Article: Slate can still undercut Ford's $30,000 EV pickup. Here's how

[SichuanHot]

I think Slate will really have to market how the frugality and simplicity of their truck is a good thing. Those cutsy portrait framed videos are nice and all, but they don't really tell or hint at what makes it stand out from a $30k EV Maverick.

Perhaps adding some zingers about right to repair and what the benefits of bringing your own device entails will be nice in future ads.

 

[Fattdogs]

In a general sense, I love Toyota reliability, and so would look seriously at a Toyota competitor, especially if it was built in the US (it would have to be to become competitively priced, imo).

BUT, there's no way that I'd be able to customize what I want like Slate, so I'll keep the reservation.

The Prius C was made in Japan, shipped to the USA, and was their cheapest (and smallest) hybrid option till they stopped US sales in 2017. If it's a small production unit, and without having to abide by certain battery standards to get the ev credit, a Japanese manufacturing is possible. (Ignoring the ever changing tariff Shenanigans).

 

[danielt1263]

... say the Slate releases at $27,500 and the Ford Truck releases at $30,000...

Everybody always bumps the Slate by $2,500 but takes Ford at their word @ $30k... How about say Slate is at $27.5k and Ford is at $32.5k? Or Slate is at $25k and Ford is at $30k?

Hell, Ford's price should be less accurate because they are estimating two years out on a vehicle that doesn't even have a drivable prototype yet (as far as we know). So, let's "say the Slate released at $25,000 and the Ford Truck releases at $32,500..."

 

[Letas]

Everybody always bumps the Slate by $2,500 but takes Ford at their word @ $30k... How about say Slate is at $27.5k and Ford is at $32.5k? Or Slate is at $25k and Ford is at $30k?

Hell, Ford's price should be less accurate because they are estimating two years out on a vehicle that doesn't even have a drivable prototype yet (as far as we know). So, let's "say the Slate released at $25,000 and the Ford Truck releases at $32,500..."

I haven’t seen slate release a price figure publicly yet. The 27.5 comes from the assumption that “under 20” meant 19999 before the tax credit.

Perhaps slate will surprise us, but the consensus here is that the price will be 25-27.5.

 

[danielt1263]

I haven’t seen slate release a price figure publicly yet. The 27.5 comes from the assumption that “under 20” meant 19999 before the tax credit.

Perhaps slate will surprise us, but the consensus here is that the price will be 25-27.5.

Listen again to their original ad on YouTube... CEO: "A Sate cost in the mid20s. Brand new." Now I get that this is likely a "ball-park" figure but so is Ford's.
Sure, the consensus is that it will come in between 25 and 27.5... But why take Ford at their word? You don't really think that Ford will release their EV at exactly $30k do you? Likely it will be something more like the low-30s which 32.5 is in range of. If you are going to push one, you should push both.

 

[Letas]

Listen again to their original ad on YouTube... CEO: "A Sate cost in the mid20s. Brand new." Now I get that this is likely a "ball-park" figure but so is Ford's.
Sure, the consensus is that it will come in between 25 and 27.5... But why take Ford at their word? You don't really think that Ford will release their EV at exactly $30k do you? Likely it will be something more like the low-30s which 32.5 is in range of. If you are going to push one, you should push both.

I don’t think it’s pushing the Slate at all to say 27.5k. When a company says something will be “under $20k”, I assume 19950+. Now add 7500 for the tax credit. If Slate releases a dollar figure rather than a vague target, I will use that. Until then, I will make my best guess.
You’re welcome to make your own assumptions too, that’s fine.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Listen again to their original ad on YouTube... CEO: "A Sate cost in the mid20s. Brand new." Now I get that this is likely a "ball-park" figure but so is Ford's.
Sure, the consensus is that it will come in between 25 and 27.5... But why take Ford at their word? You don't really think that Ford will release their EV at exactly $30k do you? Likely it will be something more like the low-30s which 32.5 is in range of. If you are going to push one, you should push both.

And…Ford’s MSRP means NOTHING. Their band of collusion colleagues (dealers) will be sure to add dealer markup to anything promising.

 

[AZFox]

I haven’t seen slate release a price figure publicly yet.

This again?

