Article: Slate Auto CEO Chris Barman tells us how exactly it’s making a $25,000 EV

[Letas]

It’s not this post, it’s every post you have placed here. So, bye for now as he hits the ‘ignore’ button in the profile of @E90400K .

I think it's okay to be skeptical. An echo chamber of positivity doesn't do much good for a car that won't see the public for at least a year. We know Slate is looking at online sources, maybe a head honcho will get a whiff of what the public is thinking.


I have a reservation in, but I'm not 100% committed to purchasing a Slate. I am committed to learning a ton about it and being well informed about it!

 

[Garbone]

Manual windows allow the doors to be removed without fighting a janky wire harness and connector. The cost savings are not only in the windows and motors but also in the wiring to feed such. Of course we have to see what installing the electrics involves but my 2 cents.

 

[Letas]

Manual windows allow the doors to be removed without fighting a janky wire harness and connector. The cost savings are not only in the windows and motors but also in the wiring to feed such. Of course we have to see what installing the electrics involves but my 2 cents.

Wiped out the moment you install door speakers.

Will the locks not be electric? How often are we taking the doors off a Slate?

 

[Garbone]

Wiped out the moment you install door speakers.

Will the locks not be electric? How often are we taking the doors off a Slate?

Plan on a Bimini and no doors... Debating if a marine rated head unit would be a good idea.

 

[SlatePossible2028]

It’s not this post, it’s every post you have placed here. So, bye for now as he hits the ‘ignore’ button in the profile of @E90400K .

I've noticed this more and more - increasingly in internet discussing groups, if you point out flaws, issues, problems, concerns with X project there will now always be a subset of People telling you to be quiet.

The guy who posted what he did has every right to. He's clearly here as a fan like most of us are and has some input.

You know what proper fanbases do? They criticize. The best fan of something you can be is one who loudly calls out everything you see as wrong.

Don't try to silence people for that

 

[Luxrage]

Manual windows allow the doors to be removed without fighting a janky wire harness and connector. The cost savings are not only in the windows and motors but also in the wiring to feed such. Of course we have to see what installing the electrics involves but my 2 cents.

They've shown power door locks in the builds they have so far. So it's at least two wires for that. As long as you can cap off whatever connector they've got with something water-tight I would think it wouldn't be so bad, but we haven't seen them actually show off a real doorless Slate yet.

 

[AZFox]

I've noticed this more and more - increasingly in internet discussing groups, if you point out flaws, issues, problems, concerns with X project there will now always be a subset of People telling you to be quiet.

The guy who posted what he did has every right to. He's clearly here as a fan like most of us are and has some input.

I can explain at least what part of that might be...

Speaking freely and candidly without concealment or manipulation (known as "speaking with parrhesia") inevitably will make some people uncomfortable because their existing beliefs are challenged by new information (known as "cognitive dissonance").

This manifests itself in a lot of ways, including telling the person to be quiet. Other ways include ad-hominem attacks (disparaging the person who elicited their psychological discomfort) and various forms of rationalization or justification.

Then there's my favorite: Word Salad, where they write or speak in clear sentences that have virtually no meaning to anyone expecting rational discourse.

I know you don't like AI, @SlatePossible2028, but it came up with this gem of a sentence:

Individuals may also experience difficulty in reconciling their personal needs with the needs of others, feel a loss of control over situations they care about, and have a hard time recognizing the person they have become.​

This happens on forums all the time. The best you can do is work around it.

I think it's becoming more prevalent because various forms of media are silo-ing the bejeezus out of the population, but that's just a hypothesis.

 

[KevinRS]

I am hoping that the plastic formulation they are using will have a UV inhibitor included: it just about has to, or they won't last 2 years in sunnier states, that should take care of questions about that.
Plastic panels may save some on weight, along with the manufacturing savings mentioned. Lots of cars available now have approaching 50% of the body actually being plastic panels, when the bumper covers are plastic, and the bumper covers extend to the doors.
It's supposed to be easier to wrap than most cars, because it's designed for it, without complex curves and creases, no trim to remove, and index points built in. A shop should be able to wrap it in half or less than the amount of time they spend on other vehicles. DIY might be a stretch, unless you can do some practice work.

 

[AZFox]

I am hoping that the plastic formulation they are using will have a UV inhibitor included: it just about has to, or they won't last 2 years in sunnier states, that should take care of questions about that.

There's been some discussion about that.

• Composite Plastic Body Panel Care (Cleaning, Protecting, Waxing, Coating)
• Wrapping for plastic fade protection

 

[sodamo]

There's been some discussion about that.

• Composite Plastic Body Panel Care (Cleaning, Protecting, Waxing, Coating)
• Wrapping for plastic fade protection

A poster here identified as a detailer and list his recommendations of products. Wish I had saved it.

 

[Luxrage]

Here is my observations about a door-less Slate. I speak from experience as I owned a '95 Jeep XJ Wrangler for 12 years and I now own a '22 Bronco.
...
Again, not being negative, just discussing the engineering and cost elements involved.

I'm on the same page as you are, I'm skeptical of the removable doors. Slate's renders don't show much about what's going on in that hinge area. I've unbolted a door/hinges from a car and re-aligned it and I don't wish that on anyone. I've seen Jeep's bottom bolt hinges and it makes a lot of sense to do it that way.

The Slate designer render just looks like someone turned the doors off, thought it looked cool, and left the option in.

