Cargo Kit / High Roof Cargo Kit / Options and Fleet Sales Update (from Slate Portland Demo Event)

[sodamo]

Drove down from Seattle for the Portland event. As I was standing in line for a demo ride, I had a great conversation with Christian Kreipke with SLATE Fleet Business Development. He offered a lot of information:

First thing I asked him about was the cargo kit.

• He said it is definitely going to be available to everyone (not just fleet sales).
• There will be two versions, 1) the square back from the SUV kit and 2) a high-boy version that will include a “spoiler” cap to replace the top of the vehicle cab.
• It will come in two colors (not wrapped) 1) white (standard fleet color) 2) black (which will complement the slate grey of the truck.
• Removing the cab back glass and bulkhead will definitely be an option.
• There will be side window options on the cargo kit, 1) blank panels 2) glass 3) with lift struts and locks on the side glass.
• Kit cost starts at ~$3k.

He worked in fleet development for years at Ford and was very excited about what SLATE will have to offer. He’s been talking with potential fleet customers, and he said companies and municipalities are coming up with interesting uses. Like refrigeration units, slide outs, and a mobile vending machine. He said the next iteration of the truck will be essentially the same so 3rd party fleet equipment manufacturers will have security in knowing the truck design will not change (a big problem with Ford). While he wouldn’t give me a number fleet pre-orders, he said that fleet sales will be big. He said that by this time next summer they are on track to build 75k trucks and a sizeable number of them will be fleet sales.

I’m not a fleet sales customer, I just want the cargo kit, but it’s clear that SLATE has been thinking about fleet sales from the get go, they are preparing for it to be a major part of their business plan.

Thank you. Very encouraging re Cargo kit.

 

[CEW]

WOW!! just WOW! this news
"He said the next iteration of the truck will be essentially the same so 3rd party fleet equipment manufacturers will have security in knowing the truck design will not change (a big problem with Ford). While he wouldn’t give me a number fleet pre-orders, he said that fleet sales will be big. He said that by this time next summer they are on track to build 75k trucks and a sizeable number of them will be fleet sales."

 

[Mr. X]

Bummer. I was hoping the fastback would be available for cargo.

 

[kotaKat]

As a guy who sells grass fed beef at farmer's markets that's a really interesting idea. I currently put a midsized freezer or two in the back of my 3/4 ton pickup.

I don't have enough volume for it make sense at the moment most likely, but it gets me thinking.

Store a large battery bank in the frunk (or a small generator in transit), load the freezers in the back of the Slate. If you're staging the freezer at home, plug it into shore power up until you leave for the market, then ride out to the show and plug into your onboard power source.

EZPZ... for now

 

[WolfWings]

I am curious about this replacement cab spoiler roof for the high boy cargo topper. This suggests the cab roof is removable and replaceable. That leaves a piece of bonded sheet metal which holds up the interior cabin roof material.

I am really hope this points to a future option of a completely open roof convertible.

The rear beam on the cab is part of the welded frame, so that can't go away.

But replacing the cab roof plastic panel with one that's a dead flat shelf on the inside with an exterior arch that continues the windshield angle up?

That would let you raise the cargo area to a comfortable 'seated workshop' height at a minimum for locksmiths or the like with the over-cab space good for extra 'grandmas attic' style storage, or possibly to full 'standing height' at which point honestly I know a lot that would set one as a camper at that point with a slide-out bed stored in that over-cab area.

 

[RevMS]

Store a large battery bank in the frunk (or a small generator in transit), load the freezers in the back of the Slate. If you're staging the freezer at home, plug it into shore power up until you leave for the market, then ride out to the show and plug into your onboard power source.

EZPZ... for now

That's pretty much what I do now. The fact that I use a 3/4 ton truck is just because that's the truck I have now ... not because I need that big a truck for this part of the job. The Anker Solix C1000 runs the freezers all day (with two freezers it's pretty close to 0% by the time I get home) ... I stage everything after dinner on Fridays and run it plugged in to shore power overnight.

 

[danielt1263]

He said that by this time next summer they are on track to build 75k trucks and a sizeable number of them will be fleet sales.