From Slate's website:

https://tech.yahoo.com/transportation/articles/slate-truck-know-low-cost-080815456.html

The Slate Truck is a simple, electric vehicle made in the United States, with an expected price of just under $20,000, according to its website. Slate Auto is a firm backed in part by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, according to a report by NBC News.​

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/au...e-auto-unveils-affordable-ev-truck-rcna203014

Its starting price point: $20,000 after federal EV incentives.​

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a64564869/2027-slate-truck-revealed/

Nascent automaker Slate is putting a lot of faith in the federal EV tax credit sticking around, because with the $7500 subsidy, the company's battery-electric 2027 Truck will cost consumers a little less than $20,000. Even without that, the Slate Truck will retail for just under $27,500.​

On the bright side, sometimes they left out "just under".
https://www.theverge.com/news/658223/slate-factory-electric-truck-location-indiana

Since Slate Auto came out of stealth mode last week, the internet has been abuzz with speculation about the finer details of the ultra-barebones electric Truck, which is set to cost just $20,000 when it enters production next year -- assuming our [federal EV incentives] are still in place by then.​

 

[AZFox]

Slate will determine what they think the market equilibrium price will be and offer the Truck at or below that price.

By "market equilibrium price" I mean the price where the quantity of Trucks the public is willing to buy is equal to the number of Trucks Slate can produce.

If they price too high (above market equilibrium), they'll end up with surplus Truck inventory to deal with, which costs money and damages the company's reputation.

If the price is below market equilibrium there will be a shortage (quantity demanded will exceed the available supply) and the Truck will be perceived as bargain-priced.

IMHO their risk of pricing too high during the first year of production is much greater than their risk of pricing too low, both in the long term and in the short term.

No matter what, pricing the Truck at this time would be a mistake because the market conditions that will exist at the time of release are not yet knowable.

 

[Letas]

This again?

From Slate's website:

Thanks for the clarity and sources on this! I was responding to @danielt1263 and his claims that I should've used different figures in my made up comparison. I think $27500 is a reasonable assumption for Slate, given current info.

 

[Crimpcap]

Slate can also do well because of the direct to consumer sales model. If Ford does come out with a $30K truck dealers are not going to sell it for that.

 

[HTXSlate]

Range, range, range. If the extended range battery costs $4k, putting it over $30K and the Ford has similar or even better range in a bigger truck with a few bells and whistles.

Why would you pay more for less? Slate at that point $31.5K, Ford $30k.

No brainer. Bye bye new start up with all the issues that are going to go with, hello Ford established company, established warranty coverage, warranty done by dealership instead of where for Slate?

I was all on board with the $7.5K incentive, but with that gone, Slate is going to have to really do something special and I am not sure plain jane is going to do it.

And now add the Yota truck. Going to have to depend on the EV aspect a lot which is why I am even considering one. Non EV tiny trucks do on interest me.

There will always be some buyers for only the Slate, and only the Ford truck, but say the Slate releases at $27,500 and the Ford Truck releases at $30,000, Slate will need to dominate the DIY space. The average joe consumer will likely sacrifice the extra $2500 to have some basic bells and whistles, so the Slate will have to carve out a bigger piece of a smaller pie.

Maybe that will kick them in gear to release an AWD model. That'd be nice

 

[HTXSlate]

Or get this now.... I-4 hybrid. Works and is here now.

$27,250.

But again, if it's not 100% EV, I am not interested in a small hybrid or ICE truck.

https://www.cookfordtexas.com/vehicle/3FTTW8A39SRA65127/2025-Ford-Maverick-XL-Texas_City-TX/

 

[AZFox]

Why would you pay more for less?

Because sometimes less is more!

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Range, range, range. If the extended range battery costs $4k, putting it over $30K and the Ford has similar or even better range in a bigger truck with a few bells and whistles.

Why would you pay more for less? Slate at that point $31.5K, Ford $30k.

No brainer. Bye bye new start up with all the issues that are going to go with, hello Ford established company, established warranty coverage, warranty done by dealership instead of where for Slate?

I was all on board with the $7.5K incentive, but with that gone, Slate is going to have to really do something special and I am not sure plain jane is going to do it.

And now add the Yota truck. Going to have to depend on the EV aspect a lot which is why I am even considering one. Non EV tiny trucks do on interest me.

On paper, you are right. My crap experience with Ford service over the years has only proved the stereotype, sadly…and, your $30K Ford truck won’t be sold for that until the newness wears off (see original Maverick, Raptor, etc for copious dealer markups). If we were talking Toyota, I’d be 100% in agreement.

DTC has some big advantages on the front end…pricing and then backend service will prove it or not.