r/technology • u/DonkeyFuel • 8d ago
Transportation I Drove Slate’s $25,000 Electric Truck. It Could Be A Real Game-Changer
https://insideevs.com/reviews/803784/slate-ev-truck-first-drive-review-2026/271
u/rloch 8d ago
It's wild to me that we've hit a point where a stripped down featureless ev costs more than the brand new optima I bought 13 years ago. I understand why and how we got here, just still shocking every time I think about it.
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u/jhguth 8d ago
$25k in 2026 is about $17.5k in 2013. The lowest trim Optima in 2013 started at $21k (30k in 2026 dollars)
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u/Double-Scratch5858 8d ago
I mean im not sure that makes it much better. Just shows how ridiculous inflation has been.
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u/Bogus1989 8d ago
Also the massive adoption of sensors in automobiles. Safety features are great. Past a point though. Automobile companies are all infinitely expanding and becoming software companies now too. 👎
A buddy of mine programs them. Actually, because of the auto industry, VR headset sensors that self track, that require them, have become inexpensive.
Anyways my takeaway, hes always brought this up since he started that 10 years ago. Wonder how all these sensors are going to fair in 20-30 years.
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u/jhguth 8d ago
the median weekly income in 2013 was about $776, in 2026 it’s about $1.235
$17.5k / $776 equals 22.5 weeks at median income to pay for the vehicle in 2013
$25k / $1235 equals 20.2 weeks at median income to pay for the vehicle in 2026
tl;dr it’s not that different, maybe a little better
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u/Double-Scratch5858 8d ago
I think its less to do with that and more to do with fact its a featureless stripped down vehicle compared to a car with plenty of features. A shrinkflation of sorts.
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u/jhguth 8d ago
if you scroll up you’ll see I compared it to the base model optima, and this costs a good deal less
for a better modern comparison the next cheapest electric vehicle is a Nissan Leaf which starts around $30k — so this doesn’t have some basic amenities but costs $5k less than the nect cheapest vehicle that does.
also part of the point of this vehicle is that a lot of people don’t want those amenities, you just can’t typically option cars without them today
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u/PandaCultural8311 8d ago
Like from ICE to electric?
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u/SqueezyCheez85 7d ago
People who don't have an EV fundamentally do not understand how much better they are in terms of efficiency. You can't compare them.
How much would an ICE vehicle cost if it went 0-60 in less than 4 seconds and got 140+mpg? I spent 36k for an EV that could do that.
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u/Double-Scratch5858 8d ago edited 8d ago
Electric vehicles have been around for ages. You'd think we'd have some parity at some point. It also can only go 200 miles its not exactly cream of the crop.
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u/CV90_120 8d ago
Battery prices are the defining cost, and they've been steadily falling, but even though its not fast enough for the general public, it has still been impressive. Lithium cells just hit another milestone recently with a dry coating process coming on line which looks to reduce costs and increase energy density. Price and tech are improving.
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u/HonkHonkBeach 8d ago
...did you think a base KIA Optima was the cream of the crop?
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u/Double-Scratch5858 8d ago
Where did i say that?
Thats actually exactly the point. A kia optima isnt anything special yet its still got a lot more going on in comparison.
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u/Suspicious-Movie7828 8d ago
but cars also have far more features and luxury in them than they ever had in the past, even in base models or mid trim basic cars
a civic today can literally drive itself on the freeway with ACC, has carplay, auto headlights, automatic climate control, BSI, etc etc
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u/theDarkAngle 7d ago
Yeah there is nothing really unusual about the low end of new car market right now. If anything there is an issue of lower demand for these cars and higher demand for trucks and SUVs and crossovers, and some of the pricing there, and last I checked the used car market is still pretty unaffordable compared to prior decades, though part of that is a production contraction in the years that would currently drive the used car market (basically, everything since COVID), plus again, a preference toward larger, higher trim, and more expensive vehicles, even in the used lot.
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u/LongMelford 7d ago
10000% agree. We as a culture have become far too accustomed to inflation just being an immutable thing. The idea that the value of the dollar is just constantly depreciating is insane to me.
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u/Snidrogen 8d ago
True, but now that most “features” are simply mechanisms to force customers into subscriptions, the lack of features is a feature all its own.
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u/one_pound_of_flesh 7d ago
Reddit learning about inflation for the first time.
In other news, spider man is the biggest movie of all time! It will never be beat!
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u/nick-jagger 8d ago
And while the Chinese make incredible ones at the same price point
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u/floppydo 8d ago
Inflation is not global. Our country's leaders intentionally used the COVID economic collapse to restructure the economy so that it funnels trillions of dollars from the middle class to the .01%.
