Picture Car Confidential #45: Slate First Drive Review by Hagerty

[slp]

Another article about the Slate:

Picture Car Confidential #45: Slate First Drive

Excerpt:

… Most important, what would it be like to drive?

I can answer the last one, now that I’ve driven the truck, spending almost an hour last week wheeling a preproduction example in and around that New England bastion of old money, Newport, Rhode Island. The test vehicle was built at Slate’s brownfield site in Warsaw, Indiana, a repurposed factory that used to print J.C. Penney catalogs.

In short, I was pleasantly surprised.

Slate Auto

Exterior fit of the standard grey vehicle appeared flawless. Preproduction interior plastics left something to be desired, though Slate PR boss, Jeff Jablansky, assured me that they will be significantly upgraded by the time production vehicles leave the factory in the fall. Climbing in, the interior was molto basic, grey and simple, a throwback to days when most car windows were operated like the Slate’s: by a hand crank. The “ignition” key slots into a dashboard receiver, like older Volvos before key slots went away. Stick the key in and you are ready to drive. Adjust your mirrors manually and select drive or reverse with a petite, plastic column shifter…

 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

Wow. Author is paid by the word, huh? I guess it’s interesting to hear more details about Re:Build though.

 

[EVfun]

Thanks for the Hagerty review! I have an old VW beach buggy insured through them.

 

[d.h.]

Wow. Author is paid by the word, huh? I guess it’s interesting to hear more details about Re:Build though.

A lot more bread than meat, seems like the new norm.
At least he meat was positive overall.
He mentioned the "sophisticated' de dion. Rear axle , I think it's an elegantly simple set up myself, anything but sophisticated.

 

[tubes]

He mentioned the "sophisticated' de dion. Rear axle , I think it's an elegantly simple set up myself, anything but sophisticated.

A rotary phone dial is sophisticated to an unfamiliar user.

If only that user knew they were dialing by sparks and line interruptions.

 

[ADFX01A]

I found the bit about selling 75,000 being their break even point interesting. Assuming they only sell Blank Slate Trucks with no add-ons.

$24,950 × 75,000 = $1,871,250,000

If they sell their full yearly manufacturing output.

$24,950 × 150,000 = $3,742,500,000

Then add in all the add-ons and upgrades to those figures. This company is looking to be very profitable while providing a good quality product at a very affordable price.

 

[007]

Same same.

 

[E90400K]

Kitman's business discussion was spot on.