New Toyota Hilux: This Is Toyota's First Electric Pickup Truck

[Dorbiman]

Footprint is the area enclosed by the points where the four tires touch the ground. It's the wheelbase multiplied by the average track width.

Yup. My point is that increasing length + width but maintaining the same height would result in some goofy proportions. By continuing to increase track width and length, the designers almost inevitably have to increase the height to maintain the same shape. What results is a comically tall vehicle.

So to qualify for the less stringent targets, they increase the length + width. To compensate for the larger footprint, the height increases as well to maintain the profile. But this is conjecture on my part, for sure.

 

[Paul]

It irks me that the EV still has the massive American-truck style nose. If it was priced right though, I could see it being a hit. The single cab with the 6' bed looks good

Irks me that every truck has a mass of American style nose on it. The Maverick tries to but it's just small enough that it can't be massive. It's like let's see how non-aerodynamic and a death trap to pedestrians we can make this thing. Bigger the better!

 

[KevinRS]

At the point hoods have reached, pedestrians can't be a reason, they have reached a point where the driver might need a grill camera to see a pedestrian in the crosswalk the truck is stopped at.
I think I miscalculated the tailgate heights, 2 feet seems to be the low end now, some seem to be approaching 3 feet.
It's not just masculine compensation with size of vehicles though, they've also been marketed as "bigger = safer" for women.
Bigger = safer is a problem, because there is always going to be something bigger, until everyone is driving something like a semi to the grocery store.

 

[E90400K]

Irks me that every truck has a mass of American style nose on it. The Maverick tries to but it's just small enough that it can't be massive. It's like let's see how non-aerodynamic and a death trap to pedestrians we can make this thing. Bigger the better!

I figured out the solution to that problem a long time ago... I don't walk in front of moving cars. Physics.

 

[E90400K]

Irks me that every truck has a mass of American style nose on it. The Maverick tries to but it's just small enough that it can't be massive. It's like let's see how non-aerodynamic and a death trap to pedestrians we can make this thing. Bigger the better!

I figured out the solution to that problem a long time ago... I don't walk in front of moving cars. Physics.

 

[Paul]

At the point hoods have reached, pedestrians can't be a reason, they have reached a point where the driver might need a grill camera to see a pedestrian in the crosswalk the truck is stopped at.
I think I miscalculated the tailgate heights, 2 feet seems to be the low end now, some seem to be approaching 3 feet.
It's not just masculine compensation with size of vehicles though, they've also been marketed as "bigger = safer" for women.
Bigger = safer is a problem, because there is always going to be something bigger, until everyone is driving something like a semi to the grocery store.

The truly dumb moment came when they started building ladders into tailgates so that you could climb into it... Let's not even consider actually using the bed to load. What they need to do is build a ladder into the grotesque grills to check your oil.

 

[Dorbiman]

I figured out the solution to that problem a long time ago... I don't walk in front of moving cars. Physics.

What an asinine comment lol

 

[Dorbiman]

More asinine than a State that made a law that gives pedestrians the right-of-way to cross the street in a cross walk that is in the MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK?

...yes? This feels like a trick question. Where else should pedestrians be walking if not the cross walk?

 

[RedJoker]

Pedestrians should absolutely have the right-of-way in a crosswalk when the crosswalk is at an intersection controlled by a traffic signal and the cars are stopped (or should be stopped - i.e. at a red light).

In my area, I'd have to walk a half mile in one direction and a mile in the other to get to an intersection controlled by a traffic signal (or stop sign, or whatever, etc.) I'm glad I can still use the crosswalk by my house though.

 

[RedJoker]

Great, but do you just walk out in front of a moving car and expect it to stop?

Kinda? Do I step out in front of a car going 50 mph and expect it to come to a skidding stop? Of course not but that's not the same thing as having the right of way. (It's also not what you said above so maybe I misunderstood your intended message.)