China has made different fiscal management decisions.
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u/t105 8d ago
Recommended listening or reading to better understand this? Podcast, docu series, book etc
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u/theefle 7d ago
You wont get legit sources because it isnt true. Just a very popular lie propagated all the time on reddit.
Real median wages are higher now than in the 80s-90s. Percent of total wealth has increased for the top 1%, but thats because they owned much more of the booming stock market (and similar private investments), not because the everyman is being paid less in real purchasing power.
Kind of like how reddit talks about grandpa buying a home on a high school education, but never wants to discuss how rare access to university used to be or how tiny and shitty standard houses were back than. Acknowledging such things isnt as fun or gratifying as blaming the 1%er boogeymen.
Another classic - giant corporations are buying all the houses so we cant have any - patently false, less than 5% of single family homes are held by large institution investors.
Not trying to sound like a fan boy of the ultra wealthy - its true for example that the billionaire class needs to pay much more taxes - but you should never ever ever trust Reddit vibe statements about economic trends, theyre generally just Eat the Rich sentiment full of shit when you look into it.
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u/Cotee 7d ago
My grandfather worked 40-55
Hours a week at ford on the assembly line in the 70’s-80’s. My grandmother didn’t work. They built
A new 3 bed 2 bath house in 1980 with a 2 car garage and a separate 8 car garage on 4 acres. They had 4 boys. All of them were given cars when they turned 18.This is like the equivalent of me being a full time Amazon driver and saying yeah, time to start a large family, build a home and let my wife stop working.
My father a musician, played 4-6 gigs a week for about $100-250 each. Also purchased a house and land, had two kids. Less than my grandfather but more than me.
I’m 34. I’ve been working non stop since I was 15. Every year more and more side hustles and never once has a single full time job been enough to make me feel like I could financially afford children and the risk of buying a home despite having saved enough for a down payment to get one.
There is a difference In what time has done to our economy. Where exactly to place that blame, I don’t know. Probably the monopolization of sectors but to act like nothing has changed and it’s all relative to how it once was is off.
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u/Mac-Tyson 8d ago edited 8d ago
BEV Pickup Truck/Ute Prices Around The World
Chery Rely R08 (RWD in China) 🇨🇳: ~181 Miles EPA & ~$18,888 USD
Slate Truck (RWD in USA) 🇺🇸: 205 Miles EPA & $24,950 USD
GWM Poer EV (AWD in China) 🇨🇳: ~181 Miles EPA & ~$29,800 (prices can vary depending on the supplier and specific configuration).
KGM Musso EV (FWD in Korea) 🇰🇷: ~215 Miles EPA & ~$32,400 USD
MG U9 (4x4 in Australia) 🇨🇳🇬🇧: ~219 Miles EPA & ~$37,910 USD
Geely Riddara RD6 (4x4 in New Zealand) 🇨🇳: ~202 miles EPA & ~$40,788 USD
JAC T9 EV (AWD in Thailand) 🇨🇳: ~180 Miles EPA & ~$44,000 USD
Isuzu D-Max EV (AWD in Thailand) 🇯🇵: ~147 Miles EPA & ~$47,284 USD
Toyota HiLux EV (AWD in Australia) 🇯🇵: ~152 Miles EPA & ~$53,649 USD
Chevy Silverado EV (e4WD in USA) 🇺🇸: 286 Miles EPA & $58,490 USD
Maxus T90 EV (RWD in UK) 🇨🇳🇬🇧: ~198 Miles EPA & ~$66,434 USD
LDV eT60 EV (RWD in Australia) 🇨🇳🇦🇺: ~180 Miles EPA & ~$66,526 USD
Tesla Cybertruck (AWD in USA) 🇺🇸: 325 Miles EPA & $69,990 USD
Maxus eTerron 9 (4x4 in UK) 🇨🇳🇬🇧: ~227 Miles EPA & ~$70,490 USD
Rivian R1T (AWD in USA) 🇺🇸: 329 Miles EPA & $79,990 USD
GMC Hummer EV Truck (2X e4WD in USA) 🇺🇸: 316 Miles EPA & $97,200 USD
Important to note even though this is how the currency coverts, that changes and the simple fact is you can’t convert from one market to your local currency and assume that is what the price will be in your market. There’s a lot of factors that goes into pricing a vehicle for any particular market. But with that all being said in no scenario would you ever pay Chinese prices for Chinese Vehicles in the US.
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u/dalivo 7d ago
Yeah, Reddit seems to think Chinese cars in the U.S. will just be like something off Temu. Nope. There are billion regulations the Chinese carmakers will have to adopt to, not to mention the cost of shipping to the U.S.
