Actively considering cancelling reservation.

[KevinRS]

That tow test they did in Arizona wasn't for a commercial, it was part of the SAE standard for tow ratings. The trailer was filled with weighed sandbags to exactly meet the rating they were going for, and there are several tests they have to do. An acceleration test, the drive up that specific grade while the ambient temp is over 104F with the AC on max, and others. The standard has something like 27 pages.

 

[AZFox]

That tow test they did in Arizona wasn't for a commercial, it was part of the SAE standard for tow ratings. The trailer was filled with weighed sandbags to exactly meet the rating they were going for, and there are several tests they have to do. An acceleration test, the drive up that specific grade while the ambient temp is over 104F with the AC on max, and others. The standard has something like 27 pages.

At 45 MPH and 104F degrees it wasn't very strenuous compared to what will happen in the real world.

FWiW, Phoenix, AZ has a lot of days with temperatures at or above 110°F every year.

Maybe the tow rating is limited by the powertrain,'s capability.

 

[KevinRS]

That part of the test is a 7% grade, average 5% and a 11.4 mile drive gaining 3020 feet. How does that compare to other real world hot weather grades? In phoenix sure it's hotter, but it's also flat.
I looked up the grade in my area which is considered challenging for trucks, and it's a sustained 6% for 5 miles, but that's mostly a problem for downhill travel with truck brakes failing.

SAE J2807 Tests

Test	SRW	DRW
Davis Dam	>=40 mph	>= 35 mph
Go 5 meters from stop on 12% grade, 5 times in a row	<= 5 minutes	<= 5 minutes
Hold full rig with just parking brake	12% grade	12% grade
0 - 30 mph(level ground)	<-= 12 sec	<= 14 sec
0 - 60 mph(level ground)	<= 30 sec	<= 35 sec
40 -60 mph (level ground): passing test	<= 18 sec	<= 21 sec
20 mph to stop with trailer brakes active, staying in 11.5 feet lane, trailer lighter than tow vehicle	<= 35 ft	<= 35 ft
20 mph to stop with trailer brakes active, staying in 11.5 feet lane, trailer heavier than tow vehicle	<= 45 ft	<= 45 ft
20 mph to stop without trailer brakes, staying in 11.5 feet lane, trailer lighter than tow vehicle	<= 80 ft	<= 80 ft
understeer test: increases from 0.1 g to 0.3 g n 300 ft circle	pass	pass
sway test, 62 mph	>= 1.0 damping ratio	>=1.0 damping ratio

I think it's not just the powertrain that they are setting the 1000 lb limit by. They knew from the start about things like the range issues towing with the Lightning, and that they would be even worse with a relatively lightweight and low range Slate with any larger load, especially with any significant cross section to the wind, so they set 1k as the target and engineered for it. So the powertrain, frame, everything may all be limits if you were to try to increase the towing capability safely.

The other possibility is that if the truck is mechanically capable of towing more, the range may be so reduced that it becomes useless.

 

[Paul]

I have been very excited for this truck since I first learned about it. My reservation was on day 3 and I drove an hour to see a prototype. But I have been very seriously thinking about not converting to an actual order.

The brain math goes like this...

$2400 to eventually put a new battery in my '17 Fusion Hybrid(doesn't currently need one). Car is paid off and has zero mechanical issues. 42+mpg. Refurb batteries have a 2 year warranty but last much longer.

$25,000+, +options for the Slate.
- I am not rich. This would be my first new vehicle ever and the payment is not insignificant to me.
- New vehicle from a new company is going to have "new" issues. I have never bought year 1-2 of a new model.
- Repair Pal shops are everywhere but none are Slate certified. Mech or HV Electrical. You can't even look for Slate mechanics yet. Is there a timeline?
- No heat pumps initially. This is a terrible idea in Seattle. I don't want to buy the bigger battery just to run the heater 8 months out of the year. Very disappointed when I learned this.
- Insurance is still a ?. My insurance company doesn't even know Slate exists and cant give a quote. Do I want to lay down cash for a Slate without knowing how much the thing is to insure?