And the CEO said they need to hit 80k to be first year profitable. An EV maker who's profitable in their first year? That's amazing!

 

[Trace26]

How do I get a white Slate??

 

[solartogo]

I am curious about this replacement cab spoiler roof for the high boy cargo topper. This suggests the cab roof is removable and replaceable. That leaves a piece of bonded sheet metal which holds up the interior cabin roof material.

I am really hope this points to a future option of a completely open roof convertible.

Spoiler is at the back of the cab roof (above the bulkhead, behind/above the B pillar)? Although maybe there is one at the front also? Recent pictures seemed to show a bar across the top of the cab, maybe that was a roof rack, but it didn't really look like one.

You might only get an open roof with a cross-bar, but the open air kit has a couple cross-bars, so maybe that is OK?

 

[solartogo]

Bummer. I was hoping the fastback would be available for cargo.

Cargo prefers cubic inches, rather than odd-shaped spaces.

 

[Johnologue]

How do I get a white Slate??

I believe the cargo kit is white, not the Slate.

It will come in two colors (not wrapped) 1) white (standard fleet color) 2) black (which will complement the slate grey of the truck.

I could be missing something though. I assumed you were talking about the Slate in the picture, and I think that is wrapped, which is why there's a QR code that blends in with it without being held together by a square (as would be necessary for a decal) or printed/stamped on somehow (which wouldn't work with the curved panel, I assume).

 

[KJRaven]

Drove down from Seattle for the Portland event. As I was standing in line for a demo ride, I had a great conversation with Christian Kreipke with SLATE Fleet Business Development. He offered a lot of information:

First thing I asked him about was the cargo kit.

• He said it is definitely going to be available to everyone (not just fleet sales).
• There will be two versions, 1) the square back from the SUV kit and 2) a high-boy version that will include a “spoiler” cap to replace the top of the vehicle cab.
• It will come in two colors (not wrapped) 1) white (standard fleet color) 2) black (which will complement the slate grey of the truck.
• Removing the cab back glass and bulkhead will definitely be an option.
• There will be side window options on the cargo kit, 1) blank panels 2) glass 3) with lift struts and locks on the side glass.
• Kit cost starts at ~$3k.

He worked in fleet development for years at Ford and was very excited about what SLATE will have to offer. He’s been talking with potential fleet customers, and he said companies and municipalities are coming up with interesting uses. Like refrigeration units, slide outs, and a mobile vending machine. He said the next iteration of the truck will be essentially the same so 3rd party fleet equipment manufacturers will have security in knowing the truck design will not change (a big problem with Ford). While he wouldn’t give me a number fleet pre-orders, he said that fleet sales will be big. He said that by this time next summer they are on track to build 75k trucks and a sizeable number of them will be fleet sales.

I’m not a fleet sales customer, I just want the cargo kit, but it’s clear that SLATE has been thinking about fleet sales from the get go, they are preparing for it to be a major part of their business plan.

Christian is great, I have had a few conversations with him on the fleet side of things at a few different events. a while back he told me that they want to capture the Ford Transit Connect customers since it was discontinued in 2023. The slate with the cargo top should have about the same cargo space as it, and those things were great for all kinds of things. If they can pull it off it will be amazing for fleets.

Looks similar to me...

Reference link and photo
https://www.ford.com/trucks/transit-connect-passenger-van-wagon/

 

[tubes]

Back doors being designed and worked on as we speak ... probably.

I think that part is going to be hard to pull off, but we'll see.

 

[solartogo]

While he wouldn’t give me a number fleet pre-orders, he said that fleet sales will be big. He said that by this time next summer they are on track to build 75k trucks and a sizeable number of them will be fleet sales.

At the risk of repeating myself, I look forward to seeing

Simple
Little
Adaptable
Trucks
Everywhere

 

[Johnologue]

Back doors being designed and worked on as we speak ... probably.

I think that part is going to be hard to pull off, but we'll see.

I'd hope so, you wouldn't want the back doors to be easy to pull off!
(Jokes aside, I imagine it'll be very possible to take them off the hinges intentionally, just, hopefully not by accident.)