Slate - Bezos-backed EV small truck startup

[rodericb]

This company has recently come to light with a "small truck" (something like a 1990 Toyota Hilux) which has an electric drivetrain and offers a platform of sorts to which you add the features you want. To put it simply. From the basic vehicle you can build it into merely an open backed "truck", to a five-seat SUV (with closed back) or an open topped freedom machine. It's all modularized and you can reconfigure the vehicle yourself. Price is expected to be $USD25k for what I would presume to be the base model.

https://www.slate.auto/en

[Djtemeka]

How does that work for insurance when you can change things after you bought the vehicle? Do you declare mods even if they're factory?
Log book? What colour is it on there if you order it wrapped?

[EmailAddress]

I'll call mine: The OJ

[CountyLines]

Interesting.

[Alex Z]

I really like that. Some of the open body styles are more suited to warm countries but there’s definitely demand for simpler vehicles.

What’s the price range?

[Desiderata]

I'd consider buying one if it was available here. Only downside is that in spite of being "simple" it still has all the stupid "compulsory features" like automatic emergency braking .
I love the "under $20,000" price tag for the basic one.

[Pistonheadsdicoverer]

Quite a different approach compared to Cybertruck.

[Murph7355]

Desiderata said:

I'd consider buying one if it was available here. Only downside is that in spite of being "simple" it still has all the stupid "compulsory features" like automatic emergency braking .
I love the "under $20,000" price tag for the basic one.

Is there a new ICE truck that sells for sub-$20k in the US.....

[Dingu]

Quite like that.

[rodericb]

Murph7355 said:

Desiderata said:

I'd consider buying one if it was available here. Only downside is that in spite of being "simple" it still has all the stupid "compulsory features" like automatic emergency braking .
I love the "under $20,000" price tag for the basic one.

Is there a new ICE truck that sells for sub-$20k in the US.....

The under $20K thing is after federal and state government incentives. They differ state by state. The headline price might be for Colorado. There's no ICE truck as small as this Slate and the closest to it price-wise is the Ford Maverick, which is larger and has four doors. They don't have anything like the Toyota Hilux Revo standard cab or the Hilux Champ like in SE Asia. Smaller trucks like this don't seem to be widely available in central and south american countries either (not that you could import one to the USA). Peru does get the Hilux Champ.

[Pistonheadsdicoverer]

Reminds me of Frame.work laptops

[AnotherClarkey]

Looks interesting. I think they may have got the timing just right too - with an economic downturn quite likely people will want value and practicality rather than chasing 'premium'.

[Collectingbrass]

AnotherClarkey said:

Looks interesting. I think they may have got the timing just right too - with an economic downturn quite likely Tesla's links to Musk & Trump people will want value and practicality rather than chasing 'premium'. anything but Teslas at the moment

Fixed that for you.

I'd buy one just to confuse everyone with the "retro window control system"

[gmaz]

I don't see how they can mass produce it for $25K. Hope they flourish but it may go the same way as Arrival and Fisker without huge investment and support up front

[Mammasaid]

gmaz said:

I don't see how they can mass produce it for $25K. Hope they flourish but it may go the same way as Arrival and Fisker without huge investment and support up front

[cough] Bezos [/cough]

[Nicks90]

Mammasaid said:

gmaz said:

I don't see how they can mass produce it for $25K. Hope they flourish but it may go the same way as Arrival and Fisker without huge investment and support up front

[cough] Bezos [/cough]

Yep, it will be a success, even if it's just bought in large-ish numbers as an hard topped van for amazon deliveries in metropolitan areas where the range isn't a massive issue.
Just think how much this will save amazon in the long run over buying other manufacturers ev's

[gmaz]

Nicks90 said:

Mammasaid said:

gmaz said:

I don't see how they can mass produce it for $25K. Hope they flourish but it may go the same way as Arrival and Fisker without huge investment and support up front

[cough] Bezos [/cough]

Yep, it will be a success, even if it's just bought in large-ish numbers as an hard topped van for amazon deliveries in metropolitan areas where the range isn't a massive issue.
Just think how much this will save amazon in the long run over buying other manufacturers ev's

Amazon already has EV delivery vans from Rivian

https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/sustainability/...

[rodericb]

gmaz said:

I don't see how they can mass produce it for $25K. Hope they flourish but it may go the same way as Arrival and Fisker without huge investment and support up front

Then you'll probably wonder how Toyota builds Corolla Hybrids in the USA and sells those for less than $24k. In this Slate truck there's very little in the way of electronic creature comforts. The body panels are plastic and any colour apart from grey is vinyl wrap. They probably have only a third of an army of people in black turtleneck sweaters agonizing over aesthetics and fabrics and soft touch surfaces rather than a full army like the established manufacturers....

[Gt6turbo]

I like the fact it is a ev that you can tailor. If you want it back to basics you can. It is also a very profitable model to them as will come with not many options, whilst consumers are used to things as standard.

[Jon39]

Another Electric Commercial Vehicle start-up business, this time in England.
Having obtained rights to the Morris Commercial name, you can clearly see where the design came from.
This electric van can carry two euro size pallets. To minimise weight, the body is made from carbon fibre.

An interesting idea, because in addition to being an everyday electric goods vehicle, the appearance itself becomes a publicity item for the owner's business.