Factory allowance/channels/tubes for running additional wires later (signal/power/fiber)

[Daemoch]

Any one else ever have to run new wires all over and REALLY wish the factory had thought to allow for end user addons/mods? I hate having to yank out all the trim, seats, and pull up the floor. Equally bad having to run stuff on the outside where the elements destroy it.

How about a few tubes to pull wires through? Say front to back, both sides, and a few left to right with breakouts in the middles? 1 to 2 inch and light weight metal would be beautiful. Build it right in and dont use it for any factory wiring so I know later what NOT to splice into. Just empty tunnels that are easy to drill holes in without compromising the vehicle. It'll also keep me from cutting into things later that maybe I shouldn't.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I’m with you! Something as easy as running a trailering light harness from rear to front on a non-tow package SUV taught me a lot about strategic use of zip ties!

 

[hbuck]

Any one else ever have to run new wires all over and REALLY wish the factory had thought to allow for end user addons/mods? I hate having to yank out all the trim, seats, and pull up the floor. Equally bad having to run stuff on the outside where the elements destroy it.

How about a few tubes to pull wires through? Say front to back, both sides, and a few left to right with breakouts in the middles? 1 to 2 inch and light weight metal would be beautiful. Build it right in and dont use it for any factory wiring so I know later what NOT to splice into. Just empty tunnels that are easy to drill holes in without compromising the vehicle. It'll also keep me from cutting into things later that maybe I shouldn't.

This would be useful if using the Slate as a toad behind an RV. That’s why I’m in this, for a lighter, cheaper, electric toad, 4 down behind my RV.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

This would be useful if using the Slate as a toad behind an RV. That’s why I’m in this, for a lighter, cheaper, electric toad, 4 down behind my RV.

That would be a great use-case. I don't know how that's done with an EV, but I'm sure that there are others who do!

 

[RetiredOnPaper]

As a HAM radio operator, I am constantly wiring and re-wiring. My hope is that Slate publishes a (pdf) manual with wiring diagrams. I like to splice in a fuse block for extra hookups. A list of parts and suppliers (part # for Digi-Key, Amazon) Maybe offer plug in expansion harness? Also remember the body panels come off, might have some neat possibilities.

 

[hbuck]

As a HAM radio operator, I am constantly wiring and re-wiring. My hope is that Slate publishes a (pdf) manual with wiring diagrams. I like to splice in a fuse block for extra hookups. A list of parts and suppliers (part # for Digi-Key, Amazon) Maybe offer plug in expansion harness? Also remember the body panels come off, might have some neat possibilities.

I think they will have some interesting wiring options as I plan to have the slate as a dingy behind the RV so I would definitely need how to have plug and play sorting harness for brakes and lights.

 

[AZFox]

I wonder if it'll have a trailer brake control harness.

Virtually all trucks have that.

(An exception might be if there's a built-in trailer brake controller.)

 

[Luxrage]

I don't know if Slate's towing capacity warrants brake controls but I'm sure we'll at least get a 4 pin adapter of some sort.

 

[Daemoch]

I don't know if Slate's towing capacity warrants brake controls but I'm sure we'll at least get a 4 pin adapter of some sort.

Tell em to save the money and just leave it for us to do. No one needs to pay for a tow harness if they arent going to use it. And frankly, I trust me and my skills more than I trust the factory, never mind some rando that thinks hes an electrician!

I wire everything I can for 7 wire (blade) and then step down to what I need. You can always step down, but you generally cant step up.

 

[Daemoch]

As a former Audio Installer, this would make Slate trucks (SUVs especially) VERY popular with the stereo/mod crowd. And looking at what they state as the target consumer, that's them.

 

[AZFox]

Would a factory Class 2 hitch receiver option include wiring?

Seems like it would, or at least there'd be instructions on Slate U for how to get wiring to the hitch.

 

[Daemoch]

Would a factory Class 2 hitch receiver option include wiring?

Seems like it would, or at least there'd be instructions on Slate U for how to get wiring to the hitch.

Only if you expect them to run options like everybody else does. At this point, anything's possible.

My brothers Subaru wagon didnt have the hitch, but had the harness (every Subaru does apparently). He got a hitch from a junker and grabbed the pigtail that runs to the harness for it, too, and had it all installed in about 20 minutes - factory class 2 with a 4 wire.

My C300 didn't have a media port for the stereo. Turned out it did, they just don't pop the hole in the glove box for it unless you pay for the option but they tuck the plug into the side panel where you can't see it without taking the glove box interior out. I 'installed' it while my wife was pumping gas.

My S10 and 2 Rangers all had a factory hitch but no wiring.

'They' do weird shit.

 

[KevinRS]

Looking at the rear bumper, the standard one appears to be a step bumper, with the license plate recessed. Often you see trucks where a hitch ball mounts directly into a hole in a bumper like that, probably that would qualify for a 1000 lb towing capacity. there do appear to be something on each side of the plate, could be a license plate light, and a cover where the trailer wiring plug would be hidden, and could already be prewired.
The upgraded bumper doesn't have the step, but if you add the spare carrier, the bumper goes to the upgrade, in the maker anyway. Hard to guess where a hitch would go with the upgraded bumper, the license plate is right in the center, the bumper slopes back below it, and the tailgate is right above it.
It could always be a hitch kit add on we haven't seen yet instead for both bumper types, but you'd think they would be showing at as an option.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Looking at the rear bumper, the standard one appears to be a step bumper, with the license plate recessed. Often you see trucks where a hitch ball mounts directly into a hole in a bumper like that, probably that would qualify for a 1000 lb towing capacity. there do appear to be something on each side of the plate, could be a license plate light, and a cover where the trailer wiring plug would be hidden, and could already be prewired.
The upgraded bumper doesn't have the step, but if you add the spare carrier, the bumper goes to the upgrade, in the maker anyway. Hard to guess where a hitch would go with the upgraded bumper, the license plate is right in the center, the bumper slopes back below it, and the tailgate is right above it.
It could always be a hitch kit add on we haven't seen yet instead for both bumper types, but you'd think they would be showing at as an option.

Good thoughts. I've installed a decent number of non-OEM receivers to various SUV's and usually the boys at etrailer.com have either developed one, or demonstrated the best Curt, etc one that works for that vehicle.

I'm dialing back my ambitions though. If I'm weight-constrained by BIG battery and SUV kit and Spare, how much am I really going to be towing?

I guess the ability to carry bikes, etc, would still make sense, but based on their initial specs, this would be one overwrought EV pretty quickly...2 adults in front, 2 kids in back, full SUV gear attached, spare tire on back, 3 bags in Frunk, and carrying 4 bikes on a bike rack?

I need to see it kitted out and drive it to know.

 

[KevinRS]

Not even sure how bike rack + spare tire would work, if nothing else the rack has to extend out the tire width farther than it would without the tire.
But yeah, load it up with everything, and the 1400 lb capacity doesn't seem so big. Just going by my possibly flawed recall of what others have posted, say 600 lbs of passengers for a round largish number, 310 for the extended battery, 210 for the SUV kit, you are at 1120, don't recall the spare weight estimate, but the remaining capacity for those bikes and everything else you want is shrinking fast.