Anyone Else Concerned

[atx_ev]

I bought my daughter our family's first BEV, chevy bolt, a few weeks ago. I love the size, ive started taking it to run quick errands vs my tundra. I love how I can park in any spot even if one of the neighbors encroached on the line.

Im looking forward to getting a slate to replace the tundra and then some kind of hybrid or EREV minivan for road trips and taking the entire family plus my parents around. The key is the minivan has to have highway self driving. I dont need self driving in daily driving but for road trips it would be amazing.

Everything I haul in the tundra is too big/dirty for a car/minivan, but not so big I need a truck as big as the tundra. Most of my driving is just me.

 

[Sl8rGrl]

The CEO just interviewed with newsweek on Monday and shared this quote about the factory progress:

" “Today, we’re finishing the last concrete pours. We’re in the process of wiring electrical systems for our robots and putting more robots in place. Remodeling office spaces to take them from the ’80s to our modern office needs—not an overhaul but making them functional. By summer, we’ll be building pilot vehicles. The next level of prototype vehicles will come off the line. That will continue into autumn. By the end of the year, we’ll be shipping vehicles. We’ll bring on more crews and reach full rate of production in 2027.” "

https://www.newsweek.com/midwest-industrial-ev-powerhouse-11373949

It makes a lot of sense they'd be nose-down focused on getting things done this year. Considering she's saying this summer pilot vehicles will be built, I wouldn't anticipate them starting test drives before then.

I'm looking forward to seeing this all work out, the CEO and even their support staff come off very confident in their timeline (albeit they can only share so much information without breaching whatever NDA they signed when they got employed)

 

[HTXSlate]

The CEO just interviewed with newsweek on Monday and shared this quote about the factory progress:

" “Today, we’re finishing the last concrete pours. We’re in the process of wiring electrical systems for our robots and putting more robots in place. Remodeling office spaces to take them from the ’80s to our modern office needs—not an overhaul but making them functional. By summer, we’ll be building pilot vehicles. The next level of prototype vehicles will come off the line. That will continue into autumn. By the end of the year, we’ll be shipping vehicles. We’ll bring on more crews and reach full rate of production in 2027.” "

https://www.newsweek.com/midwest-industrial-ev-powerhouse-11373949

It makes a lot of sense they'd be nose-down focused on getting things done this year. Considering she's saying this summer pilot vehicles will be built, I wouldn't anticipate them starting test drives before then.

I'm looking forward to seeing this all work out, the CEO and even their support staff come off very confident in their timeline (albeit they can only share so much information without breaching whatever NDA they signed when they got employed)

Good find. Thx for posting.

 

[null98115]

Not concerned in the least. Also not convinced we'll see a 2026 delivery.

 

[KevinRS]

I had assumed they would be producing test drive ready, close to final units in Spring, but yes, it looks like the timeline has them in Summer. Few events in Winter is probably to be expected, though they could do some in warmer states, the unpredictable weather may make it prudent to go slow for a few months.

 

[Sandman614]

Not concerned. They are very heads down right now. From an Chris in an article this week:

"Today, we’re finishing the last concrete pours. We’re in the process of wiring electrical systems for our robots and putting more robots in place. Remodeling office spaces to take them from the ’80s to our modern office needs—not an overhaul but making them functional. By summer, we’ll be building pilot vehicles. The next level of prototype vehicles will come off the line. That will continue into autumn. By the end of the year, we’ll be shipping vehicles. We’ll bring on more crews and reach full rate of production in 2027."

https://www.newsweek.com/midwest-industrial-ev-powerhouse-11373949

 

[clofan]

I had to wait 11 months for my Maverick, ain't no thing to wait a bit longer for something even more exciting

 

[beatle]

My only concern is long term demand. I feel like Slate built the truck just for me. It's small, single cab, inexpensive, and classically styled without a lot of fluff. The single-color plastic body panels are genius, I think. in a way they remind me of the Cybertruck's steel, which I actually still think is a great functional idea - just don't tell anyone.

But single cab trucks are all but dead. Everyone wants a big codpiece 4-door truck with gobs of tech. If/when the Slate starts rolling out trucks, I'm sure they will fly off the shelves due to their novelty and relative-oddballs like me and other fans on this forum. Whether they can make it in a market dominated by giant depressing crossovers and bro-dozers, however, just seems at least a little iffy. I wonder if they'll get a big cut of fleet sales.

