One thing I think might hold Slate truck back.

[KevinRS]

3d printers aren't all that fast, and a big printer that can print a big part like that isn't really faster than a small one, printing something bigger just takes more time than something small. For a prototype, it works to print one of something like that and have it in a few days, it's far faster than setting up and running injection molding for 1 item. But when it comes to making something for sale, making multiple, it's better to mold it.

For the case of a bed extension, it's going to be more critical what is going on under the body panels. Can they make a bolt on frame extension and move the bumper out to the new position and support a load at that extension, and not add crash issues? Seems it might be difficult.

 

[E90400K]

Not enough for what, specifically?

Hauling and towing.

 

[AZFox]

[201 HP and 195 TQ may not be enough. for h]auling and towing.

Seriously?

You're saying 195 pound-feet isn't enough to tow (up to) 1,000 pounds?

My '89 S-10 had the 4.3L V6 (essentially a Chevy 350 Small Block with two cylinders removed).

I never felt the truck needed more power. It was quite the opposite because I enjoyed having a powerful small pickup.

A Slate Truck would probably beat that S-10 in a drag race.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Seriously?

You're saying 195 pound-feet isn't enough to tow (up to) 1,000 pounds?

My '89 S-10 had the 4.3L V6 (essentially a Chevy 350 Small Block with two cylinders removed).

I never felt the truck needed more power. It was quite the opposite because I enjoyed having a powerful small pickup.

A Slate Truck would probably beat that S-10 in a drag race.

What are they estimating for Slate? 0-60 in 8s?

 

[BobSentMe]

>>
From 1991 to 2001, I daily drove a Miata in all weather conditions, in both Arkansas and Massachusetts

As someone who drove a 1995 Mercury Cougar, in all it's v8, rear wheel drive goodness, through multiple snow storms in Michigan:
I can attest that it's not what you drive, but how you drive.

 

[Driven5]

What are they estimating for Slate? 0-60 in 8s?

I think the Bolt runs in the 6's with similar power and weight to a Blank Slate, so 8's is probably a bit on the conservative side.

But 0-30 is where these little EV's really shine. When the BMW i3 came out, despite it's modest 180hp, low-6 second 0-60, and 95mph top speed, it was advertised as their quickest car ever to 30mph... Quicker than any 400+hp M3/M5/etc.

 

[AZFox]

What are they estimating for Slate? 0-60 in 8s?

They were saying 8.0 at launch time.

The Slate Truck is a two-door, two-seat pickup that comes standard with rear-wheel-drive via a single electric motor. It has a “range target” of 150 miles on a charge, thanks to a 52.7 kilowatt-hour battery pack. That electric single motor produces 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, good enough for a claimed 0-60 mph sprint in 8.0 seconds and a top speed of 90 mph.​

Source: https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a64580484/slate-truck-ev-pickup-truck-suv/

I assume that's with standard battery, in pickup form, and rolling on the stock tires & wheels.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

They were saying 8.0 at launch time.

The Slate Truck is a two-door, two-seat pickup that comes standard with rear-wheel-drive via a single electric motor. It has a “range target” of 150 miles on a charge, thanks to a 52.7 kilowatt-hour battery pack. That electric single motor produces 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, good enough for a claimed 0-60 mph sprint in 8.0 seconds and a top speed of 90 mph.​

Source: https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a64580484/slate-truck-ev-pickup-truck-suv/

I assume that's with standard battery, in pickup form, and rolling on the stock tires & wheels.

Man, I don't know... 0-60 in 8secs...that will be fine for my use case, but top speed of 90 would not be adequate in downtown ATL, as an example.

I've never put my Lightning in "sport mode" to see if the 0-60 is 4.x seconds or not. Moving something that big that fast seems unwise on the mean streets of suburbia. Maybe I'll open it up on the interstate sometime.

 

[AZFox]

Man, I don't know... 0-60 in 8secs...that will be fine for my use case, but top speed of 90 would not be adequate in downtown ATL, as an example.

Range would be abysmal at 90mph.

See also: https://www.slateforums.com/forum/t...ption-suits-you-best.13395/page-3#post-189083

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Range would be abysmal at 90mph.

See also: https://www.slateforums.com/forum/threads/🔋-the-extended-battery-decision-poll-which-battery-option-suits-you-best.13395/page-3#post-189083

ATL downtown interstate ain't that many miles (it's a hell of a hair-raising stretch when traffic is moving). But, yeah, I'd opt for the big battery for when I need to 'road runner' in the middle lane to keep up with traffic. I wish I was kidding. OTOH, if I never leave my county in it, will never have that problem.

 

[Dorbiman]

Man, I don't know... 0-60 in 8secs...that will be fine for my use case, but top speed of 90 would not be adequate in downtown ATL, as an example.

That's fascinating, I don't think I've ever seen 90 on the freeway where I'm at, except for the dick bags in 350Zs or clapped out E46s weaving through traffic

 

[AZFox]

ATL downtown interstate ain't that many miles (it's a hell of a hair-raising stretch when traffic is moving).

Back In The Day, when I had a VW Beetle with a 40hp engine, I used to draft behind 18-wheelers. (They hate that.) The closer you get, the more you can ease up on the accelerator pedal.

Edit: I wrote this to bring up how much drafting makes a difference. Drafting can be dangerous, so don't take this as a recommendation to draft behind 18-wheelers like I did when I was in my twenties.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

That's fascinating, I don't think I've ever seen 90 on the freeway where I'm at, except for the dick bags in 350Zs or clapped out E46s weaving through traffic

Not an exaggeration. ATL traffic is right there with L.A. and D.C. as the worst (much worse than Houston, Dallas, Chicago, etc) traffic. The first time you roll down there NOT in rush hour and have 7 lanes and 6 of them are going at least 80 and driving like NASCAR, it's unnerving. The idiots don't signal lane changes, so blind spot monitors are essential, in addition to keep the right foot planted and head on a swivel.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Back In The Day, when I had a VW Beetle with a 40hp engine, I used to draft behind 18-wheelers. (They hate that.) The closer you get, the more you can ease up on the accelerator pedal.

I have to tow a 6x12' Uhaul trailer 300 miles tomorrow in my Lightning. I'm going to do a combination of slow driving and drafting and see if I can get more than 50% range to my first charging stop.

 

[E90400K]

Seriously?

You're saying 195 pound-feet isn't enough to tow (up to) 1,000 pounds?

My '89 S-10 had the 4.3L V6 (essentially a Chevy 350 Small Block with two cylinders removed).

I never felt the truck needed more power. It was quite the opposite because I enjoyed having a powerful small pickup.

A Slate Truck would probably beat that S-10 in a drag race.

I test drove a new Maverick on Wednesday just to satisfy my curiosity. While electric obviously has a torque output advantage compared to naturally aspirated ICE because max output is always at throttle tip in, my thought, in the era of modern vehicles, the Slate may feel (or be) underpowered. The Mav I tested was the 2.0L EcoBoost AWD XL with 250 HP and 277 pounds of torque. The XL Mav weighs just over 3,700 pounds, where the Slate is reported to weigh just over 3,600 pounds, so it's a good comparison to make.

Like you, I've owned several pickups dating back to the late 1980s. All my trucks I've bought new. My 1987 Ford Ranger STX, had the 140 HP/170 TQ Cologne V6. It seemed adequate at the time, but I bet if I could go back in time to that truck as new, I'd feel it is underpowered compared to my modern truck and especially my 2022 Bronco. And that's where the Maverick comes in, it just didn't seem all that powerful.