$50 down for reservation but how many will put up the other $250 to order

[XanderToss]

I really want a Slate AND I’m in the market for a new car before the end of the year. So, it’s a perfect confluence for me. HOWEVER… I use adaptive cruise control in my current car a LOT and I’m concerned about losing this feature. It’s literally the only thing that I’m on the fence about. So, I’m only about 90% in on this. 😬

 

[tubes]

Welcome XanderToss. For me, ignorance is bliss. Never had adaptive cruise so I don't know what I'm missing. But that's me. Your point is taken as I've seen others on this forum say the same.

 

[Sasquatch]

Just wondering what folks think the actual number of orders will be since the $250 pre-order down payment is more than the $50 reservation and not refundable. Out of the 150k+/- reservations what percentage do you think will carry through with the actual purchase?

I’m not putting any more money down until I see pricing for everything and get to test drive one.

 

[SparkYellow]

For what it's worth, here's what Gemini has to say:


Estimating the exact conversion rate from a fully refundable $50 hand-raiser reservation to a non-refundable $300 preorder deposit is a classic hurdle for EV startups. Looking at industry precedents and the unique context surrounding Slate Auto's June 24 to July 24 window, a realistic estimate for the proportion of reservations that will convert to deposits is 15% to 25%.

Out of Slate's reported 160,000 reservation holders, this would translate to roughly 24,000 to 40,000 firm preorders.

The Reasoning Behind the Estimate
Several competing forces drive this percentage, balanced between strong consumer tailwinds and significant friction points:

1. The High Friction of "Skin in the Game" (The Drop-off)
Historically, ultra-low-barrier, fully refundable reservations (like a $50 or $100 fee) attract a massive amount of casual interest, internet hype, and "just in case" sign-ups.

• When Tesla transitioned Cybertruck or Model 3 reservations to firm orders, or when Ford moved F-150 Lightning hand-raisers to non-refundable deposits, the drop-off was steep.
• Upping the ante from a risk-free $50 to a hard, non-refundable $300 weeds out speculative buyers. A conversion rate of 20% is actually considered quite healthy for this type of transition in the automotive startup world.

2. The Pricing Shock Factor (The June 24 Reveal)
Slate is opening the deposit window on the exact same day they finally reveal the official base price. This introduces two psychological hurdles:

• The Tax Credit Loss: Slate originally teased a sub-$20,000 price tag, but that relied on the $7,500 federal EV tax credit which was recently eliminated. While Slate still targets the "mid-$20,000 range," the sudden loss of a major incentive will inevitably give budget-conscious buyers pause.
• Buying Blind-ish: Customers are being asked to lock in non-refundable cash before most have ever seen the vehicle in person or read real-world driving reviews.

3. Why it Won't Tank Completely (The Tailwinds)
Despite the friction, a 15%–25% conversion is highly achievable due to several factors:

• High Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Demand: Gas price volatility has kept consumer interest in EVs incredibly high. A bare-bones, utility-focused truck in the mid-$20,000s is a massive market anomaly that doesn't currently exist anywhere else in the U.S.
• The "Do Nothing" Out: Slate’s unique setup allows reservation holders who aren't ready to commit to simply defer their reservation to a later delivery window rather than canceling outright. This means the immediate 30-day window will capture only the highly enthusiastic, "must-have-it-first" cohort, while a chunk of the remaining 75%+ will wait and see.
• Institutional Backing: Strong institutional momentum—like heavy backing from Jeff Bezos and the recent strategic dealer/service moves with Carvana and RepairPal—signals to buyers that Slate is highly unlikely to go under before deliveries start in late 2026/early 2027. This lowers the perceived risk of handing over non-refundable cash.

Conclusion
Because the entry barrier was so low ($50), expecting anything north of a 30% immediate conversion would be overly optimistic for a new EV manufacturer. However, the sheer hunger for an affordable, no-frills electric pickup will likely secure a solid 15% to 25% baseline of hardcore buyers during this initial 30-day window.

Most folks who dismiss AI answers never bothered to read the contents. Sorry that you got barked at when anyone can post any random video by anyone with a smartphone. Thank you for running this through.

 

[jhevil]

For me it will depend on the final price, price of options, and delivery point/freight.

This is me. I am 100% on board based on my vague understanfing of the pricing. Add destination fees, delivery, taxes, and registration to see the real cost. That will be my determining factor. If there is some sort of hidden cost, then this will quickly become a choice. As of now, it will be an immediate reservation.