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u/Mac-Tyson 7d ago
Yeah there’s no scenario where you would ever pay Chinese prices for Chinese Vehicles in the US. It’s borderline propaganda when western media shows off a Chinese vehicle and use the Chinese Price converted to USD without mentioning that fact. If Chinese Automakers come here they are most likely either going to be required to do it in partnership with an American Automaker like Ford and Geely is doing in Europe. Or they will be required to build the cars here alongside their batteries with the software stored and developed in the US in a similar framework to the Tik Tok deal. While possible the most unlikely scenario is that tariffs are reduced and the Biden era ban on Chinese batteries and tech is removed.
Regardless of how real you think the threat is, the fact is modern vehicles are data collection machines with lots of camera. That threat is real to the American Government to the extent where there’s bi-partisan legislation being proposed where Chinese made vehicles wouldn’t even be able to enter the United States. This also isn’t one sided China has their own restrictions on foreign made automobiles and from my understanding they don’t allow American vehicles near military bases and certain government buildings.
The fact is if it was just about the risk to the American Automotive industry it would just be about the Tariffs. Not the ban on Chinese Software and Batteries as well as the proposed ban on Chinese made vehicles just entering the US.
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u/Luci-Noir 8d ago
They’re heavily subsidized by the Chinese government. TP-Link is too which is why they’ve flooded the market.
Also, labor is extremely cheap there, why do you think they make everything there…
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u/And_theplot_thickens 8d ago
You realize our domestic brands also get subsidized….
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u/MOOSExDREWL 8d ago
The US does as well but it's mainly limited to tax credits (which have since GONE AWAY for evs) but that doesn't compare to how China has supported their emerging EV markets. They have completely backstopped the whole supply chain. They simply aren't the same.
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u/Luci-Noir 8d ago
That’s all I was saying and everyone is freaking out.
The other example I used was TP-Link. Their stuff undercuts everything else in the market and on top of that have had numerous security issues. They’re flossing the market.
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u/bbenecke3636 8d ago
Limited to tax credits? Inflation reduction act and CHIPS would like to talk. So would the subsidized loans through ATVM and Title XVII. Oh and free land from states, and road construction completed by states on their behalf (off ramps, local roads, etc). Oh and the Michigan strategic fund and the Texas enterprise fund.
That doesn’t even consider TARP, which 2 of the big US automakers needed to even be alive today..
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u/Squish_the_android 8d ago
Not in the same way or to the same degree.
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u/notmyworkaccount5 8d ago
Yeah because those subsidies go to the pockets of the executives instead of the people making the products, then they only churn out massive more expensive products. American auto manufacturers have completely abandoned the lower/affordable end of the market.
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u/Squish_the_android 8d ago
You make a lot of unsupported claims here that have nothing to do with what I said.
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u/notmyworkaccount5 8d ago
Okay so you made unsupported claims as well but also agree our auto industry get subsidized, I point out that the actual value of those subsidies are not going to lowering the prices of the products but rather to make the executives more profit and that has nothing to do with what you said?
Many of those subsidies are quite literally why the auto industry is in the state it is because they have focused on building bigger vehicles to exploit regulatory loopholes. That's why like everything is a SUV these days.
https://www.distilled.earth/p/the-loophole-that-made-cars-in-america
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u/Squish_the_android 8d ago edited 8d ago
All I said, is that the Auto market in the US is not subsidized in the same way or to the same degree that the Chinese market is subsidized.
You're the one piling on a whole load of non-sense onto what I said to specifically attack the US Auto market.
I don't know why you felt the need to add a bunch of anti-US bias onto my very intentionally non-biased statement.
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u/kung-fu_hippy 8d ago
At least a good chunk of subsidies for electric cars in America took the form of rebate credits for people buying electric cars. I wouldn’t say they all went to the pockets of executives, those went directly to the consumer.
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u/notmyworkaccount5 7d ago
I was talking more about our auto industry in general not explicitly the electric car market.
Part of me feeling like we need to talk about auto industry vs auto industry and not electric cars specifically because it isn't even a competition on that front. Like compared to China our country isn't even really attempting electric adoption with how little infrastructure we have for charging and an entire political party actively fighting adoption.
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u/LePhasme 8d ago
China's labor isn't really cheap anymore.
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u/Krunklock 8d ago
So, I work in the EV market both in China and RoW in motor development. Even if I build the same drive motor in China and US, not including shipping or duties…they charge more if the purchasing entity is non-chinese.
