I think I am “over The Slate”

[dark star]

The more threads I read and the more I think about it, the more I feel I’m over the Slate.

I really wanted an EV before I leave this world. It seemed like it could be a great second vehicle and a practical everyday car for local driving. But I live in rural upstate New York, with cold winters and hot summers, and the more I look at the reality of this vehicle, the less it feels like a bargain for me.

The small battery and limited range are hard enough to accept, but when you add in just how stripped-down the base Slate is, it starts to feel like very little vehicle for the money. On top of that, this would be a brand-new vehicle coming off a brand-new production line from a brand-new factory, with all the risks that come with that. Rear-wheel drive only is another concern for me.

Then there’s the fact that I’d need to add at least a few basics just to make it workable for my needs, like the SUV kit and a stereo. And now that the $7,500 rebate is no longer part of the equation, the original low-cost pitch doesn’t hit the same way at all.

It starts to feel like a hornet’s nest of possible issues for a vehicle that, in its basic form, offers very little. Sure, you can customize it all you want, but then you wind up paying what many other EVs already cost. Even keeping it fairly stripped down, with just the SUV kit and stereo added, the price keeps creeping up. Then there are taxes, destination charges, and the cost of hiring a licensed electrician to install a proper charging setup in my garage.

I tried. I really did. I put down a deposit on day two because I wanted to stay excited about it. But time and reality have worn me down, and for me, the Slate now feels like an absurd purchase.

I hope the company succeeds, and I hope those of you still on board end up with a vehicle you love. Good luck to all of you, and thanks for making this a fun board to follow.

 

[Imhotep]

The more threads I read and the more I think about it, the more I feel I’m over the Slate.

I really wanted an EV before I leave this world. It seemed like it could be a great second vehicle and a practical everyday car for local driving. But I live in rural upstate New York, with cold winters and hot summers, and the more I look at the reality of this vehicle, the less it feels like a bargain for me.

The small battery and limited range are hard enough to accept, but when you add in just how stripped-down the base Slate is, it starts to feel like very little vehicle for the money. On top of that, this would be a brand-new vehicle coming off a brand-new production line from a brand-new factory, with all the risks that come with that. Rear-wheel drive only is another concern for me.

Then there’s the fact that I’d need to add at least a few basics just to make it workable for my needs, like the SUV kit and a stereo. And now that the $7,500 rebate is no longer part of the equation, the original low-cost pitch doesn’t hit the same way at all.

It starts to feel like a hornet’s nest of possible issues for a vehicle that, in its basic form, offers very little. Sure, you can customize it all you want, but then you wind up paying what many other EVs already cost. Even keeping it fairly stripped down, with just the SUV kit and stereo added, the price keeps creeping up. Then there are taxes, destination charges, and the cost of hiring a licensed electrician to install a proper charging setup in my garage.

I tried. I really did. I put down a deposit on day two because I wanted to stay excited about it. But time and reality have worn me down, and for me, the Slate now feels like an absurd purchase.

I hope the company succeeds, and I hope those of you still on board end up with a vehicle you love. Good luck to all of you, and thanks for making this a fun board to follow.

You might say “Dark star crashes.” LOL

Fun having another Dead Head on the forum. I hope you find the right vehicle for you. I had HIGH hopes for the electric VW bus, but that didn’t pan out so well.

 

[dark star]

Kudos to you for the witty response!

 

[ScooterAsheville]

>> I had HIGH hopes for the electric VW bus, but that didn’t pan out so well.

I wanted the ID Buzz to succeed so bad. Then they sent the long and expensive one, and overpriced and underspeced it. I owned a sixties VW Bus back in the day. Typical VW. They misread the US market time and time again. Teutonic arrogance, I suppose.

 

[dark star]

I think a lot of potential EV buyers have been burned by disappointment. Not trying/loving to get political, but I do think the federal government’s lack of real support for EV development has put a cloud over pricing and over whether traditional automakers will keep pushing ahead with affordable new EVs.

Sometimes big changes need a push, and that often means government incentives for manufacturers, infrastructure, and buyers alike. Without that, progress slows and prices stay stubbornly high.

I know some people will disagree, but that is how it looks to me.

 

[ScooterAsheville]

Over on Autoline, they don't take sides so much as ask the regulators for consistency. We have oscillated from extremes over the last decade. First way too far in one direction. Then way too far in the other direction.

Automakers have to invest over decades. A new ICE vehicle from a major OEM is $1.5 billion or more. For a radical BEV with an all-new software suite, zonal archicture, 48V , it's $10+ billion. And it takes years to amortize those programs.

So I'd like to see our elected masters just pick a path and stick to it. And I think that's all the automakers want too. Just establish a set of rules, and don't dramatically change the rules every four years. That's like pulling the rug out from under somebody juggling a dozen plates.

