Article: This [Slate Auto] Long Beach studio is designing America’s cheapest EV truck

[TrailGate]

https://www.latimes.com/business/st...tudio-is-designing-americas-cheapest-ev-truck

Although only about 25 of Slate’s 500 employees work out of the Long Beach studio, it has a disproportionate effect on the company’s product.

To trailblaze and succeed in the harsh EV market, the company decided it needed a presence in California, as well as near the traditional heart of car building in and around Detroit.

“We knew we needed to have a presence in both places to really understand what people wanted,” Jablansky said. “Some companies say they’re a California company, some say they’re a Detroit company. We need to be an American company.”

 

[The Weatherman]

First I ‘ve never heard of an option to have it painted. I’m guessing their assuming a buyer my elect to have it painted. Not a Slate Auto direct option.

 

[bloo]

First I ve heard of an option to paint. I’m guessing their assuming a buyer my elect to have it painted. Not a Slate Auto direct option.

Same thoughts here.

A number of us have talked about painting these. I wonder if someone from Slate has been browsing the forums.

 

[Johnologue]

Saw "colored wrap or paint" in the article when I double-checked, but I really thought they were just referring to the wraps incorrectly.
It's weird that the top of the article emphasizes paint without mentioning wraps.

 

[ScooterAsheville]

I think it would be interesting if Slate just changed the color of the panels each model year. Gray year one. Subtle colors each following year. Won't bother the folks who wrap. Will make it more interesting for those who don't. I'm assuming there are other dyes that can be mixed into the panel material before molding, but I don't know that or how much it might cost.

 

[GaRailroader]

I think it would be interesting if Slate just changed the color of the panels each model year. Gray year one. Subtle colors each following year. Won't bother the folks who wrap. Will make it more interesting for those who don't. I'm assuming there are other dyes that can be mixed into the panel material before molding, but I don't know that or how much it might cost.

I like it. Color coded by year.

 

[KevinRS]

The article may have gotten wraps and paint confused.
On the grey color, it's probably mainly a mix of carbon black and titanium white, both of which should be stable in sunlight and UV, and absorb/reflect the harmful frequencies thus protecting the plastic. Other colors will tend to fade much more over time.

 

[Adam W]

The article may have gotten wraps and paint confused.

They also said "Legos" instead of "LEGO" which to me is the bigger sin here.

 

[E90400K]

I think it would be interesting if Slate just changed the color of the panels each model year. Gray year one. Subtle colors each following year. Won't bother the folks who wrap. Will make it more interesting for those who don't. I'm assuming there are other dyes that can be mixed into the panel material before molding, but I don't know that or how much it might cost.

I brought this exact topic up several months ago and people tried to explain to me IDKWTF I was talking about. I suggested Slate can offer several molded-in-colors without much additional cost. I suggested palette of 5 colors.

The "conversation" turned into a bisected GTFO because offering five different color choices was a manufacturing logistics nightmare (it's not) and the MIC pigment MUST only be slate gray because any other pigment would chemically not allow the plastic panels to survive the environmental assault from our beloved sun (it's not an issue).

https://www.slateforums.com/forum/threads/jeff-bezoss-25-000-ev-truck-has-one-fatal-flaw-•-jeff-jablansky-motoman-podcast-006.13529/post-192868

 

[sodamo]

Don’t quite see changing color every year as being same as doing 5 colors same year. Still only building a single color blank Slate until the following year.

 

[KevinRS]

I brought this exact topic up several months ago and people tried to explain to me IDKWTF I was talking about. I suggested Slate can offer several molded-in-colors without much additional cost. I suggested pallete of 5 colors.

The "conversation" turned into a bisected GTFO because offering five different color choices was a manufacturing logistics nightmare (it's not) and the MIC pigment MUST only be slate gray because any other pigment would chemically not allow the plastic panels to survive the environmental assault from our beloved sun (it's not an issue).

It's more that 1 color is simplest, and grey is the simplest to make relatively consistent and fade free cheaply. Color is an after purchase change you make.
Maybe in the future they will offer differently colored panels, but for now, no variations, the only thing the VIN number will tell you is the battery size and production order.
With other vehicles VIN tells you engine, transmission, and other variations on a model.

 

[1yeliab_sufur1]

They also said "Legos" instead of "LEGO" which to me is the bigger sin here.

They had to avoid that copy right XD

 

[KevinRS]

I find interesting the point made that a large slice of demand for the Slate is coming from the Los Angeles area. I am close enough that I could pick one up there, so maybe LA will be among the first locations distributed to, and maybe Slate will recognize my zip as close enough to offer.
Still hoping for an event that isn't quite so far south as they have been, and more convenient in timing for me to get to.

 

[Firstevexcited1]

Hopefully Slate takes a chapter from Henry Fords build them all the same,you can have any color as long as it's black and build a lot of them at low profit so everyone can afford a new vehicle. Henry made millions of model t Fords with very little design change. VW made the bug for decades.... would be nice if it happened for Slate.

 

[cadblu]

Remember this guy? Let’s bring him back!

“Hi, I’m Earl Scheib, and I’ll paint any car, any color for $29.95. No ups, no extras.”

Now thinking paint is a better option than a wrap. You can easily fix a scratch on a painted car; with a wrap, not as much.