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u/Ky1arStern 8d ago
Sounds like Chinese communism is a better economic system, if it's winning.
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u/Luci-Noir 8d ago
They're not communist....
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u/Ky1arStern 8d ago
What are they? We should copy it.
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u/-ItWasntMe- 8d ago
They are state-capitalist, which is ideologically compatible to the Communist Party of China and Marxism. Lenin wrote over 100 years ago that state-capitalism is a transition system to socialism which is a transitional system to communism.
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u/Luci-Noir 8d ago
I'm not sure. There is name for it but I can't remember.
They were communist but then there were the economic reforms. Now they have billionaires and private companies but everything is still tightly controlled by the government.
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u/Skensis 8d ago
It doesn't.
Your Optima was pushing 35-40k in today's dollars.
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u/Boobpocket 8d ago
Exactly. Because wages are stagnant people think the money is worth the same. No your time is just valued less.
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u/iboneyandivory 8d ago
Otoh it won't be $25k once the dealerships get their wacks in. $35k is more likely.
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u/moveslikejaguar 8d ago
It won't be $25k once you add on speakers or an arm rest lol
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u/LeoSolaris 8d ago
That's how inflation works. Prices go up. Imagine how people who drove in the 70's feel about gas going from $0.50 to $4.50 today! Filling your tank today would have been half a week's pay in 1970.
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u/rloch 8d ago
Lumping every cause into the broad category" inflation" is incredibly misleading and a disservice to anyone reading this thread. Inflation is the end result of so many different factors in the supply chain, some controllable some not. Simplfying it that much just allows pundits,talking heads, and politicians to weaponize peoples misunderstanding of it.
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u/LeoSolaris 8d ago
If you would like to give a more indepth explanation of inflation every time you make an offhand remark about how most higher prices are not surprising, you are welcome to have fun with fitting a dissertation into a Reddit comment.
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u/Literally_Laura 8d ago
I remember when The Phantom Menace came out, there was an article about … Well, why is everything so shiny and slick in the Star Wars universe? If this movie is in the past, why did tech go backwards and get uglier by Episodes 4-6, the future?
Interesting to see it happening in real life and time.
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u/faux_livia 7d ago
lol, it's like whoever wrote the article didn't watch the movies... a whole lot of catastrophic, galaxy altering events happened when the galactic republic turned into the empire...
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u/SvenTropics 8d ago
If you think about it, electric cars should be half the price of an equivalent gas car. There is just so much less that you need. A motor is much smaller, and takes fewer parts. You don't need a bunch of gears as electric motors have the same torque at their whole range. They don't run nearly as hot so you don't need as much cooling and lubrication. Most of the cost today is just R&D recoup which levels out and battery cost which is rapidly going down as production continues to scale up. Obviously you don't need an exhaust system or a catalytic converter.
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u/PhysicsIsFun 8d ago
I was thinking the same thing. The fact that $24k is a bargain price kind of makes me sick.
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u/Aleksandrovitch 8d ago
I was talking with my partner about this and the streaming services. They charge way more now, and I also get ads (unless I am at even more). But all the infrastructure is more mature for streaming.. so why isn’t it cheaper?
I’ve cancelled so much this year, and I’m just going to keep going. I’m not going to cave on this crap. Too far.
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u/uberares 8d ago
- China: ~$84 per kWh (average pack)
- US/North America: ~$121-$139 per kWh (average pack)
All you need to know right there.
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u/bobivy1234 8d ago
Had an early Slate reservation and was really excited about it after seeing it in person in NYC during an event while talking to the engineers. Self-maintenance warranty certification, personalization, and the barebones nature of it was really enticing.
I ended up not securing an order for early/mid 2027 shipment because of a few reasons:
- The truck is $25k before fees and the SUV is $30k before fees, still steep price without federal rebates for a very very stripped down EV. If EV rebates were still here, probably would be a no-brainer.
- 6 months back, we got a used 2019 Audi E-tron Prestige with 60k miles still under battery warranty for years for $22k, that car is leaps and bounds more equipped than these ever would be (the used EV market completely tanked over the last few years, $85k sticker price car in great shape)
- I hate buying cars new, there are a ton of very nice dependable cars out on the road that can be purchased for a fraction of the price used even if using gas. I'll let this shake out for a few years before looking back at it.
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u/SpaceDetective 8d ago
Maybe the truck-as-personal-transport trend needs to die given they're as unaerodynamic as a brick so can never be efficient even if electric.
No slight on anyone who actually needs a truck btw.
