Preordered and now having second thoughts...anyone else?

[Kopsis]

I love Tesla Supercharger locations compared to the awful EA, EVGo, Shell, Chargepoint, 7-11, etc...

My EV6 loses half it's max charging speed at Tesla Superchargers and I still prefer them over the other networks. No matter how one may feel about Tesla in general, the user experience with their chargers is just dramatically better - even without considering location. I've heard the new Ionna stations compare favorably but it could be years before they make it to the southwest.

 

[DinoLord]

I really want to buy a Slate. I think it’s one of the most innovative vehicles to come along in years.
However, the current 205-mile battery doesn’t meet my travel needs.
For everyday battery health, many owners will likely follow the recommended charging range of about 10% to 80%. That means:

• 205-mile battery × 70% = approximately 144 miles of everyday rated range.

For road trips, I would charge to 100%, but I also don’t want to plan on arriving with 0% remaining. Keeping about a 10% reserve gives:

• 205-mile battery × 90% = approximately 185 miles of rated range.

Unfortunately, that’s not enough for several trips I regularly make:

• Trip 1: about 180–190 miles (right at the limit)
• Trip 2: about 250 miles (requires a charging stop)

When Slate was discussing a 240-mile battery, the numbers looked much better:

• 80% → 10% daily use: 168 miles
• 100% → 10% road trip: 216 miles

Those extra miles would have made a significant difference.

I completely understand that many buyers use their trucks locally and that 205 miles may be enough for them. But for those of us who occasionally make longer trips, a larger battery would make the Slate much more practical without changing what makes it a great truck.

I sincerely hope Slate offers an extended-range battery option in the future. If they do, I’ll gladly keep my reservation. If not, I’ll probably have to cancel—not because I don’t like the truck, but because it doesn’t fit the way I need to use it.

Is 30 minutes (the difference between filling up with gas and a recharge stop) a few times a year not worth all the other benefits?

 

[ClayJar]

My rule for EV road trips is charge every 2 hours even if I have the range to do more. That results in in a 15 - 20 minute charging stop which is just enough time to stretch my legs, use the facilities, and top off my coffee. The trip ends up being so much more relaxing and pleasant that it's well worth the small time penalty.

That's so very unlike how my wife and I currently road trip. My car gets a nominal four hours per tank at Interstate speeds, so that's how often we pull over, and maybe every other stop even is longer than just the time to fill up.

We have no plans to road trip in the Slate, but should it ever come up, I suppose we could plan a leisurely two-hour cadence with charging stops. Definitely doesn't change my desire to exit Club DWCS as soon as they'll put a date window on my First Shift preorder, but it'll be an adjustment (perhaps even on par with missing a clutch).

 

[metroshot]

My EV6 loses half it's max charging speed at Tesla Superchargers and I still prefer them over the other networks. No matter how one may feel about Tesla in general, the user experience with their chargers is just dramatically better - even without considering location. I've heard the new Ionna stations compare favorably but it could be years before they make it to the southwest.

Yes, yours is an 800V battery which explains the slower rate of charge at Tesla V3 chargers.

Try the newer V4 chargers - they have longer cables and offer ups o 500kW charge rates for 800V systems.

My 400V system does not change whether I use the older V3 or newer V4....

 

[Rocks]

My EV6 loses half it's max charging speed at Tesla Superchargers and I still prefer them over the other networks. No matter how one may feel about Tesla in general, the user experience with their chargers is just dramatically better - even without considering location. I've heard the new Ionna stations compare favorably but it could be years before they make it to the southwest.

Yeah, Wilcox is about it for now. Someday soon this one in Tempe should be open, it looks mostly done.
https://www.plugshare.com/location/1315188

The closest ones to me will be Quartzite and Flagstaff, of the coming soons on Plugshare. The Ionna map is a bit more conservative about what it defines as "coming soon."

 

[ElectricShitbox]

Try the newer V4 chargers - they have longer cables and offer ups o 500kW charge rates for 800V systems.

Remember that most of the time if you see a V4 dispenser, it's still limited to 500v because they're still using V3 cabinets. There's only a handful of true V4 sites.

