Does the SUV kit make sense?

[Whitesands]

Honestly, I think they are pushing common sense a bit with the SUV kit. I mean, no harm done to offer one. But you don't see very many two door SUVs on the market - for a really, really good reason. Imagine a crash and a fire, and you're in the back, and you don't have a door. No thanks.

Assuming a rather rare scenario where the vehicle rolled onto one side and let's say the battery is on fire in such a way that egress through the other door is intolerable, the SUV roof has latches that lets it pop off and the occupants can leave through there. The rich rebuilds video shows these in the corners.

 

[AZFox]

Assuming a rather rare scenario where the vehicle rolled onto one side and let's say the battery is on fire in such a way that egress through the other door is intolerable, the SUV roof has latches that lets it pop off and the occupants can leave through there. The rich rebuilds video shows these in the corners.

The SUV Kit's windows are removable too.

 

[cadblu]

The SUV Kit's windows are removable too.

Yes, but can they be kicked open in an emergency, like bus or train windows?

Or will Slate stow a hammer in the back
🔨 with a warning…

“In case of emergency, break glass”

 

[Mac-Tyson]

Just food for thought I’ve had. Does the SUV kit even make sense in the business model anymore? I know there are users who will get the topper and use it without seats- that makes sense.

But for the everyday consumer, average Joe buying the Slate. The SUV kit is getting more and more confusing.
Reason I say this- there is a lot of competition in the market. The recent CNBC video says a well kitted Slate will be “high 30s”.

Now you’re directly competing with the Equinox’s, Kona’s, etc. and even a well-kitted Slate will be less equipped than a base model of these.

The cheap truck- that makes sense. But consumers in the SUV market- will they pay more/the same for less?

Curious to thoughts.

I think most people who are interested in Slate are interested in it as Pickup Truck first. The SUV Kit is just a bonus that you can buy on day one or purchase later. The example Slate always gives that I think is a good one is a young professional who buys a Blank Slate as a new car. But later get's married and has kids. Now you need more seats so you can buy a new car or the much cheaper option of just getting the SUV Kit.

Another hypothetical example a person buys a Blank Slate as a work truck or secondary vehicle. Their kid is now the age to drive. They pass the truck to their kid (or buy a new blank slate for them). The kid isn't too enthusiastic at first (not every kid wants their Dad's old pick up truck as their first car). But then they learn to wrap the vehicle to suit their style. Working their part time job they buy the SUV Kit to fit more of their friends. By the Summer they are now rocking an open air slate with the doors off and their custom wrap. From this Blank Slate they now have their own 1 of 1 Slate they can be proud of. It's no longer their Parents Pick Up Truck it's now their own Slate Truck.

Basically it might not compare if you buy it day one, but once you already own a Slate and your circumstances of financials change. Then buying an SUV Kit is much cheaper than buying a cheap SUV. Though we also don't know yet final pricing and what the competition looks like. Or even what a well kitted Slate even means. Since honestly I was expecting the craziest Slate Combos to be around 40Ks. But even if they are I guarantee 95% of the people who put over 40K (including the price of the truck) into the Slate they did it over the life of the vehicle.

 

[E90400K]

The SUV kit has never made sense to me. The market is pretty much over the 2-door SUV*. It's just a PITA to get into the back seat.

*I do own a 2022, 2-door Bronco.

 

[Mac-Tyson]

Aphrodite's second-most asked question (after AWD) was about getting an SUV kit without the seats and rollbar. She said yes, and then said "the Cargo Kit is essentially the SUV Kit without seats".

Think we could get Aphrodite to do a Q&A on here?

 

[atreis]

The SUV kit has never made sense to me. The market is pretty much over the 2-door SUV*. It's just a PITA to get into the back seat.

*I do own a 2022, 2-door Bronco.

Once the backseat passengers are old enough to get in/out themselves, I don't see the climbing in/out as much of an issue. Growing up, my mom had a small 2 door hatchback for most of my childhood and it wasn't a problem at all.

 

[Trace26]

I think the SUV kit is also good marketing. Like how many people will buy the base slate thinking "oh I can add the SUV kit later" and then never do because they end up not needing it. But if they thought that they would need the second row and the kit wasn't available, they would have bought something else instead.

 

[E90400K]

Once the backseat passengers are old enough to get in/out themselves, I don't see the climbing in/out as much of an issue. Growing up, my mom had a small 2 door hatchback for most of my childhood and it wasn't a problem at all.

I was thinking more about adults over the age of 45. Kids are no problem once out of a car seat age.

 

[ScooterAsheville]

You know, the SUV kit might make sense even if they never sell a single kit. Because it makes potential buyers think, "well, I could do that if I wanted". That happens a lot in automotive sales. Somebody buys a Corvette with the thought, "well I could track it if I wanted to". And that Corvette never goes faster than 80. And I wonder how many $200,000 Mercedes Gelandewagens ever leave pavement?

Image and imagination goes a long way in selling cars. Well, in selling anything really.

 

[Dorbiman]

You know, the SUV kit might make sense even if they never sell a single kit. Because it makes potential buyers think, "well, I could do that if I wanted". That happens a lot in automotive sales. Somebody buys a Corvette with the thought, "well I could track it if I wanted to". And that Corvette never goes faster than 80.

Image and imagination goes a long way in selling cars. Well, in selling anything really.

As a former owner of many sports cars that were highway queens and never saw the track...I feel called out

 

[AZFox]

As a former owner of many sports cars that were highway queens and never saw the track...I feel called out

As someone who's owned several 4x4s I resemble that remark.

My current one has AWD and 4x4... because you can't be too sure.

If you want to go off-road you're better off getting a quad or a side-by-side rather than using the vehicle you drive to work.

On the trails quads travel twice as fast as 4x4s, and dirtbikes travel twice as fast as quads.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I tend to agree. I think I’m going to get the rear seat, roll bar, and then do something like this!

 

[Luxrage]

The subject is already beaten to death, but the SUV kit, as we have seen with what people say about AWD, extended range, ect. is probably more for if you might need it every once in a while.

When I was looking for a convertible weekend car, I wanted one specifically that had rear seats, because every once in a while we and I visit our other friends... and that's now 3 or 4 passengers. I use em probably once every few months but it's still worth it. Most of the time the rears are folded up, but they're great in a pinch.

It's a two door pickup, but look! You can put the dog back there, or take the grandkids somewhere, or pick up hitch hikers on the highway outside of the prison. It probably gives some buyers more peace of mind.