Jeff Bezos's $25,000 EV Truck Has One Fatal Flaw • Jeff Jablansky | MotoMan Podcast 006

[Mac-Tyson]

This video is an interview with "The Voice of Slate" Jeff Jablansky (Head of Public Relations and Communications for Slate). The beginning of the interview does a great job of explaining what Slate truly is as well as their origins and getting a better understanding of some of the leadership team behind Slate. Then the latter part of the interview turns into asking tough questions/topics like Slate's limited range, the lack of AWD, and the choice to launch with a 2 door instead of a 4 door pickup truck. No punches were pulled despite the two of them being long time friends.

 

[cadblu]

Favorite line of the interview: Tiger Stadium

When Jeff is cornered into giving a “ballpark price“ for the SUV kit…

 

[ScooterAsheville]

My favorite part so far is the Maverick question. It's classic PR guy "pivot". He was pitching how the Slate was inexpensive because it was half the price of the average US new car. Then came the question "But what about the Maverick? It starts at $27,500 with 4 doors, paint, infotainment and a hybrid." And like a slippery eel, he pivoted to "we're great at accessorization". Not dissing the guy. Just smiling because that is a classic PR tactic. Pivot the discussion away from an uncomfortable question.

I'm a Slate fanboy. I want one. But I think it is uncompetitive in terms of price, when considering the content delivered. I think the only way they make hay is by pushing accessorization. And even then I'm not sure they generate sales beyond an initial 50,000 (me being optimistic) of us two-door BEV fanboys. I genuinely hope they prove me wrong. I hope Slate converts all 100,000 reservations into sales and then has a two year backlog. But I don't see it happening. I think they pull a Cybertruck with the reservations (turn 1 million into 30,000). The PR guy even hints at that when talking about reservations, when he says "we are realists".

After watching some more, another interesting tidbit is that Slate is now in Series C funding to reach production. That interested me because in earlier interviews, Slate claimed the Series B funding ($700 million) would get them to production. There is a disconnect there.

I recommend the interview. Motoman asks some hard questions, and the PR guy pivots again and again.

 

[bartflossom]

In 1969, a year where muscle cars and land yachts and station wagons ruled supreme and gas was cheap, the lowly beetle and it's offshoots sold over 400,000 vehicles in the U.S. The beetle alone was 370K. I think 100K slates a year is very conservative.

 

[cadblu]

In 1969, a year where muscle cars and land yachts and station wagons ruled supreme and gas was cheap, the lowly beetle and it's offshoots sold over 400,000 vehicles in the U.S. The beetle alone was 370K. I think 100K slates a year is very conservative.

Perhaps, but consider that Slate’s production capacity is severely limited, especially in year one. They will need to fully build out and utilize every square inch of the 1.4 million sf Warsaw facility to reach those targets.

 

[bartflossom]

Perhaps, but consider that Slate’s production capacity is severely limited, especially in year one. They will need to fully build out and utilize every square inch of the 1.4 million sf Warsaw facility to reach those targets.

Agreed. I was just of the opinion that they will be playing catchup with demand instead of being disappointed in demand.

 

[cadblu]

1. Slate's limited range,
2. the lack of AWD,
3. the choice to launch with a 2 door instead of a 4 door pickup truck.

Actually, Motoman alluded to three flaws, but declared #3 as ‘fatal.’

 

[Susan]

Actually, Motoman alluded to three flaws, but declared #3 as ‘fatal.’

Interesting. I actually wouldn't want it if it had 4 doors. I don't want a back seat either.

There are tons of 4 door vehicles out there. It's annoying that there aren't more 2 door vehicles to choose from.

 

[sodamo]

Actually, Motoman alluded to three flaws, but declared #3 as ‘fatal.’

His opinion - I disagree.

 

[E90400K]

In 1969, a year where muscle cars and land yachts and station wagons ruled supreme and gas was cheap, the lowly beetle and it's offshoots sold over 400,000 vehicles in the U.S. The beetle alone was 370K. I think 100K slates a year is very conservative.

Your's is an interesting observation. The Beetle was half the car at half the price of the domestics of that automotive era. Slate seems to be trying to repeat history.

 

[Doug T]

In 1969, a year where muscle cars and land yachts and station wagons ruled supreme and gas was cheap, the lowly beetle and it's offshoots sold over 400,000 vehicles in the U.S. The beetle alone was 370K. I think 100K slates a year is very conservative.

The beetle was rear wheel drive with the engine mounted directly over the rear wheels. Sound familiar? It drove through snow better than you would expect for a car that size. And if you had a problem, it was light enough that you could just get a couple of your buddies to help push it out.

This is just another pundit saying that the Slate should be made more expensive with 4 doors, AWD, bigger battery, etc. Slate is aiming at the low-cost market segment that the beetle once occupied.

 

[Driven5]

All of the hand wringing about AWD and 4 doors is completely missing the plot.

Targeting the biggest markets from the start may sound smart, but is ultimately a fools errand. The most crowded markets are also the most difficult to successfully break into, even for established manufacturers.

Slate is targeting what they believe to be the most attainable, untapped, 'big-enough' initial market with the greatest opportunity for expansion for the least up-front fundraising and effort. They 'only' need 'enough' initial success to allow them to subsequently fund the relatively quick, easy, and cheap expansions to the existing product architecture (AWD and platform stretch) into larger, albeit into much more directly competitive, markets. While FAR from guaranteed to succeed in the long run, it's also the most realistic path to success.

Professionally, I admire their ability stand back and let clickbait 'media' do their clickbait 'media' things, and let people get misdirected by what the eyes see and ears hear. However, I do think they should come up with a better response than just 'accessories' to the same 3 not-actually-hard questions that everybody keeps asking.