 

[KevinRS]

I really want to buy a Slate. I think it’s one of the most innovative vehicles to come along in years.
However, the current 205-mile battery doesn’t meet my travel needs.
For everyday battery health, many owners will likely follow the recommended charging range of about 10% to 80%. That means:

• 205-mile battery × 70% = approximately 144 miles of everyday rated range.

For road trips, I would charge to 100%, but I also don’t want to plan on arriving with 0% remaining. Keeping about a 10% reserve gives:

• 205-mile battery × 90% = approximately 185 miles of rated range.

Unfortunately, that’s not enough for several trips I regularly make:

• Trip 1: about 180–190 miles (right at the limit)
• Trip 2: about 250 miles (requires a charging stop)

When Slate was discussing a 240-mile battery, the numbers looked much better:

• 80% → 10% daily use: 168 miles
• 100% → 10% road trip: 216 miles

Those extra miles would have made a significant difference.

I completely understand that many buyers use their trucks locally and that 205 miles may be enough for them. But for those of us who occasionally make longer trips, a larger battery would make the Slate much more practical without changing what makes it a great truck.

I sincerely hope Slate offers an extended-range battery option in the future. If they do, I’ll gladly keep my reservation. If not, I’ll probably have to cancel—not because I don’t like the truck, but because it doesn’t fit the way I need to use it.

If you are using more than that 144 miles daily, go ahead and charge it more. The recommendation is don't store the vehicle at 100%, not don't charge it to 100%.

What I consider when looking at that road trip consideration, is where are you going, and are there places to charge. In your case and mine, even the longest trip under consideration would only require 1 short charging stop. A multitude of choices on where to stop, and that stop only needs to be minutes long to get to the destination with 10% remaining. Plug the route into "a better route planner" set the settings how you like, and see how long it says you'd need to charge somewhere.
For my longest trip, on the return route, gaining a bit over 3000 feet in elevation, driving into the wind, I likely need 6 minutes charging if I start at 100% to arrive at 10%, 13 minutes if I start at 80%.
So my thinking is, probably stop for a meal and charge while eating, if not, even the rest areas on the route have chargers, and 6-13 minutes is no big deal to stretch legs a bit and use the facilities if needed, and I'd probably spend 15 anyway.

 

[sodamo]

I really want to buy a Slate. I think it’s one of the most innovative vehicles to come along in years.
However, the current 205-mile battery doesn’t meet my travel needs.
For everyday battery health, many owners will likely follow the recommended charging range of about 10% to 80%. That means:

• 205-mile battery × 70% = approximately 144 miles of everyday rated range.

For road trips, I would charge to 100%, but I also don’t want to plan on arriving with 0% remaining. Keeping about a 10% reserve gives:

• 205-mile battery × 90% = approximately 185 miles of rated range.

Unfortunately, that’s not enough for several trips I regularly make:

• Trip 1: about 180–190 miles (right at the limit)
• Trip 2: about 250 miles (requires a charging stop)

When Slate was discussing a 240-mile battery, the numbers looked much better:

• 80% → 10% daily use: 168 miles
• 100% → 10% road trip: 216 miles

Those extra miles would have made a significant difference.

I completely understand that many buyers use their trucks locally and that 205 miles may be enough for them. But for those of us who occasionally make longer trips, a larger battery would make the Slate much more practical without changing what makes it a great truck.

I sincerely hope Slate offers an extended-range battery option in the future. If they do, I’ll gladly keep my reservation. If not, I’ll probably have to cancel—not because I don’t like the truck, but because it doesn’t fit the way I need to use it.

Somehow this reads like you want us to believe you never had to get gas in an ICE.

 

[Kopsis]

Yes, yours is an 800V battery which explains the slower rate of charge at Tesla V3 chargers.

Yes, I understand the voltage limitations. But V4 Superchargers that are truly 500 kW and open to non-Teslas don't exist on any route I've driven.

My point is that knowingly charging at half speed is still a better overall experience than attempting to use one of the dumpster fire EA or EV2Go 350 kW chargers.