV thing. As in most things in life a consumer is the final arbiter of the purchase.

American consumers care much about room and comfort. Much of the rest of the word is about practicality and cost. As the rest of the world matures economically they want much of the creature comforts of the American consumer.

The other people I know personally that reserved have beachfront family homes, and want something they can leave there without worrying or caring about. Something for the help to go to the store, or a bum guest that stays that needs a car. It is a trivial amount of money. So there is no economics to it. You just buy it for fun.

I love the a used gas pickup would be better option comments. Slate is unique, new, and interesting. Some old used F-150 is for common folk.

Becoming the Cadillac of golf carts certainly is a viable offering and a use case that makes a ton of sense. An around town vehicle for golf clubs or beach gear that you can actually take on the highway if needed is kinda cool as a rich person's toy.

I haven't looked into the volume Slate is looking to make of these, so I suppose I may not understand the business plan. I stick with my statement that Slate doesn't seem to have a mass market model, but there is certainly a niche audience for low production.

 

[SlegMD]

Based on reception they are getting I hope they get it to 25k, seems unlikely.

But hey for the price it keeps you for having to go to the gas stations

 

[hemiarch]

Where is the Elio when we needed it? 68 mpg and only $7,000... sigh. Would have made for a great commuter vehicle. Only seats 2. But, it was surprisingly roomy.

(at $3.00/gallon, it's only $.04 per mile to drive - cheaper than my CT)

Well, the aptera sure isn’t $7k

 

[TyPope]

Well, the aptera sure isn’t $7k

No. But the Elio was $6,800 originally.

 

[CTOmaha]

The best thing if this comes out in the 25-30k range is being able to take a fairly reliable
(hopefully) platform and put it into classic cars. I love my 89 911, but it would be cool to have it be electric without paying 200k to have it done. Or even an old 65 Mustang or VW bus.

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