2008 Ford Ranger vs Slate

[Twisted Santa]

I wasn't commenting on a pre-cut kit from Slate, only that wrapping a vehicle has distinct advantages over choosing a color from the 7 available from a manufacturer, as does a vehicle that comes sans-paint. I also think Slate will be able to offer a wider variety of wraps than a traditional manufacturer can offer paint.

You may already know this, but white is chosen for fleets because it's the cheapest color. It matches pretty easily, logos pop against it, flaws are less visible, and it's fairly unoffensive for resale. I'm not sure what the conversation was around plastic pigment.

Assuming there wasn't a technological reason for not using white, I'm guessing they didn't do it because they didn't just want to appear exclusively as a work truck for the masses, even though that's exactly what the truck is. Gray gives a novel edge, and the plastic construction lends itself to (hopefully) hiding and resisting flaws. As a monochrome tone, it's also unoffensive and has a good take rate on sales.

‘Slate Gray” is just too obvious. “Slate White” doesn’t have the same ring.

 

[beatle]

It's the opposite. Highlighted, not hidden.

"Highlighting rather than hiding battle scars is key to the Slate ethos" according to Slate's Head of Design Tisha Johnson.

For some reason this is rarely acknowledged, much less discussed.

Thread: Embracing Visible Wear and Tear (Shark Battle Scars)

That makes sense from a materials standpoint. Plastic may scratch easier than paint, but it'll be the same color all the way through. May be easy to minimize appearance of scratches with oil as well (worked great on the composite truck bed of my old Ridgelines.)

 

[E90400K]

‘Slate Gray” is just too obvious. “Slate White” doesn’t have the same ring.

Exactly. Marketing...

 

[AeroWolf]

Regarding Slate base color choice.

I have gone through a number of websites and YouTube videos that discussed wrapping. It appeared that the consensus was for dark colors beneath the wrap.

Bright and shiny colors such as whites and yellows, have a greater tendency to show through at seam edges and at small knicks or pitts that develope with wear and tear.

Dark and muted tones did a better job of not drawing attention to imperfections from install or wearing damage.

 

[drizzle]

I feel like if they made the slate with a 6 foot bed, all wheel drive/4x4, basic radio and the base battery range being around 250 it would be a killer app

 

[danielt1263]

I see a lot of people saying the slate will be there secondary car/truck and that also makes me worry as I am not fortunate enough to be able to afford two cars, my plan is this would be my daily driver and trip to homedepot DIYer truck maybe pick up a few side jobs here and there.

I don’t travel a lot usually keep it around town but who know that could always change

The Slate can charge 20 to 50 miles overnight on normal 110v household current. Look at your commute, you likely won't have to ever go to a super charger, even if you make no special accommodations. If you happen to have a 220v plug, you can get 25-40 miles per hour.

Of course if you are in an apartment, things might get dicey.

 

[danielt1263]

I checked out that app and wow 150 miles can’t get me no where lol looks like the extended battery is almost needed if you plan on leaving your town at all, and only really charge at home, that is pretty eye opening and disappointing.

Frankly, even if the Slate had a 1000 mile range, I don't think it would make a good road trip vehicle. Its top speed is only 90mph (which means a less than 75mph cruising speed), and unless you are tripping alone, there isn't much room inside for snacks and such.

This coming from someone who, when young, traveled over 800 miles in a Fiat X-1/9 (look it up if you don't know what that is) with a girlfriend.

 

[Susan]

I see a lot of people saying the slate will be there secondary car/truck and that also makes me worry as I am not fortunate enough to be able to afford two cars, my plan is this would be my daily driver and trip to homedepot DIYer truck maybe pick up a few side jobs here and there.

I don’t travel a lot usually keep it around town but who know that could always change

Fwiw, I ony have one vehicle now and when the Slate comes out, it will be my only vehicle.

 

[Susan]

Frankly, even if the Slate had a 1000 mile range, I don't think it would make a good road trip vehicle. Its top speed is only 90mph (which means a less than 75mph cruising speed), and unless you are tripping alone, there isn't much room inside for snacks and such.

This coming from someone who, when young, traveled over 800 miles in a Fiat X-1/9 (look it up if you don't know what that is) with a girlfriend.

The speed limit around here is 65 mph. Why would I want to go 90? I want to keep my driver's license and not get expensive tickets. I seriously do not understand the need for speed.

 

[AZFox]

The speed limit around here is 65 mph. Why would I want to go 90? I want to keep my driver's license and not get expensive tickets. I seriously do not understand the need for speed.

 

[danielt1263]

The speed limit around here is 65 mph. Why would I want to go 90? I want to keep my driver's license and not get expensive tickets. I seriously do not understand the need for speed.

Remember we are talking about road trips, not cruising locally. Speed limit on much of the US Interstate system is 70-80 mph (with some as high as 85 mph). And top speed is not a vehicle's cruising speed (which is usually engineered to be around 80% of top speed.) A Toyota Corolla's top speed is around 110 mph and from personal experience, the car feels mighty squirrelly at the posted 75 mph speed limit around here (and you will get passed by almost everybody if you are only doing 75.)

 

[sodamo]

The speed limit around here is 65 mph. Why would I want to go 90? I want to keep my driver's license and not get expensive tickets. I seriously do not understand the need for speed.

The state/county would love me to go 90 and the best road for that here is a money maker. It’s the one road I use cruise control.
my Slate will rarely see 65.

 

[beatle]

The speed limit around here is 65 mph. Why would I want to go 90? I want to keep my driver's license and not get expensive tickets. I seriously do not understand the need for speed.

Some parts of the country have speed limits that are higher. In Texas there is even a road that has an 85 mph limit, though that's not common. It is common, however, to have speed limits of 75 or even 80 further west. Highway speed limits are 65-70 here, and most do about 6-9 over. That's still less than the Slate's top speed, but depending on how hard you hit that, that top speed may feel low if the truck is "wheezing" by the high 70s. I have a feeling the truck will be fine, and the top speed is there to ensure you don't stress the battery/motor too much. The amount of power needed to keep a higher speed is an exponential curve.

 

[KevinRS]

From what I've seen, if you actually test that, and hold at the speed limit, you don't get passed as much as you would think, and often, you end up catching up with the same vehicles you saw passing you. That happens even more on surface streets, where their extra 10 mph just means they sit at the next red light longer.

Looking it up, it looks like there is only 1 stretch of highway in the whole country with an 85 speed limit, only 10 states with highways somewhere at 80, and 8 more with 75. A lot of states go up to 70, then there are a handful that are 65 or lower.
In my whole county of nearly 10 million people, and over 4000 square miles, there is only 1 stretch of 70 mph, 6 miles in each direction. I can drive the 65 mph freeway that is close, at 65, and sure people are passing me, so I stay in the right lane unless passing, if I go to 75, there are still almost as many passing, I can go 80 and there will still be people passing, some making it look like I'm going 50, while they are weaving through the lanes. Feels kind of weird that if I make the longer trip that goes through a few other counties, the longest trip I am likely to make, and has whole sections of 70 mph, the traffic seems calmer, I don't see the people zooming past weaving through the lanes. I think it is a matter of highway patrol presence and enforcement.

 

[danielt1263]

In my whole county of nearly 10 million people, and over 4000 square miles, there is only 1 stretch of 70 mph, 6 miles in each direction.

If you are never leaving your county, you aren't road tripping. Remember we are talking in the context of a road trip, not local driving. Maybe road trip means something different to me than most?