If the Slate PU came only as an ICE, I would buy one.

[Sparkie]

I truly believe the US auto market is saturated with "over loaded" vehicles.
I started to notice it in the early to mid 2000s, but it became frustrating when I tried to buy a new 2019 car.
Certainly after COVID, the auto makers saw benefits of buyers getting "car mortgages" through the "lending institutions" of Ford, GM, Toyota, etc.
And they learned that bigger "mortgages" for longer terms yielded the maker even higher profit margins.
I know none of this is news to any of us in this forum, but some of my friends and neighbors have accepted "this is just how it is now".

A reset to a simpler more functional vehicle was long overdue, but that was never in the financial interest of existing auto makers.
And yes, some makers are scrambling to re-configure existing vehicles into a more affordable price (to which I credit Slate -- not the board of directors of those companies).
I don't believe those "more affordable" options will ever see genuine production quantities from the current makers.
Rather, I think those vehicles will be limited releases and used as "bait" to attract potential customers into showrooms.

Therefore, my Slate Auto reservation is not because it is an EV pickup truck.
I'm happily impressed with Slate's intentional design efforts from assembly of the truck to post-production DIY product offerings.
I see my Slate as a return of me being able to buy just what I want and not anything that I will not use or need.
So if the Slate were only available as an ICE, I would still be here eagerly waiting -- heck, I would have at least TWO reservations.

 

[Driven5]

Rather, I think those vehicles will be limited releases and used as "bait" to attract potential customers into showrooms.

"...But for only $5/day more, on the 8 year loan, you could have this $10k more expensive one instead."


There is certainly a segment that would prefer Slate as an ICEV over an EV. But it seems to me that more people interested in Slate as an ICEV would still buy it as an EV, than people interested in Slate as an EV would buy it as an ICEV... So they probably made the right call.

 

[ryun]

It seems more people interested in Slate as an ICEV would still buy it as an EV, than people interested in Slate as an EV would buy it as an ICEV... So they probably made the right call.

You can tally me in the latter group. I wouldn't have any interest if it weren't an EV.

 

[Sandman614]

You can tally me in the latter group. I wouldn't have any interest if it weren't an EV.

Agreed. For me the simplicity and it being an EV are interlinked. I know the electric system is incredibly complex technically, but it eliminates all the worry and maintenance and complexity of an ICE. Oil changes, spark plugs, fuel injectors, valve checks, etc etc. If it was a simple and basic truck with all the maintenance of an ICE I would lose all interest.