 

[HTXSlate]

Maybe it will cause a market shift and people realize how much they are paying for sh!t they don’t need and way oversized vehicles for what most drivers really need.
A more simplified society.
Not likely but who knows.

 

[atx_ev]

toyota thinks they can sell 100-150k toyotas new maverick competitor (based on TNGA platform). It will be a hybrid and so definitely can take all the demand that has range anxiety. Between the maverick and the toyota I think it may leave a pretty small space. I personally only want an EV, but I recognize in the US that most people dont care.

Toyota is officially developing a compact pickup truck to directly compete with the Ford Maverick, confirming what has been rumored for years. The vehicle, expected to launch in 2027, will slot below the Tacoma in Toyota’s lineup and is designed to target the growing market for affordable, efficient, and versatile small trucks

.

 

[Mad Mac]

I hope Slate has better luck than Paul Elio.
In 2009, I made a $100 deposit,
non-refundable, on an Elio P4.
Not because I thought he would succeed
but because I wanted him to succeed.
He made only four or five prototypes.
Here is one.

Never heard of him? I'm not surprised.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elio_Motors

But I did get a T-shirt,
which is more than I have gotten from Slate.
Good luck with the storm everyone
and good luck to all of us with Slate.

 

[KevinRS]

I think initially sales will mostly be people like us, then people who didn't know about the truck until launch, numbers may vary depending on just how much people are seeing it. Long term it potentially could be sustained by small scale fleets, even if consumer demand is limited. Some auto parts stores are using small white compact cars now, I can see them switching back to a truck form factor, especially with cheap wrap options, and eliminating refueling time, credit cards and accounting.

 

[AZFox]

But I did get a T-shirt,
which is more than I have gotten from Slate.

$25 solution:
https://www.slate.auto/en/store

 

[Driven5]

Oh, I remember Paul Elio.

I liked the general concept, and understood why people wanted to believe in his vision. While I was never sure if he was completely delusional or just a con artist, in other words genuinely believed his own BS or not, he was an obvious fraud from day one. So much so that in some circles Elio quickly became both a noun and a verb:

Watch out for that guy, he's a complete Elio. If you're not careful, he'll Elio you.

Slate is operating in a completely different universe (reality) than Paul Elio was.

 

[The Weatherman]

The hula-hoop phase for EVs may be over.
Decreasing tax credits
and lower gasoline prices
have taken some of the spark out of EVs.
As well as the following.

AI Overview

Beyond range anxiety, major electric vehicle (EV) problems include battery degradation over time, significant performance drops in cold weather, and unreliable public charging infrastructure
. Other issues include higher purchase costs, longer refueling times, specialized tire wear, and complex, expensive repairs due to software glitches or faulty wiring.

Commonly Reported EV Issues

• Battery Degradation: Batteries lose capacity over time, reducing range and resale value.
• Charging Infrastructure & Reliability: Public chargers may be broken, unavailable, or have broken screens/cables.
• Software and Electronics: Complex systems can have bugs, leading to malfunctions,, requiring reboots, or requiring dealer-only repairs.
• Cold Weather Performance: Extreme cold significantly reduces battery efficiency and driving range.
• High Upfront Costs & Insurance: Generally higher initial purchase prices and higher premiums due to expensive repair costs.
• Fire Hazards: While rare, lithium-ion battery packs can face thermal runaway, especially after collisions.
• Weight-Related Wear: The heavy weight of EVs causes faster, specialized tire wear.
• Maintenance: While no oil changes, they can suffer from water ingress into electrical connectors, causing failures.
• Depreciation: Many models suffer from faster depreciation compared to gas cars, particularly as battery warranties end

I am not a troll. I made my $50 deposit.
I have even installed solar panels
with the idea of using them to charge
an EV so it would be powered by the sun.
So just calm down out there.
Long term, EVs have a place for some of us.

Good luck with the coming storm.

The AI quote is BS ripped of the pages of the online na sayers.

Battery degradation has proven to far less than any manufacturer original thought it would be. With the exception of Tesla. They are showing higher losses than the other manufacturers.

Travel anxiety is an issue for the newbies.

That whole thing is a bunch of FUD. IMHO

Nothing personal just pointing out the crap negative AI response.