[Manic!]

New company run by ex Rivian engineers. Has some investment from Bezos.
2 seat truck super stripped down tarting at under 20K with rebates. All plastic panels no paint. No infotainment system/stereo. Will offer a bunch of part to cutomize it including diy wrap kits and an option to add 2 more seats and covert it into an SUV or a hatch back. Will partner up with a national repair chain like Midas to any repairs that you can't do yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq1qEjwSYkw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=out-F6n91qs

Made this on the configurator with a wrap they sell. You can wrap it in under a hour.

https://www.slate.auto/en


https://i.ibb.co/TMWY6zn1/slate.jpg

https://images.ctfassets.net/20dhmw20vttc/2gIoVu9g4sQyJBx3brpype/65bc459ee1d0eced3bc7d74361300e08/SKU1_F-resized.webp
https://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1738538/bezos-backed-26000-slate-ev-truck-could-crush-teslas-cybertruck.png?w=1600&h=900&q=88&f=19235e711c124f1565a668a144ab111f

[AstulzerRZD]

This will be the real test for whether the people on the internet screaming for cheap EVs will actually buy this.
I think they will sell less of these than the Ford Maverick.

[underscore]

It looks pretty slick and well thought out. So it'll probably flop.

I'd love to see some more specs on it though.

[RabidRat]

Their marketing is amazing. They just randomly parked these things outside to announce their product lol.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIr2Br2pQho/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://images-stag.jazelc.com/uploads/theautopian-m2en/slate-9-scaled.jpg

https://images-stag.jazelc.com/uploads/theautopian-m2en/slate_witch_3.jpg

[Traum]

Having a good product is always only going to win you less than half the battle.

I hope these guys will do well.

[yray]

MORRIS CALLED, THEY WANT THEIR DOOR HANDLE BACK

https://stmaaprodfwsite.blob.core.windows.net/assets/sites/1/2021/02/Front-of-green-SUV_Unknown_F_C_Charles-Hibbert.jpg

y'all just want to be british rednecks

[68style]

Their SUV's couldn't visually be more of a blatant copy of the R2 and R3 if they tried lol

[noclue]

A refreshing change from six figure EV. I can see municipalities picking these up.

[JDMDreams]

Will even go past prototypes, the failure rate of these companies even with $ backing seems very high. Look at canoo, friskers, lordstown, who's buying rivians or lucids.

[bcrdukes]

Probably go belly up or acquired, or destroyed by Trump policies.

[teggy604]

I rather just buy a used Japanese mini truck. Those things actually are used for work.

After all the customization the thing is going to be well above 25K.

[Hondaracer]

You could get 2 Kai trucks for the price of one of these

[Manic!]

You could get 2 Kai trucks for the price of one of these

Two 15 year old (25 in the us) gas trucks with about 1/3 to 1/4th the horsepower vs a new EV pickup is what you are looking at.

[JDMDreams]

^^ yea but how much power do you need? The kei trucks are rated at 350kg of cargo in the bed. So if you use it for garden runs, dirt, fridge, wheels, engines, it should be more than enough. And all 3 side gates fold down so you have a perfectly flat floor for loading unloading on 3 sides.

[bcrdukes]

A few speculations and I'm asking because I'm not well-versed in the world of EVs.
1. Will these be subject to Trump's tariffs? I assume these will be built/made in the US? (Bonus question: Could this be considered a kit car?)
2. Are these even be certified or street legal in Canada?

[JDMDreams]

I'm sure if it's us certified then we should be also isn't it all under than USA Mexico agreement. Why would you make a us only car. And I can't think of any modern car that's USA only and illegal in Canada.

Of course tariffs baby, so yes kei is still a better buy.

$20000 USD is $27,735.968 CAD today

So that's like 3 kei trucks or a used model 3, y, s

[Manic!]

^^ yea but how much power do you need? The kei trucks are rated at 350kg of cargo in the bed. So if you use it for garden runs, dirt, fridge, wheels, engines, it should be more than enough. And all 3 side gates fold down so you have a perfectly flat floor for loading unloading on 3 sides.

The slate has a 635 KG bed capacity, is way safer and way easier to get parts for. I don't even know where in Nanaimo I could get a kei truck fixed. Also kei trucks are pretty slow with a top speed of 120km. The slate is 3 feet longer and aboyt a foot wider than a kei truck. It's about the same size as an 80's Toyota single cab pickup truck.

https://www.motor1.com/news/757625/slate-truck-size-explained/

https://i.ibb.co/8nmhtR42/slate.jpg

https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/wl6wlE/s3/slate-truck-vs-1984-toyota-sr5.webp

[Hondaracer]

I think the biggest detractor is the regular cab.