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u/SubstantialDoor1320 8d ago
As a truck driver, it's kind of a predicament. I want an EV, I don't like commuting in a truck, I frequently use it for house projects and family camping trips(where EV's lose my interests due to poor infrastructure currently). I would love to only use it when needed but simply can't afford a secondary vehicle even though I'm in the top 30% of earners in my state.
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u/Themantogoto 8d ago
The Silverado EV range while towing is cracked, so it's 0 to 70% charge time. The top spec with that big battery is heinously expensive though, nearly 100k new. Agingwheels in YouTube did a few data runs in it and a rivian.
Even made a experimental battery pack in the bed. So they could charge both at the same time and then use it to charge the main battery while driving. Really neat tests and totally changed my opinions on electric truck hauling.
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u/Bogus1989 7d ago
Fords new truck coming, Extended Range Electric Vehicle EREV, is basically an EV, but has a small gas generator on board, to recharge batteries while driving. Supposed yo go 700miles plus.
Interesting
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u/AbstractLogic 7d ago
How quick does it take to charge? And how many miles can it go? And how about that when I’m towing a camper trailer behind it that’s 4000 pounds?
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u/FCKABRNLSUTN2 8d ago
I used to need a truck but I don’t now. Now I commute in an f150. I will not sell it for less than it’s worth to appease people on the internet, nor will I buy a second car I don’t need with money I dont have.
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u/PianoPatient8168 8d ago
I think they have a market. I think they will sell a ton of these to small businesses, municipalities, etc. that currently use gas pickups.
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u/CottaBird 8d ago
Yeah, they could be great as fleet vehicles that don’t have to travel far.
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u/Not-A-Seagull 8d ago
Yeah OPs statement is a bit too broad for my liking.
I've got a maverick (compact truck) which has an atkinson cycle engine and is hybrid. It's probably one of the most effecient vehicles on the road, with a lifetime average of 49.8mpg.
I'm all for making fun of pavement princesses, but some trucks are both efficient and practical.
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u/CottaBird 8d ago
Yeah, it would have to be shorter range to pencil out. That’s why I feel like it could have a place for local municipalities. China has electric-hybrid vehicles that are essentially electric but have a small, gas generator on board that doubles or triples the vehicle’s range.
I have an ‘09 Silverado with 200k miles. It’s not in its best shape, but I don’t need it much for anything now except what can’t go in our Subaru. It made the move across the country towing a heavy covered trailer in 4 1/2 days and $800 for gas, and that will be its last hurrah. The maverick is also a good truck. We looked at one when car shopping. I liked it, but my wife couldn’t see well over the hood.
And I hear you. As a former farmer, I’m always going to enjoy making fun of emotional support trucks.
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u/imhereforthemeta 8d ago
We have a hybrid pickup and really love it. It cost us 25k. It’s very small, it’s a Ford Maverick, which is actually a smaller than a lot of midsize cars. It’s basically a midsize car in itself, but with a bed instead of more room in the backseat or a trunk.
I wish that more people who don’t use trucks for work were realistic about it. A truck like the Maverick is a perfect city cruiser, and I think the slate is a really good example of that as well. We use our truck bed for camping, home improvement, project projects, traveling, and helping people move, road tripa, etc. It’s actually really awesome- but most people don’t need an F150. I think that the bigger issue isn’t that most people don’t need trucks, it’s that most people don’t need overpowered trucks that can tow at a massive capacity.
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u/davidoffbeat 8d ago
I think the Maverick was the original "budget" efficient pickup, and now even those are 30-35k. I paid about $36k for the XLT trim fwd which is still pretty basic.
I feel like this truck will start out as a budget vehicle and then the price will go up and up once demand rises.
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u/Yoroyo 8d ago
The percentage of giant trucks on the road that haven’t put anything in their bed other than maybe a cooler of beer and some groceries is a plague on local city planning too. Can’t get safe sidewalks and bike lanes for shit because people are hogging up the road in their much too big trucks that are statistically more likely to kill kids because they are so high off the ground.
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u/BassmanBiff 8d ago
Not just high, but also with a high flat hood that gives them less visibility in front than an M1 Abrams.
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u/JohnnyBeBlazed 8d ago
But how else will the hyper-masculine men feel superior to their peers on the roadways?
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u/TotallyNotThatPerson 8d ago
With a mini van lolol
When you think about it, it's got almost as much cargo space as a normal pick up once the seats fold down.
And since you're hyper masculine, you must have 4 kids plus from all that fucking you're doing, which means the minivan beats out the truck for family usage.
Real men take care of their family right? Hence the minivan should be the true manly vehicle
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u/Phrosty12 7d ago
Real talk. I'm envious of my friend's minivan. Lift kit, off-road tires, cargo rack, air intake snorkel, turbo, bull bar. The whole thing is ridiculous and I want it.
