Article: Why Slate's CEO Isn't Too Worried About Cheap Chinese EVs

[smack daddy]

So, the American-made, American-supplier-base-parts, American-worker-built, Warsaw, Indiana Slate is going to somehow be better made than the 'Big-3"? How's that work?

And BTW, Chinese EVs are not now in the American market because of the last Administration (100% tariff), not the current Administration. Googleit.

I wasn’t referring to the 100% tariffs. I was referring to the fact that the current administrations treatment of other countries and the alienation that is currently happening the countries we used to trade with and count on are now currently divesting from the US so the US market the big 3 have now is the only market they will have in the next 3 years take a look what has happened to Tesla in Europe and china steadily declining.

 

[smack daddy]

So, the American-made, American-supplier-base-parts, American-worker-built, Warsaw, Indiana Slate is going to somehow be better made than the 'Big-3"? How's that work?

And BTW, Chinese EVs are not now in the American market because of the last Administration (100% tariff), not the current Administration. Googleit.

Oh and the parts maybe somewhat made here but I can promise you a lot of the raw material will be made in other countries

 

[CX030]

If I were Slate, I’ll be worry: the “1-model out of the factory / customized locally” would work beautifully from China.

 

[KevinRS]

Slate most likely has at least a couple of years before they might have to worry about competition from China. Even then, China's policies on subsidizing industries make it unlikely either side of politics would substantially allow Chinese made vehicles in without high tariffs.

 

[E90400K]

I wasn’t referring to the 100% tariffs. I was referring to the fact that the current administrations treatment of other countries and the alienation that is currently happening the countries we used to trade with and count on are now currently divesting from the US so the US market the big 3 have now is the only market they will have in the next 3 years take a look what has happened to Tesla in Europe and china steadily declining.

Everyone says tariffs don't work, yet every country uses them as economic policy.

Tesla's Chinese market cars are built in China. Tesla Euro cars are built in Gemany and China. Tesla's cars are stale.

 

[smack daddy]

Everyone says tariffs don't work, yet every country uses them as economic policy.

Tesla's Chinese market cars are built in China. Tesla Euro cars are built in Gemany and China. Tesla's cars are stale.

Why tariff coffee it can’t be grown here why tariff uninhibited islands when you close the markets to foreign competition all you do is increase what we pay for products and increase the profits that goes straight to the rich it doesn’t trickle down never has never will it creates a false market that is controlled by the rich

 

[bloo]

Chris isn't worried about Chinese EVs because they aren't exporting a small two-door electric pickup to Western markets. Chinese companies are riding the same bland SUV gravy train as everyone else.

The tiny two-door trucks they do offer are mostly for the Asian market. I've seen them in indonesia. While they are cheap, top speed is about 100kph and the front-seat occupants' legs are part of the crumple zone.

Commuting on a US freeway with one would be nuts.

 

[Mr. Slate]

since it was announced I've thought the reason Slate chose to build a pickup was because of the Chicken Tax, a 25% tarrif on all light trucks imported to the US. Which makes it harder for foreign imports to compete but doesn't limit Slate from exporting trucks.

 

[sidneyhornblower]

since it was announced I've thought the reason Slate chose to build a pickup was because of the Chicken Tax, a 25% tarrif on all light trucks imported to the US. Which makes it harder for foreign imports to compete but doesn't limit Slate from exporting trucks.

That's perceptive and probably true. It's a goofy situation in the law, but if I were Slate and it worked in my favor, I'd take advantage of it by doing exactly what they're doing.

 

[AZFox]

since it was announced I've thought the reason Slate chose to build a pickup was because of the Chicken Tax, a 25% tarrif on all light trucks imported to the US. Which makes it harder for foreign imports to compete but doesn't limit Slate from exporting trucks.

The Chicken Tax is ridiculous. For those unfamiliar with what it is, @Mad Mac described it this way last May:

The "Chicken Tax" was imposed initially by Lyndon Johnson in the '60s for chickens and other goods such as light trucks imported into the U.S.

Some of you may recall the Subaru Brat with two seats in the bed which allowed it to be classified as an SUV in order to avoid the 25% duty on light trucks.

Believe it or not that 25% duty is still with us.

I remember disliking that legal quirk because 1989 was the last year the 2-door Mitsubishi Montero was imported.

2-door SUVs were re-designated as light trucks and therefore became subject to the Chicken Tax.

People want 2-door trucks and SUVs, but they've been held out of reach by the government and the industry.

 

[Mr. Slate]

People want 2-door trucks and SUVs, but they've been held out of reach by the government and the industry.

I couldn't agree more. I see comments online (forums and video) that say something to the effect of "Slate won't succeed, americans only like big trucks" but between the chicken tax and CAFE standards favoring larger trucks I don't think it's possible to judge how many americans would love a small pickup. Here in NC their are an ever increasing number of Kei trucks on the roads and there are a bundle of downsides to them (at least 20 years old, lack of safety, AC is rare, won't drive highway speeds....) and Kei trucks aren't even street legal in many states.

 

[AZFox]

Here in NC their are an ever increasing number of Kei trucks on the roads and there are a bundle of downsides to them (at least 20 years old, lack of safety, AC is rare, won't drive highway speeds....) and Kei trucks aren't even street legal in many states.

Check out what I saw in the grocery store parking lot Saturday.

It had a small (motorcycle-sized) license plate, so maybe they had it licensed as an off-highway vehicle or something.

 

[Luxrage]

Check out what I saw in the grocery store parking lot Saturday.

It had a small (motorcycle-sized) license plate, so maybe they had it licensed as an off-highway vehicle or something.

Where I'm at they've approved these things for full street legality. These tiny things seem to be holding their own in Dallas' cut-throat highway traffic.

we're starting to see more and more of them being shipped in, too. Wild the wheel size compared to the Nissan behind it:

 

[SichuanHot]

I couldn't agree more. I see comments online (forums and video) that say something to the effect of "Slate won't succeed, americans only like big trucks" but between the chicken tax and CAFE standards favoring larger trucks I don't think it's possible to judge how many americans would love a small pickup. Here in NC their are an ever increasing number of Kei trucks on the roads and there are a bundle of downsides to them (at least 20 years old, lack of safety, AC is rare, won't drive highway speeds....) and Kei trucks aren't even street legal in many states.

Having lived in NC, I've seen those kei trucks and have talked to owners of those kei trucks at car meets and such. They're not used for anything serious and most owners purchased them as a novelty. Some will putter around them to work and weekend jaunts, but they're not used in any serious capacity. There are also many service members who have decided to import them from where they were stationed.

 

[sodamo]

Not so here, see more and more of them and being worked too, often at HD. My neighbor has a 4x4 version he works of his coffee farm as well as normal driving. Street legal.