Is the timing of Slate's rollout in Winter 2026 a good decision?

[KevinRS]

That would be a great way to piss off a bunch of your most loyal supporters, the ones that gave your dream a path to life

my snowy money is not good enough? Who gives a crap, weather happens, their job is to sell the car, I’m here with money and and early adopter, just because your late to the party and live somewhere warmer shouldn’t make your purchase jump line

Did you read the terms when you made your reservation?

5. Order Process and Delivery.
As Slate approaches the start of production, you will be invited to place an order for your Truck based upon reservation date and a number of other factors. To complete the purchase of your Truck, you will need to execute Slate’s standard purchase agreement which will have additional terms and conditions. Further details about the order and purchase process will be provided when you are invited to place your order and are subject to change. Your priority for the delivery of your Truck will be set, in part, by the date you place your order, the date you execute final sales documentation, Slate’s manufacturing schedule, and the location and method selected for delivery. Any estimated delivery time frames provided are non-binding, for informational purposes only, and are subject to change. If you choose to purchase a Truck, your Reservation Fee will be applied towards the purchase price.

My interpretation of this, before I even made my reservation, was that we are accepting that delivery date depends not only on when we reserved, but slate's convenience on the location. If there is a snowstorm going through part of the country, they won't send semis of trucks that way until it passes and the roads are clear.
They might make early deliveries to locations close to manufacturing, and they might send early deliveries to places with large numbers ordered, just for shipping efficiency.
I am hopeful that they were conservative with "Late 2026" and they will beat that, and be shipping in large numbers by the end of the year. They wouldn't even really be outside that if they started shipping in July.

 

[sodamo]

Did you read the terms when you made your reservation?



My interpretation of this, before I even made my reservation, was that we are accepting that delivery date depends not only on when we reserved, but slate's convenience on the location. If there is a snowstorm going through part of the country, they won't send semis of trucks that way until it passes and the roads are clear.
They might make early deliveries to locations close to manufacturing, and they might send early deliveries to places with large numbers ordered, just for shipping efficiency.
I am hopeful that they were conservative with "Late 2026" and they will beat that, and be shipping in large numbers by the end of the year. They wouldn't even really be outside that if they started shipping in July.

In other words LOTS of wiggle room.
But earlier 2026 than later 🤙🤙

 

[skidoofast]

Did you read the terms when you made your reservation?



My interpretation of this, before I even made my reservation, was that we are accepting that delivery date depends not only on when we reserved, but slate's convenience on the location. If there is a snowstorm going through part of the country, they won't send semis of trucks that way until it passes and the roads are clear.
They might make early deliveries to locations close to manufacturing, and they might send early deliveries to places with large numbers ordered, just for shipping efficiency.
I am hopeful that they were conservative with "Late 2026" and they will beat that, and be shipping in large numbers by the end of the year. They wouldn't even really be outside that if they started shipping in July.

sounds like you don't know what a snow storm is, in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana we can have a snowstorm at 9am, by 9am the next day the roads are clear, sun is shining and you barely knew it happened, doesn't disrupt life for more than 12 hours usually so i highly doubt it will disrupt a shipping schedule

I did read the terms when i reserved, here's what i got out of it - we will be shipping full semi trucks to pickup locations near you so we will be grouping orders by location

 

[AL-Derby]

Agree with cadblu, ship to the south first.
No winter battery or charging issues here in central FL.

But winter-2026? As I recall promise was earlier.
Seems to me they are saying "we will ship in the 2027 model year", forget 2026.

Historicaly the next year model is released in October. there are some that have been released as early as July. So if the start delivering in October it will be called a 2027 not a fourth quarter 2026.

 

[KevinRS]

OK, by snowstorm, I meant more blizzard.
Have they stated a model year? the terms say they expect to start shipping late 2026, and that is it.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

In other words LOTS of wiggle room.
But earlier 2026 than later 🤙🤙

You gonna fly over to IN and take delivery, David? Tell the truth...

 

[sodamo]

You gonna fly over to IN and take delivery, David? Tell the truth...

Not ruled that out yet. Doubtful I’d drive from Warsaw to Ca. No doubt 3rd party shipping from IN will be possible as I’m sure it already exists.
Likely cheaper to just use a shipping service. I do have relatives/friends, DC area, LA area, Phoenix area so local pickup could be an expensive possibility. Expensive in that wife would also fly to visit. Current thinking is most likely using a shipping service in one of the Ca port areas if I can’t get Slate to deliver to the port.