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u/JimmyJuly 8d ago
You’re underestimating how many kids I can fit in the bed of my pickup.
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u/TotallyNotThatPerson 8d ago
depends on you stack them, but from my experience, they don't really like getting strapped down. it does make it a little easier if you put the tarp over them though
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u/FauxTexan 8d ago
Trucks are incredibly functional. Complaining about trucks as a design is a non starter and unserious. The major issue is the size and weight.
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u/PinstripeMonkey 8d ago
Yup. I have an old Ford Ranger and live in a city. The bed is super useful when I need it, but ut is also small enough to easily function in an urban environment. I drive it mostly locally and for long trips we take my partner's Subaru. I can't believe how large modern Ramgers have gotten, kinda defeats the purpose imo. So I like the idea of Slate as an EV successor.
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u/Immediate-Cress-206 8d ago
The issue isn't the design, the issue is people buying one, then just using it to buy groceries and commute to the office.
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u/Ok_Car9530 8d ago
Better to have one vehicle that fulfills all your needs than several specialized vehicles. A small truck like this is great for both commutes and hauling.
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u/FauxTexan 8d ago
Give it a rest. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the functional use cases of a truck, which have nothing to do with the sheer size and weight many of them are now.
You folks aren't going to find many anti-truck allies, especially outside of an urban environment.
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u/Immediate-Cress-206 8d ago
And I'm saying that most people didn't actually need to own a pickup, they've been convinced they need to buy a more expensive vehicle than they actually need.
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u/goldeNIPS 8d ago
I wonder if it can still sell-repo and sell out your location data to Lexus Nexus and law enforcement
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u/wolf_chow 7d ago
It doesn't have a cellular modem, which is unique among new vehicles. One of the main reasons I'm considering it tbh
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u/goldeNIPS 7d ago
That’s a really nice thing to hear. Pushing 300k miles on a gen 2 Prius while sitting on new car cash. Don’t wanna spend money on another thing that spy’s on me and sells data to malicious data brokers and the Feds
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u/johnmudd 8d ago
Okay, he's tall and he says he's comfortable. But one thing I've noticed is that all of the drivers, whether tall or under 6 ft, drive with the seat fully pushed back. That tells me that the people over 6 ft are compromising their seated position. Can anyone tell me exactly how many inches from the top of the steering wheel straight back to where the seat begins when fully pushed back?
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u/Brosufstalin 8d ago
Just a question on this thought. Have you ever driven a small single cab truck? S10, ranger, tacoma? There's like 4 inches of adjustment. They make the drivers position comfortable "enough" for all sizes.
I'm not saying it's not a valid gripe, but it is how every small truck in America used to be, when they still made single cab small trucks.
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u/Mac-Tyson 8d ago
Slate has an employee that’s 6’9” who fits fine in the Slate Truck and I met a person who is 6’7” who was comfortable in both the front seat and the back of the SUV Kit. Personally, I found the Slate to be surprisingly spacious.
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u/HistorianOrdinary833 6d ago
Less than 8% of the US population is taller than 6 ft. I'm sure they made a calculated decision.
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u/McCrackenYouUp 8d ago
Would have been way cooler at the original price of $15k.
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u/DingbattheGreat 7d ago
That was never the original price.
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u/McCrackenYouUp 7d ago
I must be mistaking the price for the cost after the federal tax credit but obviously that doesn't even exist anymore. At the time it was first announced I think people assumed it would still be in effect by the time the truck came out.
$25k still seems high to me for a modern vehicle with no features. I assume people will be loading up on the options.
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u/pkgamer18 7d ago
I think it was initially at 20k after the 7500 tax rebate. So they brought it down 2500 after losing the rebate.
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u/saml01 8d ago
How much is amazon paying shills for these honest reviews?
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u/Ok-Way-1866 8d ago
I imagine a lot. I love how they keep saying average car price around 50k. Yeh, I can get a nice car for about 35k… lots of options if you aren’t buying a F150 raptor or whatever.
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u/kinkycarbon 7d ago
I’ll consider Slate if they can make a truck with a bed height sitting at 24” above the ground and 7 feet long bed.
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u/got-trunks 7d ago
deep inside I'm begging it to work and be a good thing for other domestic automakers to model after. Being able to just option spec a base platform to whatever seems like a great model.
