If It Weren't for Slate, I Would Get...

[catiare]

Telo Truck

 

[SparkYellow]

There's still quite a bit of life left on my current daily driver. Before I found out about Slate, my first choice of EV was a used Tesla model S. It seems to be better suited for occasional use as a camper than Model 3, and the price was closer to my budget. I never was serious enough to pursue the idea though, it's too complicated and fancy for this simple person. 😬

If I have to buy another car in the next couple of years, it will be for commuting. It will be an EV with supercharger access and ideally below $25K, new or used.

 

[SichuanHot]

Are you saying you would actually get a Spark if the Slate wasn't coming?

Yes. They both have tons of overlap as simple, efficient, utilitarian vehicles.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

Yes. They both have tons of overlap as simple, efficient, utilitarian vehicles.

(I can't actually recommend the electric Spark purely because the NMC battery doesn't hold up and replacements cost more than a good Bolt, but it's a very fun car you can cram a lot in with the rear seats removed.)

 

[MIDgrid]

Without the Slate option I would be getting a vertical storage-type utility trailer for our existing SUV that has a towing package, and looking for a similar size and cost EV as a second town vehicle. The new Chevy Bolt would be on my list for its LFP batteries, NACS charging port and low cost. However, I was surprised to read recently that while assembled in Kansas the US sourced contents are only 17%, China 51%, others 32%. It made me wonder what the breakout will be for the basic Slate Truck that I'm waiting for.

 

[smack daddy]

If I don’t get a Slate, I keep my 2013 Elantra GT.
As mentioned above by other posters, this is a want, not a need. I would have to think that would have to be the case for all first-gen purchasers, right? We are just supporting the idea at this point; it’s a big risk to buy an OEM from a start-up and expect to count on it as a primary vehicle.
Wife has a 2018 Sienna so we have the big car for road trips.
The Slate would be for my 10-mile commute to work and taking the doors off in the summer.
This would be my first EV so I do have range anxiety already. I don’t like to get below half a tank of gas; how will I be able to count on a battery to not let me down?

Trust me I know range anxiety is a thing when I bought my bolt 2 years ago I was worried my wife didn’t want to goto the beach because she was scared we would get stuck there I downloaded a couple of electric charging apps and told her we were going to go for it and see the beach is 30 minutes away we went to Costco sams and a bunch of other places we ran around all day we decided to come home she asked do we have enough charge to get home we still had 1/2 a charge left when we got home I still had plenty of charge left you don’t needs as much range as you think you do I drive mine 100 mi a day I don’t have an issue would I drive cross country no not until the charging stations are more plentiful but for my needs it works out better than I dreamed and at 6.44 a charge I am saving a lot of money

 

[OliverBoliverButt]

Appreciate the thoughtful replies and didn’t mean to hijack the thread. I just reserved last week and joined the forum this week so I have found some great resources here. Keep up the great work!

 

[TikiCaster]

A used Chevy Bolt. I might still end up going that direction, depending on when I can actually get a Slate in Texas.

 

[bloo]

Nothing.

Five-foot-two me wants a small truck and nothing else will do.

 

[Rich]

There is a lot of speculation about what Slate's competition is, but everybody is always talking in the abstract, what people are comparing against. Rather than telling us what you think other people are cross shopping Slate against, tell us what you personally are cross shopping against.

I pulled the selections from a couple of recent posts and the poll system limits the number of choices so this poll will have to be dynamic. If your choice isn't on the list, make a comment and I'll try to bump poor performing selections. This is my first poll, hopefully I can edit the choices as I'm expecting and this will work.

I tried to edit the poll to include the Chevrolet Bolt, but it looks like I can't do that. I thought I would be able to update the selections but I guess not. So I'm going to try to maintain a spreadsheet here:

Nissan Frontier	1
Ford Maverick	2
Chevrolet Bolt	3
Aptera	1
Announced Ford EV	1
Telo Truck	1
Tesla Model S (used)	1
Chevrolet Spark	1

Utility is important to me, as well as my next vehicle being an EV. I will be selling my Model Y for either a Slate or Aptera EV. Maybe I will be able to afford BOTH!

 

[Deb G]

I missed the poll... I plan on replacing 2 electric vehicles this year with two new electric vehicles. The Polaris EV (piss of crap) and the Rivian R1T (2022) both get replaced. The Slate I have on order and I also have a Rivian R2 on order for this year. So the Slate is a replacement for the Polaris and the R1T and the R2 will be the driver.

 

[SichuanHot]

(I can't actually recommend the electric Spark purely because the NMC battery doesn't hold up and replacements cost more than a good Bolt, but it's a very fun car you can cram a lot in with the rear seats removed.)

I was referring to the final generation gas engine spark. I think that's a fantastic little car and it looks great too.

 

[SparkYellow]

Here's a 2nd Gen (2011) mini hartop with 8 banker's boxes. 4 more could fit over the 4 on the folded down rear seats but would block the rearward view. Not relevant to this thread but it is super fun to load up small cars. Still, I get zero respect when shopping/parking at Home Depot.

 

[bloo]

Here's a 2nd Gen (2011) mini hartop with 8 banker's boxes. 4 more could fit over the 4 on the folded down rear seats but would block the rearward view. Not relevant to this thread but it is super fun to load up small cars. Still, I get zero respect when shopping/parking at Home Depot.

Know the feeling of no respect. I often got "the look" on Home Depot runs with my 2005 Element, yet it never failed me.

 

[SparkYellow]

Know the feeling of no respect. I often got "the look" on Home Depot runs with my 2005 Element, yet it never failed me.

I always thought Element looks very rugged and tough. It was only until the last couple of years that I found out about its unique features inside. Nowadays I rarely see them on the road. Thought all the camping enthusiasts snatched them up and moved them into the wilderness.

To save time (and look tough) at Home Depot, I bring a cordless circular saw to cut 2x4s right by the trunk. 😂