4-Door Slate model plans confirmed - "We package protected for 4 doors"

[MechanizedBull]

At least this can be shown to those people that think more than 2 doors is necessary:

Rod Copes -- "Should the second model have 4 doors? ... We package protected for four doors."​

AI summary (for those who prefer to read):

In this episode of the MotoManTV Podcast, host MotoMan interviews Rod Copes—Board Director and Employee #1 at Slate Auto—to discuss the company’s mission to launch a truly affordable $24,950 electric pickup truck built in the United States.

Key Takeaways & Discussion Highlights
1. Rod Copes’ Background & Founding Team [02:46]

• Automotive & Motorcycle Veteran: Copes spent 20 years at Harley-Davidson (focusing on vehicle customization), 5 years re-establishing Royal Enfield in the US (growing sales from a few hundred to ~20,000 units/year), and nearly 2 years as Rivian’s first Chief Operating Officer (COO) during its initial scaling phase.
• The MIT Connection [05:18]: Slate originated out of relationships formed at MIT's Leaders for Manufacturing program. Key founders include Jeff Wilke (former Amazon CEO of Worldwide Consumer under Jeff Bezos) and Miles Arnon (founder of private equity firm Rebuild Manufacturing).
• Backing: Spun off from parent company Rebuild Manufacturing in early 2023, receiving early seed backing from Jeff Bezos directly [19:34].

2. Slate’s Core Philosophy: "Ruthless Simplicity" [16:40]
To avoid the financial pitfalls of previous EV startups, Slate adheres to a strict design and production mandate:

• Drastically Fewer Parts [17:04]: The Slate truck uses approximately 600 parts, compared to ~2,500 parts in a standard EV like the Rivian R1T.
• Capital-Light Manufacturing [17:12]: Eliminates expensive infrastructure like traditional paint shops and complex metal stamping presses.
• Single Iteration Loops [18:13]: Instead of running 2–3 design validation build cycles, engineers get only one iteration supported by advanced computer modeling and simulation.
• Amazon Corporate Culture [20:34]: Adopts Amazon's 6-page narrative document process instead of PowerPoint presentations to force rigorous problem-solving before executing decisions.

3. Surviving "Production Hell" & Financial Strategy [23:45]

• Lessons from Rivian [25:05]: Copes describes "production hell" as facing more simultaneous problems than a team can handle for up to a year. At Rivian, launching three vehicles on two assembly lines while scaling from 1,500 to 10,000 employees created extreme friction.
• Disciplined Capital Use [32:01]: Slate plans to raise ~$1.5 billion total to reach profitability—a fraction of the $25B+ spent by Rivian or $35B+ spent by Tesla.
• Target Launch [14:42]: Target production is scheduled for Q4 2026 at a brownfield manufacturing plant in Indiana [57:39].

4. Pricing, Charging, and Market Fit [34:25]

• Fixed $24,950 Price Point [34:25]: Unlike competitors that advertise low base prices with unavailable baseline trims (e.g., Ford Maverick), Slate aims for a fixed single price point with transparent destination fees.
• Accessible Overnight Charging [43:35]: Designed so owners without dedicated garage space or Level 2 chargers can replenish 35–40 miles of daily range overnight using a standard 110V household outlet.
• 2-Door Design Decision [45:01]: The 2-door configuration was chosen purely to lock in the sub-$25k price floor, though a 4-door platform is package-protected for future vehicle models [47:00].
• Updated Battery Range [54:55]: Pivoted to a cell-to-pack strategy with an established supplier to deliver over 200 miles of range.

 

[AZFox]

At least this can be shown to those people that think more than 2 doors is necessary:

Good YouTube link. Thanks for posting.

I think they're going to find out the industry gaslighting about strong preference for four doors is hokum.

Lots of customers will be happy owning a vehicle that smaller and everything that goes with that (better fuel economy, easier to park, fits better in garages, longer bed, or whatever).

Especially since the large frunk solves the Regular Cab Pickup Lockable Storage Problem.

 

[aquaman811]

Good link. Thanks for posting.

I think they're going to find out the industry gaslighting about strong preference for four doors is hokum.

Lots of customers will be happy owning a vehicle that smaller and everything that goes with that (better fuel economy, easier to park, fits better in garages, longer bed, or whatever).

Especially since the large frunk solves the Regular Cab Pickup Lockable Storage Problem.

@AZFox -Thank you for making the frunk point!!! People need to think outside their comfort zones to new possibilities! The paradigm shifts when you own an EV!

 

[Doctors Do Little]

@AZFox -Thank you for making the frunk point!!! People need to think outside their comfort zones to new possibilities! The paradigm shifts when you own an EV!

This is the shorter and much more simple version of the Ridgeline, if the Ridgeline were an EV! The hidden trunk in the bed of the ridgeline was genius when it first came out, and I used it all the time. Therefore, along with my experience with the lightning, the slate frunk will be easy to adapt to. Keeps important or rarely used things hidden and not rolling around in the bed or in a back row!

 

[Trace26]

I'm still holding out hope for a stretched Slate Truck that can use the SUV Kit to make a 3 row. I might be able to convince my wife she wants one.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Heck, if Honda could make a CRV-sized EV truck, I’d be interested?

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I'm still holding out hope for a stretched Slate Truck that can use the SUV Kit to make a 3 row. I might be able to convince my wife she wants one.

Word

 

[007]

This is not surprising. They designed a versatile platform that can easily be modified to accommodate different body styles. This is nothing new in automotive design. It's also easy to determine a drivetrain could be mounted in the front without a complete redesign. The drivetrain could also deleted in the rear. The de Dion rear suspension is used on several economy SUVs that come in FWD and AWD. It would not be hard to increase the wheelbase a few inches also.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

In a strange twist today, my wife said she wanted a puppy! I said, “absolutely not - we have 2 dogs already and adding a third would be irresponsible…”. Then realizing the logical trap she had laid, I said, “you would have to take care of it and we would name it, “Slate”!”

 

[Skippy]

In a strange twist today, my wife said she wanted a puppy! I said, “absolutely not - we have 2 dogs already and adding a third would be irresponsible…”. Then realizing the logical trap she had laid, I said, “you would have to take care of it and we would name it, “Slate”!”

I have a hard limit on five dogs at any given time. The current pack numbers four, but that leaves a space open for another rescue in need of a forever home.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I have a hard limit on five dogs at any given time. The current pack numbers four, but that leaves a space open for another rescue in need of a forever home.

I feel!

She loves the dogs more than me already though. I’m playing the long game here

 

[LordHyphen]

Heck, if Honda could make a CRV-sized EV truck, I’d be interested?

Remember the OG Honda Passport/Isuzu Rodeo in the late-90s? The design kinda lives on in the current Passport and Pilot, but give me an EV version of something resembling a 99 Passport and I'm a happy man.

EDIT: that top one's a first-gen. The second pic should be a 99.

 

[MechanizedBull]

At least this can be shown to those people that think more than 2 doors is necessary:

The part of the video I clipped leads directly to where he talks about the 4-door at least being considered previously.

Now all they have to do is introduce it as a secondary model and see whom would want that instead.

Wonder if it would make the Slate longer.

 

[AZFox]

Wonder if it would make the Slate longer.

It would, yes.

 

[tubes]

When this interview came out a while ago, I didn't know what he mumbled.

Now that I know, I realized I'm not exactly sure what this means.

What does "package protect " really mean?