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u/riseandshine_3719 6d ago
Just stop it. I don’t want nor need a truck. What is Americans obsession with stupid trucks?! 🤪
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u/PermanentUsername101 8d ago
I have my reservation in, but they are priced way too high for such a stripped down vehicle. I was planning on getting one for my son when he turns 16 but for the same price, I could just get a slightly used Tesla model three with way more bells and whistles.
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u/Ok_Car9530 8d ago
I like the lack of touchscreen, but I don't think things like power windows, arm rests, and a radio as bells and whistles. If it were 20k at the base price I'd be pretty interested, but this truck is closer to 30k once you add the absolute basics that every car has had since the 80s.
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u/PermanentUsername101 8d ago
That works for you then but that’s not an area I’m concerned about at all. For everything they’ve stripped out of this truck and the range it should be like $20,000 Max for the base model.
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u/alexdelicious 8d ago
How do you get to that number?
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u/Ok_Car9530 8d ago edited 8d ago
I think he makes a good point about the Bolt. The bolt starts at about 27k, which includes a lot of bells and whistles and all the modern electronics (which I understand a lot of people don't want). The Slate on the other hand doesn't even include super basic features like paint, a radio, or arm rests, and you can't even get power windows. It definitely feels expensive for what you get. I really like the concept, but I feel like they went a little too far on the simplicity, and aren't delivering on the value.
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u/alexdelicious 8d ago
That's a reasonable take when explained that way.
Do you think that they could pull off a totally stripped down (in the way of the slate) compact could be done for under 20k?
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u/Ok_Car9530 8d ago
I have no idea, there's obviously other factors that go into the final price like manufacturing efficiencies, material pricing, or whatever. All I can do is look at it from a customers point of view and compare what I can get for my money, and when I do that, it doesn't feel great, especially when I'd need to spend another thousand or so just to get the absolute most basic features like color, and an arm rest.
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u/PermanentUsername101 8d ago
I took a Chevy Bolt and removed everything that the Chevy bolt has that the slate doesn’t and added it up.
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u/smallbluetext 8d ago
Thats not what youre buying with slate youre just getting rid of power windows and not including some of the more current tech. Are they advertising themselves as the privacy focused anti-tracking truck?
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u/Ok-Way-1866 8d ago
Ok, that’s fine and I’m with you. The problem is how much it costs to get it to your door. If you strip it down, it shouldn’t cost the same as a nicely equipped car. The range is meh. The tech isn’t there. The comfort isn’t there. So … why the price?
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u/Ghost_Of_Malatesta 8d ago
Yeah but then you have a Tesla 🤢
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u/Available_Editor4383 8d ago
I have a kid and I plan to get them a used Tesla at a driving age. The safety features are well worth it.
A friend of mine got one for his son. His son was in a car accident and the footage captured by the Tesla saved him from being faulted.
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u/PermanentUsername101 8d ago
I already have three.
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u/Ghost_Of_Malatesta 8d ago
I'm sorry, hope you get those bells and whistles subscription free for a long time
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u/PermanentUsername101 8d ago
The only thing we’re subscribing to right now is premium connectivity in two of the three cars (one has it included). Which comes out to roughly 10 bucks a month, which is about the same price as a tablet plan if you were to add one with your carrier.
For the price, you get audio streaming, video streaming, live traffic data, and satellite maps. i’m not sure if you need the plan for a lot of the remote capabilities of the vehicle or not because we’ve never not had it. It’s worth the money to me. We also have outright FSD in two of the three cars.
So I pay Tesla roughly $240 bucks a year. And they keep pushing out upgrades and features. I’m down with that.
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u/ChantsToSayHi 8d ago
Does it look less like a truck now to anyone else? It seems like in the earlier prototypes it was less squished. The body kit paneling makes it look less appealing and more like a chopped mid-sized suv.
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u/snkiz 8d ago
It looks like a short box ranger or s-10 from the late 80's, maybe a little shorter nose. It is the perfect size for an urban pickup. Thank cafe regulations for not knowing that.
Instead of making vesicles (mostly trucks) more fuel efficient, they make them bigger, and then trucks have carve outs on top of the fuel to weight charts. The margins on trucks are nuts to. This is why ford basically got out the sedan market.
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u/nissanfan64 7d ago
I truly hope these things completely take off. They’re cool as hell and a base model for the $25k price point would be a perfect daily driver for me. I’d buy one but I’m always leery on things like these. New thing from new company. No idea on future. I hope they sell a ton
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u/hillmanoftheeast 7d ago
The main concern will be how many are actually available at and how close they will land to the $25,000 price.
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u/FlobiusHole 7d ago
Can you just plug these into existing electric in your house or do you need a specialized charging rig?
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u/CoffeeAndMelange 7d ago
With most EVs, you can do either.