 

[ZuliMuli]

I did not put down the extra $250, and I won't till the very least I get my butt in a seat. This non-refundable deposit is very Tesla like, they only want the true fan boys that won't get on the forums or other social media to complain.

 

[Orley]

I need a test drive, Slate University and a Repair pal shop near me before I buy.

 

[KevinRS]

I need a test drive, Slate University and a Repair pal shop near me before I buy.

Possibly those will be resolved starting in 11 days. On the repairpal, if that's your zip code in your location, looks like there is one in Iowa City, another in Cedar Point.

 

[Orley]

Possibly those will be resolved starting in 11 days. On the repairpal, if that's your zip code in your location, looks like there is one in Iowa City, another in Cedar Point.

Help me out here. There is a repairpal for Slate in Iowa city? Thanks

 

[E90400K]

Most folks who dismiss AI answers never bothered to read the contents. Sorry that you got barked at when anyone can post any random video by anyone with a smartphone. Thank you for running this through.

I prefer to rely on my real intellect.

And this AI didn't mention the Ford Bronco, which had a 76% conversation rate.

 

[SparkYellow]

I prefer to rely on my real intellect.

And this AI didn't mention the Ford Bronco, which had a 76% conversation rate.

I am learning to get the most out of a very efficient tool. Why use my hands to dig a hole to plant some flowers when I can stab the ground with a pitchfork? Search and generative image synthesis are some of the entry level functions.

EJ can follow up to find out why Ford Bronco was not mentioned. Different inquiries/prompts lead to different answers. Sometimes they do get it wrong. When I point out the contradiction or error, the response is a renewed analysis with no ego or attitude. 🙂

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I really want a Slate AND I’m in the market for a new car before the end of the year. So, it’s a perfect confluence for me. HOWEVER… I use adaptive cruise control in my current car a LOT and I’m concerned about losing this feature. It’s literally the only thing that I’m on the fence about. So, I’m only about 90% in on this. 😬

Usually, I'd say you were over-reacting....but I'm in the middle of a 3 day road trip with my wife's new Grand Highlander and it's ACC is really great and it even has a refreshingly effective traffic jam mode. (My X5's system is not as good, honestly.)

So...now I have to get hard core into use case. I'm not going road tripping with a Slate. I'm going to goof around with some commuting and errand running and possibly weekend Home Depot and that's only if I can retro fit a bench seat in the front and don't buy the complete SUV kit.

Otherwise, it is open air mode that is currently filled by a nice, but cheap, Chinese golf cart. Ain't nobody trying to use ACC for the 2-miles run to the neighborhood pool.

My $0.02...Your Mileage May Vary

 

[KevinRS]

Help me out here. There is a repairpal for Slate in Iowa city? Thanks

actually

Central Automotive
69 2nd Street
Coralville, IA 52241

I just put the zip into the repairpal site. By the time I found the next closest in Cedar point, I'd forgotten that first one was actually Coralville, maybe a bit closer to you than if it was Iowa City

 

[E90400K]

I am learning to get the most out of a very efficient tool. Why use my hands to dig a hole to plant some flowers when I can stab the ground with a pitchfork? Search and generative image synthesis are some of the entry level functions.

EJ can follow up to find out why Ford Bronco was not mentioned. Different inquiries/prompts lead to different answers. Sometimes they do get it wrong. When I point out the contradiction or error, the response is a renewed analysis with no ego or attitude. 🙂

Ego and attitude get things designed and built. Mostly for the betterment of mankind.

 

[XanderToss]

Usually, I'd say you were over-reacting....but I'm in the middle of a 3 day road trip with my wife's new Grand Highlander and it's ACC is really great and it even has a refreshingly effective traffic jam mode. (My X5's system is not as good, honestly.)

So...now I have to get hard core into use case. I'm not going road tripping with a Slate. I'm going to goof around with some commuting and errand running and possibly weekend Home Depot and that's only if I can retro fit a bench seat in the front and don't buy the complete SUV kit.

Otherwise, it is open air mode that is currently filled by a nice, but cheap, Chinese golf cart. Ain't nobody trying to use ACC for the 2-miles run to the neighborhood pool.

My $0.02...Your Mileage May Vary

yeah, I get your point. If it were just tooling around town I wouldn’t think twice about it. But I’ve got a 45 min commute to work each way, which can stretch to 1.5 hours in heavy traffic. That’s actually where the ACC excels… in traffic. I can set it and know that I’ll be moving forward and stopping smoothly, which is far less draining on me in my commute. I’d love to see this included as an add on for Slate. It would seal the deal.