 

[GaRailroader]

Lets add Georgia to the list of states for early ship also. I live in Atlanta and have only seen a 16.5% degradation in efficiency from my most efficient month(July) and my least efficient month(January)

Vehicle	Month	Miles Driven	kWh Charged	Miles/kWh
Nissan Leaf	January	2592	775.3405997	3.34
Nissan Leaf	February	2710	754.0271997	3.59
Nissan Leaf	March	2632	672.9175003	3.91
Nissan Leaf	April	3026	760.9634998	3.98
Nissan Leaf	May	2840	714.975	3.97
Nissan Leaf	June	2505	639.954	3.91
Nissan Leaf	July	2545	635.909	4.00
Nissan Leaf	August	2232	578.1867988	3.86
Nissan Leaf	September	1876	480.9569001	3.90
Nissan Leaf	October	2100	546.5921002	3.84
Nissan Leaf	November	1739	465.484	3.74
Nissan Leaf	December	2017	563.8825992	3.58
	AVG/TOT	28814	7589.189198	3.80

 

[Trace26]

Lets add Georgia to the list of states for early ship also. I live in Atlanta and have only seen a 16.5% degradation in efficiency from my most efficient month(July) and my least efficient month(January)

Vehicle	Month	Miles Driven	kWh Charged	Miles/kWh
Nissan Leaf	January	2592	775.3405997	3.34
Nissan Leaf	February	2710	754.0271997	3.59
Nissan Leaf	March	2632	672.9175003	3.91
Nissan Leaf	April	3026	760.9634998	3.98
Nissan Leaf	May	2840	714.975	3.97
Nissan Leaf	June	2505	639.954	3.91
Nissan Leaf	July	2545	635.909	4.00
Nissan Leaf	August	2232	578.1867988	3.86
Nissan Leaf	September	1876	480.9569001	3.90
Nissan Leaf	October	2100	546.5921002	3.84
Nissan Leaf	November	1739	465.484	3.74
Nissan Leaf	December	2017	563.8825992	3.58
	AVG/TOT	28814	7589.189198	3.80

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the decrease in the cold is the battery's capacity not the motor 's efficiency?

 

[GaRailroader]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the decrease in the cold is the battery's capacity not the motor 's efficiency?

Capacity of the battery shouldn't change. During cold weather you are consuming extra energy to maintain the temperature of the battery as well as heating the cabin, running defrost, seat heaters and the like which should all show up in your efficiency numbers.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Lets add Georgia to the list of states for early ship also. I live in Atlanta and have only seen a 16.5% degradation in efficiency from my most efficient month(July) and my least efficient month(January)

Vehicle	Month	Miles Driven	kWh Charged	Miles/kWh
Nissan Leaf	January	2592	775.3405997	3.34
Nissan Leaf	February	2710	754.0271997	3.59
Nissan Leaf	March	2632	672.9175003	3.91
Nissan Leaf	April	3026	760.9634998	3.98
Nissan Leaf	May	2840	714.975	3.97
Nissan Leaf	June	2505	639.954	3.91
Nissan Leaf	July	2545	635.909	4.00
Nissan Leaf	August	2232	578.1867988	3.86
Nissan Leaf	September	1876	480.9569001	3.90
Nissan Leaf	October	2100	546.5921002	3.84
Nissan Leaf	November	1739	465.484	3.74
Nissan Leaf	December	2017	563.8825992	3.58
	AVG/TOT	28814	7589.189198	3.80

Those are useful data for me, neighbor!

 

[Letas]

sounds like you don't know what a snow storm is, in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana we can have a snowstorm at 9am, by 9am the next day the roads are clear, sun is shining and you barely knew it happened, doesn't disrupt life for more than 12 hours usually so i highly doubt it will disrupt a shipping schedule

I did read the terms when i reserved, here's what i got out of it - we will be shipping full semi trucks to pickup locations near you so we will be grouping orders by location

As WI native who's been shipped all over...
Midwesterners don't know what a snowstorm is (at least in the last 20 years!) Storms out west shut down major shipping lanes every winter. Not unheard of for I80 and I90 to close for a week straight. Guess how we get trucks from Warsaw to the west coast?

Also, even a 12hr disruption can throw off a shipping schedule. Miss an appointment today, wait overnight, clocks up and time for a 34hr reset... Easy to compound these.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

As WI native who's been shipped all over...
Midwesterners don't know what a snowstorm is (at least in the last 20 years!) Storms out west shut down major shipping lanes every winter. Not unheard of for I80 and I90 to close for a week straight. Guess how we get trucks from Warsaw to the west coast?

Also, even a 12hr disruption can throw off a shipping schedule. Miss an appointment today, wait overnight, clocks up and time for a 34hr reset... Easy to compound these.

Here's to gunning for several HOTlanta orders so that mine can be included in the bunch accordingly...snow doesn't exist below Chattanooga, TN, right? The truck can drop mine at any rest area south of Chattanooga and I'll fetch it.

 

[sodamo]

Why wouldn’t delivery be a combination rail and truck?

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Why wouldn’t delivery be a combination rail and truck?

You're gunning for a rail trip across America with your Slate in the rear...admit it.