If you added EVERY feature, add-on and accessory.....

[Doctors Do Little]

Once you start adding pieces and parts to the outside of the car you change the aerodynamics. Then there is weight. Then there's tires and rims. You will lose range going from 17 to 18-in rims, never mind going from 17's to say 20's adding fat tires and wheel spacers. If you lower the car or raise the car, everything's going to affect the estimated range of a "Blank Slate". Then on top of that, if you drive in super cold weather, the Slate has a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) resistance heater instead of a heat pump. All things considered, you could get down to 100 mile range. People that have never owned an EV before don't take all this into consideration.

That 205 mile "estimated" range is estimated with pushing the Slate downhill at 10 MPH, with a Tailwind, with no heat on, no air conditioning running, with a 132.5lb jockey behind the wheel, and ZERO Cargo. Jus Sayin....

And after toileting while holding your breath???

 

[Doctors Do Little]

This was my dream slate with all the bell & whistles on it. Hopefully I have it in a few years of slowly buying accessories.

Share Code - Subtotal: $35,269.57

This is an awesome build!
My top end builds are all in the $39K+ range before delivery, TTL.

 

[danielt1263]

Problem is I wouldn't buy a Hyundai.

No need, take your pick:

• Slate SUV is $31,400
• Nissan Leaf is $31,535 + dealer fee
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE is $36,600 + dealer fee
• Chevrolet Equinox EV is $36,795 + dealer fee
• Kia Niro EV is $41,195 + dealer fee
• Subaru Uncharted is $41,245 + dealer fee

The Slate is the least expensive, but it also has the least features, and adding accessories to try to reach parity with one of the others can easily bump its price up to the point where one of the others is a better value.

Of course, there's the problem of actually finding a base model on a lot. Then there's the negotiation aspect and having to go through a dealership for purchase and repairs... The Slate has stuff going for it other than price...

I'm not saying that Slate SUV is a poor choice, but it's not a "typical consumer" kind of choice, and that's what the guy in the video is talking about... the typical consumer.

I think Slate will find its place, and I even think they will at least come close to their 80k per year target (once you include fleet sales), but I seriously doubt it will ever be ubiquitous.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

No need, take your pick:

• Slate SUV is $31,400
• Nissan Leaf is $31,535 + dealer fee
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE is $36,600 + dealer fee
• Chevrolet Equinox EV is $36,795 + dealer fee
• Kia Niro EV is $41,195 + dealer fee
• Subaru Uncharted is $41,245 + dealer fee

The Slate is the least expensive, but it also has the least features, and adding accessories to try to reach parity with one of the others can easily bump its price up to the point where one of the others is a better value.

Of course, there's the problem of actually finding a base model on a lot. Then there's the negotiation aspect and having to go through a dealership for purchase and repairs... The Slate has stuff going for it other than price...

I'm not saying that Slate SUV is a poor choice, but it's not a "typical consumer" kind of choice, and that's what the guy in the video is talking about... the typical consumer.

I think Slate will find its place, and I even think they will at least come close to their 80k per year target (once you include fleet sales), but I seriously doubt it will ever be ubiquitous.

Is the typical consumer reduced to a mindless drone who accepts $600/month payments x 72 months as a mandatory part of life? If so, might take a minute

 

[rekamyenom]

No need, take your pick:

• Slate SUV is $31,400
• Nissan Leaf is $31,535 + dealer fee
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE is $36,600 + dealer fee
• Chevrolet Equinox EV is $36,795 + dealer fee
• Kia Niro EV is $41,195 + dealer fee
• Subaru Uncharted is $41,245 + dealer fee

The Slate is the least expensive, but it also has the least features, and adding accessories to try to reach parity with one of the others can easily bump its price up to the point where one of the others is a better value.

Of course, there's the problem of actually finding a base model on a lot. Then there's the negotiation aspect and having to go through a dealership for purchase and repairs... The Slate has stuff going for it other than price...

I'm not saying that Slate SUV is a poor choice, but it's not a "typical consumer" kind of choice, and that's what the guy in the video is talking about... the typical consumer.

I think Slate will find its place, and I even think they will at least come close to their 80k per year target (once you include fleet sales), but I seriously doubt it will ever be ubiquitous.

