Rear seats in SUV Kit can be removed / deleted / not installed (confirmed by Slate)

[August]

I just asked Slate this:

My real interest in the Slate is as a Pickup Truck. I've heard that the Squareback SUV can't have the seats and roll cage removed so it can be used as a truck with a topper. Is this correct? When will you be releasing what the Cargo version will look like? That sounds like what I am looking for.

5 Minutes later on a Sunday I received this:

Great question! According to our Chief Commercial Officer, the rear seats in the SUV kit can actually be kept out, so you do have some flexibility there. As for the roll cage and structural components, those are part of the overall structure so we wouldn't recommend removing those for safety reasons unless you plan on converting it fully back to truck configuration.​

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On the Cargo kit, that's definitely on the roadmap and we know a lot of customers like yourself are waiting for it. Full details including what it will look like and pricing are still being finalized. Stay tuned and we'll share updates as soon as they're available!​

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I suspect that since the bulkhead is removed in the SUV, the roll cage is needed for structural integrity.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Interesting! Good thing we stay tuned! I’ll have 6 months to continue to modify

 

[sodamo]

I just asked Slate this:

My real interest in the Slate is as a Pickup Truck. I've heard that the Squareback SUV can't have the seats and roll cage removed so it can be used as a truck with a topper. Is this correct? When will you be releasing what the Cargo version will look like? That sounds like what I am looking for.

5 Minutes later on a Sunday I received this:

Great question! According to our Chief Commercial Officer, the rear seats in the SUV kit can actually be kept out, so you do have some flexibility there. As for the roll cage and structural components, those are part of the overall structure so we wouldn't recommend removing those for safety reasons unless you plan on converting it fully back to truck configuration.

On the Cargo kit, that's definitely on the roadmap and we know a lot of customers like yourself are waiting for it. Full details including what it will look like and pricing are still being finalized. Stay tuned and we'll share updates as soon as they're available!

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I suspect that since the bulkhead is removed in the SUV, the roll cage is needed for structural integrity.

I suspect Slate is concerned if one owns the complete kit, not only will they take seat out, acceptable, but someone will also attempt to remove rollbar and put seat back in, not acceptable. I believe it has been stated the seat will require the rollbar.

 

[jhevil]

I suspect Slate is concerned if one owns the complete kit, not only will they take seat out, acceptable, but someone will also attempt to remove rollbar and put seat back in, not acceptable. I believe it has been stated the seat will require the rollbar.

In one of the videos with the chief engineer, it was stated that the rear seats could NOT be installed without the roll bar - something to do with the order in which things must be installed.

 

[kvermeer]

I believe the seat mounts *to* the rollbar - there's a release at the top of the seat for a latch that prevents it from tipping forward away from the rollbar, if that latch weren't there it would fall awkwardly back and be halfway reclined against the wheel wells. You can't physically use the seats without the rollbar.

I do wonder if occupant classification sensors in the rear seats disable the rear airbags when the seats are removed. If (god forbid) I hit a deer or something while in SUV mode with the seats down and my driver airbag goes off, I wouldn't want the rear airbags to also require replacement if the seats were removed.

And yeah, I keep hearing (and stubbornly rejecting... sorry... should be more open to new evidence, but I have motivated cognition here) the idea that installing the SUV roof/side windows requires the roll bar for structural rigidity. I think the B pillars are really, really strong, and the rear glass isn't contributing that much. The cargo kit will have a different bulkhead but won't need the roll bar. I still have my doubts.

Personally, I'd like to leave the lower bulkhead in place and just move the back glass to the rear of the SUV kit. An open window (or mesh netting for cargo containment) would be fine, and having the lower bulkhead in place would help divide the cargo section from the passenger section.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Personally, I'd like to leave the lower bulkhead in place and just move the back glass to the rear of the SUV kit. An open window (or mesh netting for cargo containment) would be fine, and having the lower bulkhead in place would help divide the cargo section from the passenger section.

This. Leaving the "partition" and having a mesh upper to complete the bulkhead would be very practical in many applications.

 

[danielt1263]

They told me in an email:

... the bulkhead partition cannot be removed when operating the Slate in truck configuration. It needs to stay in place as part of the truck setup.

I really get the sense that it's either bulkhead or roll bar, you can't go without both.