 

[SlatePossible2028]

I can explain at least what part of that might be...

Speaking freely and candidly without concealment or manipulation (known as "speaking with parrhesia") inevitably will make some people uncomfortable because their existing beliefs are challenged by new information (known as "cognitive dissonance").

This manifests itself in a lot of ways, including telling the person to be quiet. Other ways include ad-hominem attacks (disparaging the person who elicited their psychological discomfort) and various forms of rationalization or justification.

Then there's my favorite: Word Salad, where they write or speak in clear sentences that have virtually no meaning to anyone expecting rational discourse.

I know you don't like AI, @SlatePossible2028, but it came up with this gem of a sentence:

Individuals may also experience difficulty in reconciling their personal needs with the needs of others, feel a loss of control over situations they care about, and have a hard time recognizing the person they have become.​

This happens on forums all the time. The best you can do is work around it.

I think it's becoming more prevalent because various forms of media are silo-ing the bejeezus out of the population, but that's just a hypothesis.

For long time, until 2022 or so, I used reddit for sim racing recruitment. That site was actively in the process of falling apart.

That sort of behavior wasnt just common there, it was an active tactic people used to stop people from discussing topics they didn't like, including things like genuine problems with said simracing etc

Not as bad here at all, but the first forum ive seen it on in all my forum time.

 

[bartflossom]

It's been a few years since I have had a manual window car. My recollection is rotate forward for windows down and rotate backwards for windows up. These are opposite to that?

Yes. These go counterclockwise on drivers door to lower and clockwise on passenger door. Opposite to my 63 bug, 67 falcon, 57 chevy, 67 delta 88, 81 mustang, 81 chevette, 74 Monte carlo, 84 Mazda SE-5, and 69 chevy C-10. I've probably forgot a couple.

 

[cadblu]

Here is my observations about a door-less Slate. I speak from experience as I owned a '95 Jeep XJ Wrangler for 12 years and I now own a '22 Bronco.

Both of those vehicles were designed from the onset to have removable doors. The Jeep's doors were half-doors with a removable plastic/vinyl window. One nut secured the top door hinge and the door hinge stuck out from the body. The doors had no electrics in them, so no wire harness, no glass, which cuts the weight down significantly. The door check is a simple strap that loops over a hook on the kick panel.

The modern Bronco doors are much more complex to remove. The doors have electric windows and locks, and side impact sensors, so there is a hefty electrical harness. The harness unplugs at the body door frame. The connector has a watertight cover door that springs closed. The Bronco doors have hard-to-access hinges, which makes it a bit difficult to take the doors easily on and off. And the doors are heavy compared to the old Wrangler's doors. Ford thoughtfully molded into the door card a grab point at the bottom of the door to assist in lifting the door off the hinges. The door checks are built into the hinges.

Now what most people don't understand about the Jeep and Bronco is fit-tolerance. Because the doors are designed to be removed, they do not seal as tightly to the body as a conventional truck or SUV. The body-line gaps are wider and the rubber door seals are looser. All necessary to make the door easier to remove and install, which comes at a cost of noise and water intrusion. One of the complaints about Wranglers, and more so Broncos, are the vehicles are loud inside. That is in part because of the is door designed to be easily removed.

I don't think Slate has developed a door design that purposely makes the door easy to remove as the Wrangler and Bronco are. The Slate looks like it has simple hinges, which have somewhat easy access to the hinge bolts, but it looks like the doors are designed to seal tightly to the door frame, unlike the Wangler and Bronco. My observation is the Slate doors will be not easily to remove and how will the crash protection system be affected. The Bronco and modern Wrangler have workarounds built into the crash protection system that recognizes the doors are removed. That's a whole lot more engineering involved than simply just unbolting the door and pulling it off the body.

Again, not being negative, just discussing the engineering and cost elements involved.

For those adventurous types who enjoy the thrill of a doorless driving experience, it's important to note that most states require side view mirrors in order to drive on public roads. I can totally envision a mod kit to install mirrors to the windshield pillar or exposed door hinges so that the Slate remains street legal. Interestingly the only state you must have doors is PA. But if we are going to take the Slate truck off-road, that brings up a whole new set of issues.

First, being that the Slate is a RWD vehicle (for the foreseeable future) that greatly limits mobility in off road and over trail situations. Along with many folks, I would like to configure mine with a lift kit and oversized tires. I think the rugged design of the Slate fits well with trail ventures and the doors removed.

Now getting back to off-road ventures, there is some good news ahead. And this is not conjecture, it is proof. Slate currently has job openings for project engineers (exterior). According to the job description:

"We design utility accessories built for personalization and real-life adventure—engineered to perform on the trail, in the driveway, and everywhere in between. As Senior Project Engineer – Utility Accessories & Hard Goods, you'll lead the development of exterior and structural products such as roof racks, cargo mounts, modular utility systems, and body protection gear. You'll take responsibility for technical execution across internal teams and global suppliers, ensuring performance, durability, and compliance every step of the way."

Appears that Slate is committed to adding body protection gear, which might include rock sliders, bumper protectors, grill guards, and skid plates. Together with a future 4WD version, Slate may have a real contender with Jeep and Bronco

 

[cvollers]

Wiped out the moment you install door speakers.

Will the locks not be electric? How often are we taking the doors off a Slate?

How often for me? Never.