HVAC ventilation thoughts

[mmcafee]

The truck being a basic truck, and the HVAC is set for the truck configuration. What if any thoughts are their about the configuration of a two row SUV? How are they anticipating rear ventilation? No rear windows, I have not seen any rear vents?

 

[IanNubbit]

My guess is there will be floor vents that you can add in, or nothing. Only cars in the last 5-10 years added more then just a floor vent to rear seats from my experience. Even 2026 vehicles depending on trim level only have the floor vent for the rear seats. Likely there will be no accommodation, but I could see someone design a kit to use with the center console or as a replacement for the center console that adds some ducts

 

[mmcafee]

thanks, be really nice to have a adaptable rear HVAC for the rear passengers. The volumetric shift from a truck (two passenger) to a SUV (up to five passenger) configuration is a big shift to the truck HVAC system and the passengers even the front. Sure nice to have face airflow, but whole body is impacted. Anyway off my soapbox.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

Point the middle vents between the front seats and tell the back seat passengers to suck it up.

 

[IanNubbit]

thanks, be really nice to have a adaptable rear HVAC for the rear passengers. The volumetric shift from a truck (two passenger) to a SUV (up to five passenger) configuration is a big shift to the truck HVAC system and the passengers even the front. Sure nice to have face airflow, but whole body is impacted. Anyway off my soapbox.

Some manufactures have started running ducts down the center console to make “face” vents, or mini-vans and luxury cars run them across the edge if the cabin up the B-pillars but there us definitely no room for that. This is also why I really love it’s a 2 door truck. The load on the HVAC is sooooooo much smaller than an SUV as far as air to change. Significantly less energy used/wasted in the summer and winter

 

[Luxrage]

My Element has ducts that run under the driver and passenger seat to the rears and they're borderline useless. The truck is small enough that the heater on full blast should hopefully do the trick for rear seat passengers.

 

[KevinRS]

Lots of entry level vehicles still have nothing as far as rear vents. Something like a Versa has the dash vents, and to defrost the side windows you have to aim the side dash vents, defrost vents, and bottom vents, pointing at the driver and front passenger's feet.
I don't expect anything more from Slate, rear vents are a relatively new thing, and lower priced 2 row vehicles don't have them.
However the system is designed to be able to heat/cool the whole vehicle, including with the SUV kits, so power shouldn't be an issue. Since it also has to heat/cool the battery, it probably never would have been an issue heating and cooling the cab.

 

[fuzzyweis]

Even with the rear seats it's still a fairly small cabin so the front vents will probably be enough to cool it all down, maybe that's why they keep showing off the open top rear option though

 

[IanNubbit]

Even with the rear seats it's still a fairly small cabin so the front vents will probably be enough to cool it all down, maybe that's why they keep showing off the open top rear option though

They are certainly targeting the Jeep and Cali crowd with the HEAVY push on the super impractical open-air option. Take the cap off the SUV kits, sure, but selling the open air on it's own just seems wild to me

 

[KevinRS]

They are certainly targeting the Jeep and Cali crowd with the HEAVY push on the super impractical open-air option. Take the cap off the SUV kits, sure, but selling the open air on it's own just seems wild to me

Since it's modular parts, they lose nothing by selling the roll bar and seats without the shell, even if it's only to a handful of customers.

 

[IanNubbit]

Since it's modular parts, they lose nothing by selling the roll bar and seats without the shell, even if it's only to a handful of customers.

I guess that’s fair enough. Just hope someone can buy the bare top after the fact easily as well

 

[KevinRS]

I guess that’s fair enough. Just hope someone can buy the bare top after the fact easily as well

Don't see why they wouldn't. Bare top to make open air into SUV might be close to what the cargo kit would be.