So, at the end of the day the Slate is just as expensive as any other vehicle if you add back all the features. I am still going to buy just a completely blank Slate, and DIY with 3rd party company accessories (when they come out). Other than the very limited range, I'm a little concerned with all the corners they have had to cut to even get it down to 25K +++. Like the suspension. How will it ride? "The Slate truck utilizes a ""cost-effective"", durable suspension setup with MacPherson struts in the front and a De Dion (five-link) rear axle with coil springs. Slate selected this hardware to ""maximize affordability"" and packaging space for the battery, while avoiding the overly stiff ride often caused by traditional leaf springs".... Time will tell.

 

[Gozer]

This thread reminds me of a post I saw yesterday where some random loaded up a $45K Slate then proceeded to dump on Slate for making it way too expensive for what you get.
It was a wannabe monster truck that would kill the range of any EV.
Slate is all about simplicity, and here is a clown who made it complex, on purpose, just to piss on Slate.

A serious amount of engineering went into making the base Slate as competant and frugal as possible. Many will not appreciate how hard it is to make such a vehicle profitable.

 

[danielt1263]

So, at the end of the day the Slate is just as expensive as any other vehicle if you add back all the features.

No feature adding required. The price I showed was for the base SUV.

I am still going to buy just a completely blank Slate, and DIY with 3rd party company accessories (when they come out). Other than the very limited range, I'm a little concerned with all the corners they have had to cut to even get it down to 25K +++. Like the suspension. How will it ride? "The Slate truck utilizes a ""cost-effective"", durable suspension setup with MacPherson struts in the front and a De Dion (five-link) rear axle with coil springs. Slate selected this hardware to ""maximize affordability"" and packaging space for the battery, while avoiding the overly stiff ride often caused by traditional leaf springs".... Time will tell.

The Slate truck is an incredible value. The next cheapest EV that can tow is $40k. The next cheapest EV that can haul a 1550# load is even more expensive.

As a (limited) stuff hauler the value of the Slate Truck can't be beat. As a people hauler, the Slate SUV isn't all that impressive value wise for the typical consumer. It might still do well in the commercial space though.

Also, MacPherson struts and DeDion are both proven tech that have worked well in lots of vehicles in the past. I see no reason to be concerned there.

 

[tubes]

EDIT: forgot the quote, this is regarding the 45k loaded Slate:
Well, in their defense, they are used to going to the Ford dealer and only getting choices for the most loaded vehicle, and finding out they have to go through hoops and waiting periods to get anything close to the base model. They start out with a "loaded" bias.

 

[phidauex]

So, at the end of the day the Slate is just as expensive as any other vehicle if you add back all the features. I am still going to buy just a completely blank Slate, and DIY with 3rd party company accessories (when they come out). Other than the very limited range, I'm a little concerned with all the corners they have had to cut to even get it down to 25K +++. Like the suspension. How will it ride? "The Slate truck utilizes a ""cost-effective"", durable suspension setup with MacPherson struts in the front and a De Dion (five-link) rear axle with coil springs. Slate selected this hardware to ""maximize affordability"" and packaging space for the battery, while avoiding the overly stiff ride often caused by traditional leaf springs".... Time will tell.

I don't think that is entirely true - most of the accessories are priced very aggressively, and a lot less than similar bundled options packages with other automakers. for example, the $99 tow package, or the wheel/tire packages.

It really depends on what you are trying to accomplish and what accessories you are adding. The toughest case is trying to make it into a comfortable people-hauler, because the SUV kits are the most expensive part by far. But some of the examples are a bit of a straw man - the Slate is first and foremost a truck, so if I priced out buying an Equinox and then converting it to a unibody truck (totally possible), it would be insanely expensive and a terrible idea.

I know this is Slate's big challenge - they are designing a truck that can convert to an SUV, and it is a great deal as a truck, and an OK deal as an SUV. If enough people want the truck, then they are on a far better path. If everyone wants the SUV then they have a lot more competition to push against.

 

[rekamyenom]

No feature adding required. The price I showed was for the base SUV.


The Slate truck is an incredible value. The next cheapest EV that can tow is $40k. The next cheapest EV that can haul a 1550# load is even more expensive.