Now maybe for the cargo kit option, they will have a different roll bar that doesn't have air bags in it, or maybe you will be required to keep the partition in for the cargo kit...

 

[bartflossom]

I'm still praying I can run the topper without seats, rollbar or partition but it looks like I'll have to put up with either the partition or the roll bar. I want to be able to camp in the back and need to put up the passenger side seat close to the dash to fit my head. Off to do some trig and see if I can fit diagonally in a 4x5 bed. Hmm, 6'5" corner to corner. Now I gotta go do a mockup.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

They told me in an email:

I really get the sense that it's either bulkhead or roll bar, you can't go without both.

Now maybe for the cargo kit option, they will have a different roll bar that doesn't have air bags in it, or maybe you will be required to keep the partition in for the cargo kit...

Slate confirmed to me that you can drive the truck with the midgate out without the roll bars, but that it does add rigidity. The SUV toppers attach directly to the body, not the roll structure. So based on that, there is no reason you couldn't put a topper on without the roll bars or seat. But of course, this wouldn't be the first conflicting info we've been given.

 

[cadblu]

Personally, I'd like to leave the lower bulkhead in place and just move the back glass to the rear of the SUV kit. An open window (or mesh netting for cargo containment) would be fine, and having the lower bulkhead in place would help divide the cargo section from the passenger section.

It has been mentioned in other threads that Slate officially abandoned the concept of reusing the back glass to the rear of the SUV kit, due to sealing problems and water intrusion. The design at the rear of the SUV shell changed, and so that renders the rear glass of the cab as a unique item. Ordering the SUV kit now includes the new rear glass.

 

[sidneyhornblower]

Personally, I'd like to leave the lower bulkhead in place and just move the back glass to the rear of the SUV kit. An open window (or mesh netting for cargo containment) would be fine, and having the lower bulkhead in place would help divide the cargo section from the passenger section.

That sounds really enticing, though I'd like the option to leave or take out the lower bulkhead to make the Slate into a camper. I'm shorter than average, but a five foot bed is too short even for me, unless sleeping diagonally (but then it's solo adventures only). I suppose one could construct a bedding platform that's above the bulkhead and extends into the cab a bit, with storage underneath, but that's going to have a low ceiling, so no sitting up in that thing.

If the lower bulkhead is required for the cargo configuration - and we won't know until it arrives - I'd still like to go that route in the future, perhaps. A two seat pickup truck with covered storage in the back that's accessible from the cab sounds like a winner, especially if you have dogs.

 

[Kopsis]

The SUV toppers attach directly to the body, not the roll structure.

Is that confirmed? Photos clearly show mounting, or at least locating, points on the top of the roll cage structure. Even if the top doesn't actually fasten to the cage, I can see where it might not have enough structure to be 100% self supporting. That would be added weight and production cost that isn't needed when there's already an perfect structure available for support. The cargo kit likely will have added "hoop" structure so it can be self supporting without undue flex/vibration. I think the cargo kit probably involves more design work than people expect.

 

[SailorDan]

It has been mentioned in other threads that Slate officially abandoned the concept of reusing the back glass to the rear of the SUV kit, due to sealing problems and water intrusion. The design at the rear of the SUV shell changed, and so that renders the rear glass of the cab as a unique item. Ordering the SUV kit now includes the new rear glass.

I missed that one. Do you remember what section that was in? I'd like to chase that down.
In their change it to anything animations they still show the whole back glass and bulkhead section flying away when changing from truck to SUV, but they don't show the glass reattaching at he rear of the squareback SUV, so maybe that's a hint.
And yet, the price of the SB SUV is still 2 grand less than the fastback, and everyone just assumed that was because the fastback couldn't reuse the truck's back glass section, so needed an extra (and extra-cost) part.

 

[SailorDan]

As for the SUV caps not being strong enough to support themselves without support from the roll cage... there are plenty of pick-up truck bed caps that do just that with no problem at all. And most of them are just fiberglas, not GRP on a steel subframe. Are the caps built like the rest of the body? I wonder whether the Slate is designed and built that tough... or not. Has anyone seen a section drawing showing the SUV cap structure? I have not.

 

[sodamo]

In one of the videos with the chief engineer, it was stated that the rear seats could NOT be installed without the roll bar - something to do with the order in which things must be installed.

True, but that won’t stop someone from trying.