No one wants a regular cab truck outside of the most basic work truck. So if this thing is 20k it’s a work truck most people would be better off with a Mazda 2 or so thing if you need room

[TypeRNammer]

A few speculations and I'm asking because I'm not well-versed in the world of EVs.
1. Will these be subject to Trump's tariffs? I assume these will be built/made in the US? (Bonus question: Could this be considered a kit car?)
2. Are these even be certified or street legal in Canada?

https://driveteslacanada.ca/news/tesla-increases-prices-in-canada-as-much-as-21-due-to-tariffs/

Tesla's in Canada are subject to tariffs now

Model Y long range back to COVID pricing, $85,000

[JDMDreams]

We should really cut the China car tariffs, wouldn't f150 and all the American shit get hit too

[teggy604]

The slate has a 635 KG bed capacity, is way safer and way easier to get parts for. I don't even know where in Nanaimo I could get a kei truck fixed. Also kei trucks are pretty slow with a top speed of 120km. The slate is 3 feet longer and aboyt a foot wider than a kei truck. It's about the same size as an 80's Toyota single cab pickup truck.

https://www.motor1.com/news/757625/slate-truck-size-explained/

https://i.ibb.co/8nmhtR42/slate.jpg

https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/wl6wlE/s3/slate-truck-vs-1984-toyota-sr5.webp

The Kei trucks have simple engines. You can bring it to any mechanic. Parts might be a different story.

The bed length is 5 ft vs 6ft for K trucks. Not to mention you got the rear wheel arch in the bed of the slate that takes up quite a bit of room.

240 miles approx per charge, and looks like its only rwd.

[underscore]

Kei trucks are really neat but you can't really get much simpler than an electric motor, there's only one moving part.

[dark0821]

LOLOL, lets play a game, pick the car that is different from the others

https://i.imgur.com/0McOVB6.png

https://i.imgur.com/2gt5zWu.png

https://i.imgur.com/8fPh5Z0.png

https://i.imgur.com/6N30Nmc.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/bLZvJ0c.png

[Badhobz]

i dont know what i hate more, the designs, the brand, or the fact they are EV's.

:okay:

[Manic!]

I think the design looks great. I can't wait for someone to wrap it in this.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/36/Solo_Jazz_design.jpg

[BIC_BAWS]

HOLY CRAP I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT DESIGN SINCE THE 90s

[JDMDreams]

Needs the wheat cup

https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/d8/images/canvas/2023/05/08/3c4958f0-4364-41d4-a13f-8cf502630ba2_51b4a4f8.jpg?itok=eCT6dO1L&v=1683516368

[Hondaracer]

Kei trucks are really neat but you can't really get much simpler than an electric motor, there's only one moving part.

That’s the one thing with the Kai trucks is that for Japanese vehicles they are extremely over engineered. Don’t know what they were thinking with them

My dad and his buddies bought one to bring up to the cabin we go hunting at, the thing has like 25 vacuum hoses and some of the engineering in stuff like motor mounts etc. is crazy bordering on German ridiculousness. To get at the rear motor mounts you’d have to take off the transmission and driveshaft I believe in theirs

[underscore]

That's not surprising I guess, when you've got hard size constraints and you have to keep it cheap you can't spend forever reorganizing things so it fits together nicely. Just get it all in there and get it built.

[teggy604]

I rather deal with 25 vacuum hoses over EV problems anyday. Lol

Good luck finding a mechanic to fix your EV problems. With all the proprietary software and hardware they make it a lot harder that you have to go back to dealer.

[Manic!]

I rather deal with 25 vacuum hoses over EV problems anyday. Lol

Good luck finding a mechanic to fix your EV problems. With all the proprietary software and hardware they make it a lot harder that you have to go back to dealer.

Well slate does not have a infotainment system with proprietary software. They also will not have a dealer network. The truck is made to be super simple.

[bcrdukes]

So, is this a disposable EV? :lol

[Manic!]

So, is this a disposable EV? :lol

Nope a diy truck like my framework laptop. They say they will work with a large chain like Midas to do repairs owners are scared to do. Every body panel is removable.

[bcrdukes]

Would you take your car to Midas?

[teggy604]

Nope a diy truck like my framework laptop. They say they will work with a large chain like Midas to do repairs owners are scared to do. Every body panel is removable.

EV like a frame work laptop? I will wait and see lol.

I bet there is only one tech at each Midas that will fix the slate. Most likely the master or senior tech.

[Manic!]

Fist look by top gear. Slate is also an anagram for Tesla.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCTGX8XkOvQ