This is silly to toss in here but I was pretty turned off by the CEO AMA thing. I was hoping/expecting serious answers to questions from serious buyers. Nope. We got a Monte Python skit cold reading softball yes/no questions we already knew and some vague "good" answers. Almost no new info other than they are still on schedule.

Anyways. Have not cancelled yet and won't at least until whenever they convert to orders. Just putting my thoughts out there. I would still love to get one eventually but might wait a couple years. Anyone else having this dilemma?

Actually, you are in a really good place. The Fusion will likely remain reliable. I see the early Ford hybrids with high miles and few issues. So just drive it and see where takes you by the time the Slate rolls late next year. Wait even longer to see how it's doing in real world. The reservation is just $50 and refundable. Might even be new options by then.

 

[renostever]

Trust me on this. Once you have a pickup truck in your personal fleet of automobiles, you'll never want to be without one for the rest of your driving life.

I am a Slate fan but the pickup aspect is less compelling to me. I have owned a couple over the years but prefer my Jeep + utility trailer combo for hauling. Much easier to load and unload. I picked up 6 (4 x 8) sheets of 3/4” plywood last week and never had to lift them. I slid them on a dolly at the lumberyard, slid them onto the trailer, and cut them at home with my track saw while they were still on the trailer.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I am a Slate fan but the pickup aspect is less compelling to me. I have owned a couple over the years but prefer my Jeep + utility trailer combo for hauling. Much easier to load and unload. I picked up 6 (4 x 8) sheets of 3/4” plywood last week and never had to lift them. I slid them on a dolly at the lumberyard, slid them onto the trailer, and cut them at home with my track saw while they were still on the trailer.

That’s what I’m living now. Just 10 minutes of inconvenience to hitch up and unhitch and store each time.

 

[AZFox]

I have owned a couple over the years but prefer my Jeep + utility trailer combo for hauling.

+1

I've had similar experience with a different SUV+Trailer combo

The trailer also worked better than a pickup bed for hauling powersports machines.

 

[Luxrage]

The 1,000lb towing limit sounds is definitely going to turn some people off, I know of someone that specifically was looking for something with a towing cap of 1,500lb so they could pull an A-frame (1,200lb) camper trailer. I always though the bare minimum benchmark for most vehicles was 1,500lb. Curiously, my Geo's owners manual has an interesting line at the very end:

Looked up my Fit and:

But the Australian Fit(Jazz) brochure gives the following below. 450kg is almost 1000lb. So the Slate's pretty much on par with a standard car I suppose.

 

[KevinRS]

The problem with comparing to tow specs of older cars is it wasn't standardized at all until 2008, and until it went into full effect manufacturers could say anything they thought wouldn't get them sued or cause damage they would have to cover under warrantee. So sure, they could say you could tow a certain load, but try to go up a grade, better turn off the AC and downshift, and crawl up the grade with everyone honking at you, and you might end up stuck on the shoulder waiting on the engine to cool down.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

The problem with comparing to tow specs of older cars is it wasn't standardized at all until 2008, and until it went into full effect manufacturers could say anything they thought wouldn't get them sued or cause damage they would have to cover under warrantee. So sure, they could say you could tow a certain load, but try to go up a grade, better turn off the AC and downshift, and crawl up the grade with everyone honking at you, and you might end up stuck on the shoulder waiting on the engine to cool down.

 

[stEVe]

R-E-L-A-X. The Q&A wasn’t what I expected either. But let’s not pretend that’s the product. This company is clearly building something different, just look at what they’re putting on the road. That concept is why you happily dropped $50 to get on the list.

The real decision will be made the same way it always is with vehicles: What’s the total cost once you check the boxes you actually want? SUV package? Lift kit? All-terrain tires? What’s the out-the-door number?

That’s decision day. Not today, because the CEO was a little too casual about a front bench seat.