The beautiful thing is that the outcome is certain. OEMs know that. It's an all-BEV future - every OEM CEO on the planet has acknowledged that at one time or another. It's just the timing that's being fought over tooth and claw.

 

[AKrietzer]

The cheapest comparable to a pickup or SUV is going to be $45,000+, and you will still have to pay taxes, destination fees, and other dealer costs on whatever you buy. If you want all the features, they are $75,000+. Not everyone was able to get the $7,500 tax credit.

That's why I'm here.

 

[dark star]

I agree with you AKrietzer. I can’t afford those prices, and, at first thought the Slate would be my “salvation.” But, as I already expressed, those low-ball first Slate price expectations have just gotten ”out of hand” for me, too.

 

[E90400K]

The cheapest comparable to a pickup or SUV is going to be $45,000+, and you will still have to pay taxes, destination fees, and other dealer costs on whatever you buy. If you want all the features, they are $75,000+. Not everyone was able to get the $7,500 tax credit.

That's why I'm here.

Baloney.

Equinox EV can be had for lower to mid thirty thousands. Go ICEV and the small SUV segment has lots of models that can be bought new for just over $30K and are very well equipped.

Want a mid-sized pickup, extended cab Frontiers and Tacomas can be bought new for $33K. You can get a white Nissan S-trim Frontier for just over $30K. Local dealership to me has 8 in stock and keeps at least that stock level all the time.

Slate's issue is its subsidized price was worth the no-content approach. At $30K with the big battery, it's not so good of a choice.

 

[Yeller Feller]

The more threads I read and the more I think about it, the more I feel I’m over the Slate.

I really wanted an EV before I leave this world. It seemed like it could be a great second vehicle and a practical everyday car for local driving....

Do you need extended range batteries and a L2 charger for local driving?

I saw a co-worker plug his Bolt into a regular 110v-15a outlet at work, and I asked him about how he charges. He said he just commutes with it, so he plugs it when he gets to work, and that's enough. "And again when you get home?" I asked. "No, just at work," he smiled.

Then again, I don't know how many miles constitute "local driving" in upstate New York.

 

[nstrains10]

I love how everyone in these threads is building off of a speculated price. We'll have no idea until June what it is. I could see them surprising everyone and coming in well under $25k ("mid-twenties). Also, the price of the extended range battery not being what we think it'll be either. I know I'm speculating as well... Haha 😂

 

[beatle]

As a potential pickup buyer, I can see the struggle with the value of the Slate SUV. Its price quickly gets out of hand and starts to into better equipped options from established manufacturers. A new Leaf is $30k and gets 300 miles of range, a Kia EV3 is $35k and gets 270. This is also assuming you're not going to cross shop one of the lightly used EVs that are about to flood the market this year. TBH this is my current plan for when my Rivian's lease is up: a lightly used Mini Cooper SE and my 3rd Ridgeline.

The Slate pickup is still in a niche of its own since it's so small, and nobody offers a small EV pickup - or even a gas pickup that size anymore. Ford's EV truck offering will definitely take some wind out of Slate's sails, though it will still be bigger.

Still, unless you need to buy today, there's little reason to give up your reservation now. The interest on $50 is less than $2 a year. I held a Silverado EV reservation since launch, and I just refunded it after the dealer called and said I had to come into the dealership to place my order.

 

[E90400K]

OP, why would you bag the idea just yet? Unless you need the Slate to replace a current vehicle, there is no harm in waiting until you know how much the Slate + big battery + SUV kit is going to cost you. Another 4 months should tell you what your expected price is, and keep in mind you'll not get your Slate until sometime in early to mid 2027 assuming production is on schedule.

I still believe the mid term elections will flip Congress back to pro EV and the tax credits will be back in place and stay locked in place until 2040. The tax credit will probably be even better than $7,500 and will be in place by the time you buy your Slate.

The L2 charger, that's easily solvable by getting an estimate now from an electrician just to understand what level of retrofit is required for installation in your house. And have you checked if the local utility has any incentives available to offset the cost?

There is no need now to make a decision without ANY real data. Get the data for the charger install. Wait until July 2026 for the Slate price announcement. Decide on the battery size, IMO for upstate New York you'd be better off with the extra 30 kWh battery size.

You've got plenty of time to make a decision. My 2 cents.

 

[Oddballhero]

Another option that I have been considering due to me being poor, is maybe wait a couple years, and when some become used, they could be way cheaper, and more worth it.
Plus, unlike any other car, it won't matter what it looks like, as you can change everything about it, and make it your own.
I actually think the Slate could be a great choice for pre-owned.

 

[dark star]

While deflated by the prospective Slate final pricing for my needs, I do agree with E90400K… I will leave my $50 just where it is - as an early adopter deposit for the Slate. Yes, “you never know” how things may change, but my sour puss outlook, for now, remains.