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For all other auto companies, sales and service are handled by a network of independently-owned dealerships, or (in the case of Tesla or Rivian) by a network of company-owned stores. Slate apparently thinks they can manage without that kind of local presence. So the deal with RepairPal explains...

I think it's most Tesla Superchargers, but not all. According to Tesla, they currently have 36,500+ stalls for Tesla vehicles in North America, and 25,000+ of those stalls will also work with other NACS-equipped EVs (like Slates). That number is consistent with the "more than 25,000" number that...

Especially with something as customizable as a Slate. How are you going to pick from the overwhelming list of options without seeing them first hand? Slate will probably have lots of youtube videos covering every option, and that would help, but ultimately I would want to see how things look in...

Carvana says they have a 7-day money-back guarantee return or exchange period, during which you can drive the car up to 400 miles. Sounds reasonable, if they adhere to it.

Well, that seems like a totally reasonable ask. Most other potential Slate customers probably feel the same way. But at this time, it's not clear how Slate will make that happen, since they apparently have no plans to build a network of dealerships or stores.

All new cars sold in the US since 2018 are legally required to have a backup camera, which means there has to be a screen. It's a mandatory safety feature, like seatbelts or airbags. Slate has confirmed that there will be a display for the backup camera. And every other post-2018 car on the...

Yeah, there are obviously a lot of political and religious stations on the AM band. And not surprisingly, those AM broadcasters want to keep AM radios in cars -- for example, the National Religious Broadcasters are big supporters of the "AM Radio in Every Vehicle" act. And it seems possible...

Big Oil probably doesn't care. However, Big Electricity is siding with the EV companies, like Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, and Waymo. Electricity suppliers like ConEd, Duke Energy, Edison International., EVgo, and PG&E are also members of ZETA, which is fighting against the AM Radio bill.

It's the broadcasters. Cars without radios threaten their very existence. You may or may not use the AM/FM radio in your car very much, but think about this: how often do you listen to AM/FM radio when you're NOT in the car? For most people, the answer would probably be: "even less" or "never"...

Hey, if Slate is a cult, at least it's a relatively inexpensive one. Cost of membership is a $50 refundable reservation. If you are really hard-core, maybe another $25 for a t-shirt. Since Slate is privately held, even the most devoted fan can't invest any money in their stock. In contrast...

The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), an EV trade group that includes Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, and Waymo among others, is totally campaigning against it. They just don't seem to be winning.

The link is to a National Association of Broadcasters press release. The NAB -- which includes owners of radio stations -- is strongly biased in favor of the bill, so that's where the marketing language comes from. Would suspect that the poll is one that NAB paid for, and it may not be...

The bill was still advancing through the House last month. And it has an almost unbelievable degree of support: To be honest, I would not have guessed that "AM radio in cars" had political favorability ratings comparable to "veterans with disabilities" or "the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team". But...

Probably not, but this thread is actually about the elimination of radios in certain trims of the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 (check the title). The Y and the 3 are easily the best-selling electric vehicles in the country, and have been for years. Surely some people take road trips in Ys and 3s...

Well, Tesla (and other EV companies) will have to find a way to make AM work if the "AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act" passes, which seems likely. Here is the logic from one New Jersey congressman: Either provide more shielding (to prevent EMI), or provide digital ("HD") AM radios (less...

That is possible. However, it's also possible that Tesla will be forced to restore the radio to the low-priced trims in the future, because the federal government is likely to require it. Technically, the government requirement would only cover AM radio. But if automakers were legally compelled...

But note that Tesla is only removing the FM radio in the new low-priced "Standard" trim, as per the original post. The higher-priced "Premium" and "Performance" trims keep the FM radio, for both the Model 3 and Model Y. There's no reason to suppose that "Standard" trim buyers are less likely to...

But data use is always a consideration. Radio reception is free; cellular data isn't. If streaming means that you need to pay extra each month for an unlimited data plan on your phone, or if you need to pay a monthly bill for vehicle connectivity, those costs are real. True, but conversely...

There's a long list of changes. Sawyer Merrit has compiled them here (although he apparently missed the removal of the FM radio). None of the changes, by themselves, are shocking. But taking them all together, it seems like a lot of cuts for just $5,000 savings.

I get what you're saying here: Tesla is only removing the radio, while Slate is removing the whole sound system. But you could make a case that what Tesla is doing is actually more radical. Let's say someone buys a Model Y Standard RWD and then realizes that they want a radio. How easy will be...