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I would estimate the fender to be in the $800 to $1000 each range. Do you know how many millions are spent on mold design, manufacture, and testing before the first car is made? they have to recoup that money someway. Maybe ALL auto manufacturers could spend 5 years developing new cars then...

You are correct anything can be done if you are willing to pay for it. I retired from a plant making under hood plastic panels, exterior plastic panels, and plastic pieces you wouldn't see unless you dis-assemble the car. the exterior pieces were both black molded in color and painted parts...

Would be nice if Slate answered some of these questions instead of just using this as a propaganda website.

The plastic used for parts that is to be painted is much different than what is used for molded in color. The plant I retired from made the exact same part in black and for paint. The painted parts were a different polymer and had to be handled with cotton gloves from the conveyor belt to the...

The camera is required, the display screen is not. Or it could be in the mirror like my 2014 F150. Ask Slate, oh wait they aren't talking about the questions people have.

Now they have to add a middle seat shoulder belt, airbags for middle passenger. Cost just went up 1500 or more. It is a cheap disposable vehicle.

Honda Elements with the gray panels looked awful after a few years. Remember the Chevy Avalanche bed rails?

You use either your smartphone or a tablet that connects via bluetooth. No screen provided, not radio, no speakers. Speakers and the tablet mount cost extra.

Have you ever dealt with molding colored panels? Imperfect panel every time. No 2 will match. that is why they use gray or black, and yes color is added, because your eye can;t see the slight swirls in it. Plus if other color plastic sits in the barrel of the press to long it starts to burn...

Any tool that can do multiple jobs will do all them poorly.

Doubt they have the type of press needed. I spent 47 years in the plastics molding business, machinery side and production. Since Slate is a low volume vehicle they will have already locked in molders. Each mold for a body or under body panel could cost 250k and up. If they need 2 shot...

Not sure the have the presses for body panels. The press to mold the top of a John Deere combine uses 6600 tons of force to keep the mold closed while injecting. It wouldn't fit in the building Slate is using. Bumpers for a Toyota Camry is in a 4000 ton press. There are suppliers out there...

Well that is just what it took to get me onboard with this electric Yugo, :CWL:

What about those massive presses to injection mold the panels. Or are you going blow mold route? Or the old RIMM machines from Pontiac?

How about some prices for options. And plastic body panels were done in the 80s by Pontiac and it was awful. I assembled the machines used to make the panels for the Fiero. This is another GEO, YUGO, SCION, FISKAR hype machine. Not to mention the real base price is 27,500.