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

[Mac-Tyson]

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.

Like the market for 2 Door Pickup Trucks is smaller but Slate has the advantage of having 0 competition there’s no EV Single/Standard Cab pickup Trucks and the average ice option is what like 40K for the cheapest trims. So Slate is launching uncontested basically. I don’t think Slate eventually coming out with a 4 door Slate XL with the capability of becoming an affordable 3 row SUV would be a bad thing down the line. But in the beginning when production capabilities are limited meaning supply output is limited and you are trying to make the most affordable option possible I think the 2 door was the smartest choice.

 

[Susan]

Like the market for 2 Door Pickup Trucks is smaller but Slate has the advantage of having 0 competition there’s no EV Single/Standard Cab pickup Trucks and the average ice option is what like 40K for the cheapest trims. So Slate is launching uncontested basically. I don’t think Slate eventually coming out with a 4 door Slate XL with the capability of becoming an affordable 3 row SUV would be a bad thing down the line. But in the beginning when production capabilities are limited meaning supply output is limited and you are trying to make the most affordable option possible I think the 2 door was the smartest choice.

I agree 💯

 

[Susan]

Pretty much agree. I can’t drive to town and back without seeing a good number of aging 2 door small pickups. They will need replacement sooner than later.
if the AWD mod is easy then go for it, but any major changes to the existing base structure I would say don’t hurry as I would suggest 4 doors or longer bed would not be a significant bottomline benefit.

I see a lot of those aging 2 door small pickups. I used to wonder where I could get one. Then I saw the Slate...

 

[KevinRS]

Their strategy in how they are assembling the truck may mean they can push out more trucks than you would think at that facility. From what I've seen, the plan is to bring in at least partially assembled parts, and do final assembly there. Batteries put together at another site, motor unit brought in ready to bolt on and plug in, frame and doors etc coming in from outside too, minimal welding done on site, etc. Making only one model makes this easier, and if needed they could open up another factory, even in another city to increase output.

If demand is slack, once they have production units on the road, they will probably push for fleet sales, especially really small fleets. Every local business who has people driving around locally in either an aging pickup, a new pickup bigger than needed for the job, or cheap gas cars is a potential buyer. Auto parts places that if they don't have the part, "they can have it here by this afternoon", landscapers, florists, etc etc. For food delivery, people would have to look close at how many miles they drive in a day, and what charging would look like, so they might not be able to make it work, but many of the others are sitting parked most of the time, interrupted by a short round trip drive, on city streets.

 

[sodamo]

I think the 1 configuration assembly model will be almost magical. The 1 potential hiccup might be how they handle battery choice std vs extended.

i don’t know the delivery/mileage issue well enough, but have to wonder if just having a central place to rest/charge even 15 minutes could prove sufficient?

As for me, about 99.9% sure the standard battery will suffice as the cost vs those 5 or 6 trips a year in excess of 150 miles just are justifiable vs the potential benefits of the smaller, lighter, less expensive standard. Bragging rights of more mileage vs common sense. Might even be more reasonable in my case to drive to my destination, 80 miles, pay to charge vs just taking wifes ICE subaru.

 

[atx_ev]

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' market with the greatest opportunity and shortest timeline to expand for the lowest 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 there are better responses than 'accessories' to the same 3 not-actually-hard questions... But I'm also not the average consumer. It'll be interesting to see if/how this messaging continues to evolve over time.

The number of people saying it doesnt have a radio or power windows so it should be 20K is ridiculous

a typical radio and speakers might be $200 and the power windows might be $100.

 

[Mac-Tyson]

The number of people saying it doesnt have a radio or power windows so it should be 20K is ridiculous

a typical radio and speakers might be $200 and the power windows might be $100.

Kind of makes me want Slate to have a Launch Edition Bundle with Power Windows, arm rest, and Speakers (either the Premium Speaker or Bluetooth Speaker Mount) than start offering the Blank Slate in January 2027. Would make people realize how affordable accessories will be when all the articles talking the about Launch Slate’s Bundle Price is compared to the Blank Slate.

 

[Letas]

The number of people saying it doesnt have a radio or power windows so it should be 20K is ridiculous

a typical radio and speakers might be $200 and the power windows might be $100.