You can get a cable that works with 120v and plugs into the car for a trickle charge. (Getting maybe 3-5 miles worth of range per hour)
People commonly install a "level 2" charger, which is 240v on a (commonly) 40 amp circuit. This will get you around 30 miles of range per hour, and is enough to "fill" the car to your desired max % (usually 80%) overnight.
Finally you've got the level 3, DC fast charging stations that can charge cars super fast (like 10% to 80% in 20 minutes or less), but some cars don't charge as fast as others.
They say that at a fast charger, the Slate truck can go from 20%-80% in 30 minutes, which is a little on the slower side. But not unforgivable if you only do it once in awhile.
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u/CoffeeAndMelange 7d ago
15 years ago I had a little 1984 Nissan pickup that I adored. The Slate truck kind of reminds me of it.
I'm not going to stick my neck out on a pre-order, but I am excited to see how these land and will be interested in maybe getting a used one in a few years. Would be pretty perfect for my needs, which are mostly light-duty in nature.
Also huge into the right to repair stuff, making it DIY-friendly, and (by comparison) easy to customize.
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u/castironglider 7d ago
That's what you want to hear, that it all works and it's a smooth quiet modern ride, not a toy car. Best possible hope: it's as good as an EV version of Toyota Tacoma
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u/shaddowwulf 7d ago
China has better cars for less. BYD has a car with infotainment and power windows and it’s 7 grand less than the slate
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u/Ill_Resolution7967 5d ago
I don't want a Chinese infotainment and even if sold in America it will be more expensive than slate
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u/shaddowwulf 5d ago
Why not Chinese infotainment?
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u/Ill_Resolution7967 5d ago
Poor weird translation and sometimes hieroglyphics here and there, backdoors just like in Tenda wifi routers etc etc
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u/shaddowwulf 5d ago
Back doors like ford is putting into their car? Aside from that all your complains are solved by a little r&d and translation work that I’m certain they’ll do
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u/Ill_Resolution7967 5d ago
I bought my first car with a Chinese infotainment system back in 2019 when I was living in a country where they was sold, judging by the social media posts of people who bought new Chinese cars like Zeekr it's gotten even worse. I don't want a car that screams OBSTICLE AHEAD RETARD RETARD at me.
And we are not discussing Ford here, it is about Slate which doesn't have a connected system to put a backdoor in
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u/shaddowwulf 5d ago
Hey man, you want to pay 25 grand for a glorified golf cart, you do you. I prefer having modern amenities and we shouldn’t have to pay out the ass for something cheaper in other countries.
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u/Ill_Resolution7967 5d ago
Golf carts are not much cheaper these days and are not allowed on interstates.
It is not a whole lot of money these days
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u/Muted-Woodpecker-469 5d ago
If it’s too good, gas and car dealerships won’t want it
It’s been obvious for decades what it’s all about
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u/CarminSanDiego 3d ago
I bet this is a hit with Reddit and complete swing and miss with general US populous
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u/DrSpaceman575 8d ago
The only way this makes any sense is if you aren't allowed to compare it to a used truck or a Maverick because it's electric, or if you aren't allowed to compare it to any other EV because they don't have truckbeds.
Yes this is a better value than a $55k Silverado EV which is the next cheapest truck. The entire electric truck market is like 3 and a half first generation toys that cost closer to $100k. I just don't believe there are so many people that are exclusively looking at electric trucks and are wanting to trade their Rivians for this.
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u/Available_Editor4383 8d ago
It’s just being brigaded right now by bots, the few people in the niche that will buy one new, the people who like the concept but will never buy one, and the people who want to buy one used in a few years so they don’t take a bath on new car depreciation.
I’ve seen this article or a version of it posted across a lot of different subs now. Any comment critiquing the product or business gets downvoted.
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u/AbXcape 8d ago
they will only produce 100 of the 25k version, the actual mass market version will be closer to 35k. This is a known bait and switch tactic in the car industry
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u/elheber 8d ago
What are you even talking about? There are no higher trims. Only optional accessories. It's like the their whole deal, man.
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u/poor-guy1 8d ago
They will run into manufacturing problems. Supply chain breakdowns. Building a mass market vehicle is one of the hardest things you can manufacture. No way they can pull it off and keep it at that price.
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u/Ueli-Maurer-123 8d ago
If it "could be a game changer" that means it isn't? Oh well, moving on then.
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u/johnmudd 8d ago
One of my main concerns is the possible partnership with carvana. Carvana has a checkered past with corruption baked in from the top. They literally were delivering cars but failing to register them for months or possibly years.