Slate to *require* wraps to be purchased from them?

[WT_Door]

About the 31:30 point of this video ( ) Tim Levin of InsideEVs (whom I believe to be a credible EV journalist) states that he was told that due to the composition of the Slate's body panels that other "off the shelf wraps" "won't stick right". No one is specficially referenced, but I have not heard this anywhere before, and contradicts the assumption that I had that these wraps were simply existing 3M product.

 

[Adam W]

In The Fast Lane Truck's video, Mike Kelly, GM of Slate's wrap business, says "we're not announcing our vinyl partner yet, but it would be similar to a 3M 2080 or Avery Supreme Wrap." That's an interesting thing to say if either of those two company's were not supplying your materials.

It's possible the wraps ARE produced by 3M using the standard 3M 2080 palettes, but just with a custom adhesive.

 

[phidauex]

"Require" is the wrong word here - if they are saying they are working with suppliers to make a product that adheres better, then great, but that doesn't stop anyone else from making and selling wraps that adhere just as well. It's not "vendor lock-in", just maybe an acknowledgement that not all vinyl products will work as well on a plastic panel. I'd be interested to hear experiences from wrappers who work on similar materials in other applications.

 

[FlyHappy]

no. not a chance.

 

[phidauex]

Quick bit of research, the term for the plastic panels is "low surface energy", IE, non-stick plastics like polypropylene (which the slate will be).

Car trim, motorcycles and ATVs all seem to have the same bonding problems, so there are solutions out there.

3M makes this printable wrap product specifically for LSE applications: https://www.grimco.com/catalog/products/3mij180-10lsecontroltacfilm

And Rvinyl has this article on 3M adhesion promoters which are intended for putting something like 3M 2080 on plastic (including polypropylene). https://www.rvinyl.com/collections/wrap-adhesive-promoters

Now, I don't know how those actually work, or how well they actually work, but it should give some ideas for people looking into it. If Slate works with vendors to make a custom version with better properties, that is great too.

 

[GrizzlysGhost]

Seems as good a place as any to drop this; someone mentioned off-hand about transparent body panels and I've been thinking thoughts. 😂

 

[LevelHeaded]

Seems as good a place as any to drop this; someone mentioned off-hand about transparent body panels and I've been thinking thoughts. 😂

Ooh, colored transparent or translucent like iMacs/iBooks or even pagers of yore

 

[GrizzlysGhost]

Ooh, colored transparent or translucent like iMacs/iBooks or even pagers of yore

Oh ya, even better! And some game systems as I recall; very retro!

 

[dmon4u]

I have heard of a few people that want to paint their's !

 

[GrizzlysGhost]

I have heard of a few people that want to paint their's !

Transparent panels with paint on the INSIDE!

 

[Skippy]

Part of me wants green translucent panels and then make something for the roof that'll make it look like the Donkey Kong N64.

 

[Rocks]

I have heard of a few people that want to paint their's !

NGL. I've thought about using bedliner as paint, but the rough surface would probably kill what aerodynamics it has.

 

[EV Trek]

I have heard of a few people that want to paint their's !

It takes a lot of special paint prep to paint polymer panels. Even putting bed liner will take the same type prep.

 

[Underground Graphics]

I just stumbled upon this as well. Owning a graphics business, my Slate Pre-order was both personal and business related.
I reached out to Slate directly with an opportunity to display a Slate at SEMA demo-ing a new wrap colored (to be debuted at SEMA). They were quick to point out their wrap is proprietary and no other wraps will work. I was baffled. I've been doing wraps for almost 20 years, really? no other wrap material will work? I get that they want to be the ones to sell the wrap, but look at how the Cybertruck went off. People will want to wrap it on thier own, period.
I'm keeping my order and look forward to testing early next year.
Greg