Well, that is a testament to perceived value vs cost. If a consumer is willing to pay (consciously or unconsciously) more than it would cost to add a feature- excluding that is "bad value" to said consumer.

Edit-

Also, the cost to add a head unit (changing my language from radio, because I think it more accurately reflects consumer demands) and speakers is well undershot. Best Buy charges over $200 for speaker and head unit install alone, less parts.
Sure, it can be DIYd, but time is money. Any half decent head unit and speaker setup will run over $200 just in parts.

 

[atx_ev]

Their strategy in how they are assembling the truck may mean they can push out more trucks than you would think at that facility. From what I've seen, the plan is to bring in at least partially assembled parts, and do final assembly there. Batteries put together at another site, motor unit brought in ready to bolt on and plug in, frame and doors etc coming in from outside too, minimal welding done on site, etc. Making only one model makes this easier, and if needed they could open up another factory, even in another city to increase output.

If demand is slack, once they have production units on the road, they will probably push for fleet sales, especially really small fleets. Every local business who has people driving around locally in either an aging pickup, a new pickup bigger than needed for the job, or cheap gas cars is a potential buyer. Auto parts places that if they don't have the part, "they can have it here by this afternoon", landscapers, florists, etc etc. For food delivery, people would have to look close at how many miles they drive in a day, and what charging would look like, so they might not be able to make it work, but many of the others are sitting parked most of the time, interrupted by a short round trip drive, on city streets.

one interesting thing for fleet sales is theft (and of course maintenance). When you give your guys a credit card, they will use it for personal fill ups. With EV charging at the home office you avoid this.

 

[sodamo]

Kind of makes me want Slate to have a Launch Edition Bundle with Power Windows, arm rest, and Speakers (either the Premium Speaker or Bluetooth Speaker Mount) than start offering the Blank Slate in January 2027. Would make people realize how affordable accessories will be when all the articles talking the about Launch Slate’s Bundle Price is compared to the Blank Slate.

Only if the launch edition was same price as blank Slate, otherwise just into Sleazership tactics. i’m perfectly willing to pay for what I want at launch but not to pay for stuff I don’t want as a marketing gimmick.

 

[Mac-Tyson]

Only if the launch edition was same price as blank Slate, otherwise just into Sleazership tactics. i’m perfectly willing to pay for what I want at launch but not to pay for stuff I don’t want as a marketing gimmick.

Yeah that’s why I don’t think there will be a launch edition bundle since it kind of goes against the entire philosophy of the product.

 

[ScooterAsheville]

I read an interesting quote from the Big Short guy. He was talking about Tesla shorts, and whether or not Tesla is a cult. It kind of tangentially relates to us Slate fanboys. He said something like Tesla stock performance is people believing, against all past and current evidence, that Tesla is going to deliver world changing products in multiple fields - AI, self driving, etc. And that blind belief in a given future without tangible evidence is basically indistinguishable from a cult.

So it makes you wonder. Are we Slate cult members? We have no production ready vehicle. We have no fixed prices. We have no completed factory. Yet we believe...

Oh, in fairness, he also observed that Tesla may in fact deliver all those things.

 

[YDR37]

So it makes you wonder. Are we Slate cult members? We have no production ready vehicle. We have no fixed prices. We have no completed factory. Yet we believe...

Hey, if Slate is a cult, at least it's a relatively inexpensive one. Cost of membership is a $50 refundable reservation. If you are really hard-core, maybe another $25 for a t-shirt.

Since Slate is privately held, even the most devoted fan can't invest any money in their stock. In contrast, there are deeply committed Tesla believers that are putting large fractions of their life savings in TSLA, because robots.

 

[AKrietzer]

Which makes me wonder if eventually Slate will start selling stock? Lucid, and Tesla both have stock, but I wasn't watching them from the start. I bought Lucid stock but doubt I will be buying one of their cars anytime soon.

 

[Mac-Tyson]

Hey, if Slate is a cult, at least it's a relatively inexpensive one. Cost of membership is a $50 refundable reservation. If you are really hard-core, maybe another $25 for a t-shirt.

Since Slate is privately held, even the most devoted fan can't invest any money in their stock. In contrast, there are deeply committed Tesla believers that are putting large fractions of their life savings in TSLA, because robots.

I can confirm the T-shirt is very comfortable as well.