If I make it obvious that I'm trying to cross, in the crosswalk where I have the right of way, I would hope that eventually a driver will know the law, and stop to let me cross. That's literally the point of a crosswalk, isn't it? I feel like I'm missing your point, so forgive my ignorance.

 

[sodamo]

More asinine than a State that made a law that gives pedestrians the right-of-way to cross the street in a cross walk that is in the MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK?

Sadly, I think many interpret that to mean they can cross anywhere and don’t even have to look, just step out and go.
as a driver I can surely respect a crosswalk, so should pedestrian.

 

[KevinRS]

The thing is streets were originally for both pedestrians and vehicles, the later citations for crossing where there isn't a crosswalk, "Jaywalking" were supposed to only be when there wasn't a marked crosswalk or intersection within a certain distance, and they were often selectively enforced, even recently, based on race. Cases in Beverly Hills, black people crossing got cited, while white people cross at the same location in front of officers without anyone even saying anything are part of the reason the jaywalking laws got overridden at the state level. Part of it is that any corner, even without a marked crosswalk, is an unmarked crosswalk unless there is signage saying not to cross there and to cross somewhere else.

Bicycles are supposed to use the road if there isn't a bicycle lane, and have the right of way there, though they are supposed to follow vehicle rules like signaling turns. In most areas because few pedestrians or bicyclists used those rights, drivers forgot they had them, and threaten to run them over, thinking the motor vehicle has priority right of way.

This all goes back to when the roads were shared between people on horses and on foot, and when cars were added to the mix. Yes as a pedestrian if you walk out in front of a car too close to stop you can be found at fault, but so are drivers who refuse to stop when they can see someone waiting to cross. There is an expectation that common sense will be used, both on the road and in the courts. Pedestrians can't expect cars to stop on a dime, and drivers need to allow pedestrians to cross.

 

[GaRailroader]

There is different respect for crosswalks in different areas. While visiting Boston I was surprised at how often cars would stop at a crosswalk because I looked like I wanted to cross there. I normally wait until it is clear and then cross when I have the right of way and I am not forcing a car to stop. If these Bostonian pedestrians come to Atlanta they are going to get run over. Unless it is signalled, Atlantans expect pedestrians to not be in the crosswalk when it is not clear.

I recall a cab ride from LaGuardia to Manhattan. The cab driver drove on the sidewalk leaving LaGuardia to get around parked cars to prove to me he was a true cabbie even though he spoke English. He cut through one of the boros to avoid tolls and was on the horn when a pedestrian was in the crosswalk up ahead, signaling to them to get out of the crosswalk. He said to me, ‘these pedestrians tell me they have the right of way, I tell them to tell that to the ambulance driver.’

 

[fuzzyweis]

150 miles in the WLTP cycle is more like 100 miles in regular use. That 59kWh pack is less than the original Chevy Bolt had, and it was one of the most efficient EVs getting nearly 4 m/kWh.

The Slate base pack will have over double that and estimating only 150 miles, and that's without the big bullnose front that Hilux has. That is not an attractive front end, another thing I like about the slate is big round headlights for a friendly face.

 

[Mac-Tyson]

If you're wondering "Why is it debuting in Thailand?", two reasons:

1. You know how American car manufacturers sometimes produce low-cost models in Mexico, like Ford does with the Maverick? Japanese manufacturers do the same thing in Thailand.

2. Thailand is one of the few countries outside of North America that loves pickups.

For that 2nd reason it’s why Thailand should be one of the first Asian countries Slate expands to as well as to Japan. Since honestly if you get a series of JDM Accessories made for the Slate Truck that will also benefit Slate sales in North America. Plus they have an easy path to selling in Japan by agreeing to partner with Toyota’s offer to sell American Vehicles through their dealership network. Australia is also a big potential market for Slate.

But I do think Slate will likely expand to the rest of North America before they expand to Europe, Asia, and Oceania though.