Playing devil's advocate here, comparing Slate Truck vs. Ford Maverick

[Swinefuzz]

You made it seem like there were no safety standards in the Slate.

Minimize or deny the obvious positive traits of the competition to make oneself seem superior. Some people can only "win" by cheating, but then it isn't really winning at all. Half the human race has a painful and humiliating lesson to learn.

 

[Swinefuzz]

Crabs in a bucket.

Out of control Capitalism, in this case Big Auto and Big Oil, their lobbyists and govt cronies, have trapped us all in a bucket. They are in the business selling cars to make money. Fine. Capitalism isn't bad. Ultra-greedy Capitalism is. They are only happy with HUGE PROFIT$ (some car prices are literally about 50% profit) and will do anything possible to maintain that business environment. Big Auto has dragged their feet on clean, cheap energy because they are in league with Big Oil who has what the world needs, energy, and no one has bigger profits than Big Oil. The marketers for these industries manipulate our emotions by suggesting we aren't real men unless we have a huge truck with a loud, rumbling engine and an expensive tow package. Most people who own really big trucks don't use them for hauling or towing, they use them for social messaging.

The Tow Bro's video is typical CBM, Crabs in a Bucket Mentality.

The Slate Truck is the first modern vehicle I've considered purchasing in over 25 yrs. I want to switch to electric for a multitude of reasons. I don't work daily in construction anymore, so I don't need big towing power. I don't need to haul my friends or family to my workplace, so I don't need a 4 door that seats 5 or 7 or 10. I don't need to intimidate other commuters with a monster truck. I don't need a truck I can't repair or maintain myself. I don't need big screens to distract me from the road, from my overwhelming car payment, from the present moment. And I don't want to pollute the air I breathe.

If you think like the Tow Bro, Big Auto and Big Oil want you to think, you put yourself in the bucket.

 

[E90400K]

Has there ever been such a thing as "small oil"? Just askin'

 

[GaRailroader]

More geographic location for comparing price difference which is huge in So Calif.

I pay a lot less EV charging using Tesla Superchargers ($0.31/kWh) than charging at home ($0.61/kWh).

And to add insult, gas prices are now $6.00 gallon.

Hate to say it, but I haven't had a $400 gasoline month in over 3 years.

I was referring to acquisition cost not operating cost. Clearly cost to operate EV is much lower than cost to operate ICE. I pay 6.2 cents per kWh in Georgia. Electricity is an order of magnitude cheaper in Georgia with home charging versus buying gas. Add to that the almost no maintenance required on an EV and the pros add up.

 

[GeoLogic]

Lamentably, questioning the "free" character of solar is entirely valid. Costs for even a modest home PV array are presently so high you will never recoup the up-front investment required over the ~25 year useful life of such a system. And it's only a matter of time before utilities start refusing to pay for net metering. As PV costs eventually do come down all the further, the density of home systems will increase sufficiently where utilities can't sustain paying for everyone's generation any longer, so they'll just up and stop doing it. Just watch.

We installed our system mostly for energy independence-- Carbon reduction for us in the hydroelectric PNW is lesser of a practical factor. But for week-long power outages, such as we sustained during several ice storms these past multiple years, and if Cascadia were to go full-margin, we have reliable electricity to sustain all of our home operations. And with an EV, we'd also sustain ability to drive about. In an M9 event here in Oregon, you can say goodbye to gasoline measured in months at minimum: We have no refining in the entire state, and all of our fuel is piped in from Washington. It's astonishingly vulnerable. So there's yet another reason why I wish to own an electric vehicle, especially one as practical as the Slate promises to be. In a pinch it could handle family of four transport, hauling... Everything one might need in a local emergency. The Maverick would be a useless 45 thousand dollar brick, with no gasoline. No thanks.

 

[Swinefuzz]

People on this forum will try to say “the slate isn’t competing with the maverick” but the fact of the matter is, customers look for value. And pound for pound the maverick wins by a landslide

The Slate is all EV, so incredibly easy maintenance and NO TECH beyond the EV powertrain and standard safety features like radar, etc.

The Ford Maverick is ICE or Hybrid only, no all EV option, and is packed with features like screens and lots of tech that has proven unreliable and very high maintenance. ENGINE FIRE RECALL. AIRBAG RECALL. BRAKE ISSUES. AND SH!T TONS OF PERSISTENT TECH GLITCHES THAT FORD CAN'T FIX BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO COMPLEX. Google around about this. Mavericks are in the service bay a LOT. The Maverick is cheap because it's LOADED with features that are low quality. And it's TWO FEET LONGER than the Slate, but with a shorter bed because DOORS for people I don't need to take with me when I commute to work. It would barely fit in my driveway. I personally see no upside to the Maverick.