As a (limited) stuff hauler the value of the Slate Truck can't be beat. As a people hauler, the Slate SUV isn't all that impressive value wise for the typical consumer. It might still do well in the commercial space though.

Also, MacPherson struts and DeDion are both proven tech that have worked well in lots of vehicles in the past. I see no reason to be concerned there.

Agreed! I personally will not haul or tow anything. I am buying it for a DIY project to make my Slate one of a kind, and to carry our 2 electric bikes, so we can go places to ride that we can't now. I have been driving ONLY EV's Since 2014, and will never own (or even rent) an ICE vehicle. This should be a fun project. Hurry up Slate!

 

[Doctors Do Little]

No feature adding required. The price I showed was for the base SUV.


The Slate truck is an incredible value. The next cheapest EV that can tow is $40k. The next cheapest EV that can haul a 1550# load is even more expensive.

As a (limited) stuff hauler the value of the Slate Truck can't be beat. As a people hauler, the Slate SUV isn't all that impressive value wise for the typical consumer. It might still do well in the commercial space though.

Also, MacPherson struts and DeDion are both proven tech that have worked well in lots of vehicles in the past. I see no reason to be concerned there.

I agree with this. I was NOT going to order if the towing was only 1,000#, as it would cease to have utility in my use case. But, there isn't anything else on the market with near that footprint that can tow 2K# as an EV for less than $30K. (Ford will try, but they will likely be doomed by the dealers who will predictably choose to option up a cheap EV in order to get margin.)

 

[phidauex]

This thread reminds me of a post I saw yesterday where some random loaded up a $45K Slate then proceeded to dump on Slate for making it way too expensive for what you get.
It was a wannabe monster truck that would kill the range of any EV.
Slate is all about simplicity, and here is a clown who made it complex, on purpose, just to piss on Slate.

A serious amount of engineering went into making the base Slate as competant and frugal as possible. Many will not appreciate how hard it is to make such a vehicle profitable.

Sadly now we are arguing about market price sensitivities again when the original point of the thread was to make the most impractical and expensive build you could. My preferred build is just about $27k and I'm pumped for it!

 

[tubes]

As a (limited) stuff hauler the value of the Slate Truck can't be beat. As a people hauler, the Slate SUV isn't all that impressive value wise for the typical consumer. It might still do well in the commercial space though.

I agree with this. I don't like this "SUV" for various reasons. And our pre-order page nearly 9 out of 10 of us here just getting the truck.

Also of note is that someone noticed yesterday changes in the web page to refer to the vehicle as a "Slate Truck". Possibly for legal reasons, but it is my guess that the next real model will be a a true SUV and they want to stop the confusion now.

 

[phidauex]

I agree with this. I don't like this "SUV" for various reasons. And our pre-order page nearly 9 out of 10 of us here just getting the truck.

Also of note is that someone noticed yesterday changes in the web page to refer to the vehicle as a "Slate Truck". Possibly for legal reasons, but it is my guess that the next real model will be a a true SUV and they want to stop the confusion now.

The SUV conversion for me is more of a fun future possibility. Like right now I'm hauling lots of little crap for property management, but if in a few years I'm not doing that so much anymore, I could buy the kit and make it into an open-air SUV. Seen that way, it is a high value ($5k to convert my existing vehicle, rather than who-knows-how-much to buy a new car), but if you need it out of the gate then it is a tougher sell. I suppose we will see!

 

[tubes]

The SUV conversion for me is more of a fun future possibility. Like right now I'm hauling lots of little crap for property management, but if in a few years I'm not doing that so much anymore, I could buy the kit and make it into an open-air SUV. Seen that way, it is a high value ($5k to convert my existing vehicle, rather than who-knows-how-much to buy a new car), but if you need it out of the gate then it is a tougher sell. I suppose we will see!

Exactly! The idea of flexibility for the future is a fun idea. Especially the open-air concept if you live in a climate for it. Use it for utility, then convert it later purely for fun.

Or perhaps have a baby and don't want to spring for a van right away, then you have a cheap interim option.

Having two small kids right from the get go? Get a van or SUV with the doors.