Once again, why are so many people buying pickup trucks that double as family vehicles? I believe it's a syndrome where people just want something that "has it all" but doesn't do any of it particularly well.

 

[dn325ci]

I have a Maverick XLT AWD but interested in an EV pickup and made a reservation. We'll see where the pricing lands in the end.

 

[SL8R]

It all comes down to personal preference. Not having to deal with sales people, shifty ”market adjustment” pricing, unwanted paint protection, nitrogen tire, aggressive dealership add-ons and fees, etc. is a huge win. Buy a Maverick if it suites your purpose, buy a SLATE as well for the same reason. The SLATE team has what it takes to deliver a quality vehicle at an affordable price. I doubt they will get off to as rocky a start as the 1st generation Maverick did with its many design and software flaws, and quality control issues, though time will tell.

 

[metroshot]

.....I doubt they will get off to as rocky a start as the 1st generation Maverick did with its many design and software flaws, and quality control issues, though time will tell.

I hope you are right about Slate.

Hope they beta test in the field with real drivers.

The first gen EV Ford Mach E had some huge issues that were both hardware and software issues.

Some were never resolved and Ford pulled out those features in later year models.

Those first year owners felt a bit cheated out looking at the subsequent year models that had been ironed out....

 

[RevCaptJack]

...Please be gentle

I’ve been looking for a minimalist vehicle. Never considered the Maverick.

 

[cadblu]

It all comes down to personal preference. Not having to deal with sales people, shifty ”market adjustment” pricing, unwanted paint protection, nitrogen tire, aggressive dealership add-ons and fees, etc. is a huge win. Buy a Maverick if it suites your purpose, buy a SLATE as well for the same reason. The SLATE team has what it takes to deliver a quality vehicle at an affordable price. I doubt they will get off to as rocky a start as the 1st generation Maverick did with its many design and software flaws, and quality control issues, though time will tell.

Your commentary is spot on. Last year I dealt with this exact scenario. Bought a big new ICE truck (rhymes with Texas 🤔) that was loaded with options I didn’t want, known as PIOs (port installed options) which added over $3k to the bottom line, and not on my sales agreement. That’s was how the truck was delivered (surprise!) with an updated window sticker. I settled anyway because all other dealers were adding up to $10k markup, aka market adjustment. So at least I felt like I was ahead. I was advised if I didn’t take it as is, the wait time was another 6 months due to high demand. Slate won’t have any of these high pressure tactics. And their vehicles will also be in high demand!

 

[zipn]

Your commentary is spot on. Last year I dealt with this exact scenario. Bought a big new ICE truck (rhymes with Texas 🤔) that was loaded with options I didn’t want, known as PIOs (port installed options) which added over $3k to the bottom line, and not on my sales agreement. That’s was how the truck was delivered (surprise!) with an updated window sticker. I settled anyway because all other dealers were adding up to $10k markup, aka market adjustment. So at least I felt like I was ahead. I was advised if I didn’t take it as is, the wait time was another 6 months due to high demand. Slate won’t have any of these high pressure tactics. And their vehicles will also be in high demand!

Counterpoint. Just purchased a 25 AWD hybrid lariat. Maverick from granger motors in Iowa. Paid 3% below dealer invoice not msrp! Invoice… with no bs extra fees. No sales pressure. I was I and out in about 60 minutes. A pleasant experience with no surprises. The deal was mostly predone online.

Not every dealer is a rip off, but fwiw I find that a the new car sales tend to be more upfront with pricing and extras compared to the used car side of the lot where I’ve yet to find a decent used car sales experience.

 

[SLATEchad]

People on this forum will try to say “the slate isn’t competing with the maverick” but the fact of the matter is, customers look for value. And pound for pound the maverick wins by a landslide

I think it's far from a landslide. It's not that they don't compete at all - they are both compact pickups in a similar price range, but they also have some distinctions that mean people like myself would never even consider the Maverick, while the Slate is very appealing. For one: It's a Ford. For two: it's a hybrid (overly complicated powertrain with higher likelihood of reliability issues than an EV powertrain). For three: it looks stupid. For four: It doesn't have the customization and flexibilty that the Slate offers. For five: even with impressive fuel economy, it has higher operating costs compared to an EV between fuel and maintenance.

Many of these reasons are subjective, and it's fine if you love the Maverick, but I also know that I'm not the only one who holds some or all of these opinions and for whom the Maverick will likely not be on my radar unless they release a full EV version and even then I'd have to get over the looks.

 

[SichuanHot]

For one: It's a Ford.

I would never buy a Ford either. I was very close to buying a S550 Mustang, but decided not to. That was a bullet dodged. I simply don't trust Ford's penny pinching questionable engineering decisions.

 

[sodamo]

Have only owned 2 Fords in my life - enough. Yup, both had electrical issues. Both got me stranded And had to get roadside assistance.