Q&A with CEO Chris Barman (Dec 16, 2025). Slateforums gets a shout out 🙌

[cadblu]

Neither Doug nor anyone else can review a production Slate, because there is no completed assembly line to build them. Hand built prototypes have about as much to do with production vehicles as cats do with dogs.

Everyone knows what Doug thinks of the Slate truck. It really doesn’t matter what he thinks, if I like it I will buy it after a test drive.

Further, I don’t believe he will change his viewpoint if he does an actual hands on review, as it will still have only 2 doors. Although I think it will get good grades on being “quirky.”

And the Doug score is: 👎

 

[Letas]

. Being raised in Michigan in the 50s and 60s I don’t get the need for 4WD! I know it’s handy sometimes and maybe even necessary at times but we never had it and my current old pickup doesn’t have 4WD. Most of the time there’s really no need for it. As Click and Clack the Car Talk guys used to say, 4WD just means you get stuck in deeper snow! 😊. Looking forward to my 2WD Slate!

As a midwesterner at heart, living out west, the Midwest does not lay claim to the toughest winter driving conditions, at all. Anyone can drive in snow over flat ground. Driving mountain passes is a different beast, even if overall snow totals are lower.

There is a very large population of people who won’t even consider a car unless it is AWD or 4x4 for that reason. Even if it performs well in snow, chain control requirements out west really handcuff buyers.

 

[Susan]

Everyone knows what Doug thinks of the Slate truck. It really doesn’t matter what he thinks, if I like it I will buy it after a test drive.

Further, I don’t believe he will change his viewpoint if he does an actual hands on review, as it will still have only 2 doors. Although I think it will get good grades on being “quirky.”

And the Doug score is: 👎

Indeed.

Considering that I have no idea who Doug is, and I bet a lot of other car buyers don't either, his opinion means nothing to me. There are people whose evaluations of the Slate would matter to me and I'll ask them to join me when I get a test drive. Meanwhile, I haven't heard anything so far that would dissuade me from getting this truck.

And good for Chris for not worrying about his opinion either!

 

[Bayfire2441]

. Being raised in Michigan in the 50s and 60s I don’t get the need for 4WD! I know it’s handy sometimes and maybe even necessary at times but we never had it and my current old pickup doesn’t have 4WD. Most of the time there’s really no need for it. As Click and Clack the Car Talk guys used to say, 4WD just means you get stuck in deeper snow! 😊. Looking forward to my 2WD Slate!

Living in Ohio and having a 4WD vehicle, not once have I ever needed to use it. I have, on rare occasions used it, but I would have been fine without it. Not that Ohio gets much winter these days anyway. This one has been the worst I can recall but even its not bad.

 

[SparkYellow]

Slateforums.com gets a shoutout from the CEO! (at 4:05 time stamp). Some helpful info in the Q&A too.



Here's the Q&A summary (by Gemini AI):
...

Thank you!! The AI summary got everything except one question (before transferring reservations) that was in German and she answered in German. She didn't say anything about funky horns. No problem, I can mount a BT speaker on the grille and run an app to sound train horns. 😀

 

[Letas]

Indeed.

Considering that I have no idea who Doug is, and I bet a lot of other car buyers don't either, his opinion means nothing to me. There are people whose evaluations of the Slate would matter to me and I'll ask them to join me when I get a test drive. Meanwhile, I haven't heard anything so far that would dissuade me from getting this truck.

And good for Chris for not worrying about his opinion either!

Doug is one of the most well-known car “influencers” in the game. 5m subscribers on YouTube alone. A video he posted 7hr ago has more views than the Slate has reservations. For a small company trying to be successful in the hyper competitive auto market, a review from him could change the trajectory of the company… I don’t think discounting his opinion is wise

 

[metroshot]

Never got my question answered about Tesla Supercharger partnership, plug and charge and how it would work since the vehicle does not connect to the Internet.

 

[Susan]

Doug is one of the most well-known car “influencers” in the game. 5m subscribers on YouTube alone. A video he posted 7hr ago has more views than the Slate has reservations. For a small company trying to be successful in the hyper competitive auto market, a review from him could change the trajectory of the company… I don’t think discounting his opinion is wise

Chris didn't seem to discount his opinion. She said he could review a Slate anytime he wants.

But I get to. I still don't care who he is.

 

[cadblu]

Don’t want to sound ungrateful, but I’m sorry to report how disappointed I was with whole Q&A thing. The questions were mostly without substance, and in fact more extensively covered on this forum. You lost me with question, what’s Chris’ favorite wrap color.

Nevertheless, we did get to see a couple of inoperative robots with shipping tie wraps still in place. Let’s get them unwrapped and installed the shop floor. Please.

 

[Letas]

Don’t want to sound ungrateful, but I’m sorry to report how disappointed I was with whole Q&A thing. The questions were mostly without substance, and in fact more extensively covered on this forum. You lost me with question, what’s Chris’ favorite wrap color.

Nevertheless, we did get to see a couple of inoperative robots with shipping tie wraps still in place. Let’s get them unwrapped and installed the shop floor. Please.

They opened with a bang. “How will it perform in cold” met with “we will direct you to the nearest charging station!”

 

[Basenji703]

I thought that the questions were, on the whole, pretty softball. The only question that I was concerned about was whether a 9' surfboard could be locked in the SUV. Of course, since it was my question, and my Slate, if I get one, would replace my surf mobile, the answer was very important to me. . I wasn't too happy about hearing the SUV package would be 5K however.

 

[adele]

She did seem a bit patronizing at times with the simple answers. "Where's the backup camera - the back of the vehicle" is frankly infuriating. That's a valid question to ask, for example if you want to do things with the tailgate.

I assumed it's on the tailgate handle because i've been around other pickup trucks with backup cameras, but maybe someone had never used a backup camera before and/or just wanted to make sure exactly where it was.

 

[sodamo]

Somewhat disappointing, but OK. Do wish she had answered about SUV without sea and rollbar.
Sure sure what comments about dogs meant at all.

 

[fuzzyweis]

I liked it, didn't expect anything too earth shattering, but the fact they're taking the time to take some questions and answer them, and show the facility is pretty nice. Also they did take some less than softball questions like towing behind an RV, could just skipped that but they put it out there.

Also on the backup camera question, there's this photo on the site that shows the backup camera integrated with the tailgate handle, not ideal, I like having my aftermarket one in the license plate bracket so if my tailgate is down I can still see what I'm gonna hit.

 

[Luxrage]

I'm glad she hit on my question about 6'' speakers in the doors with a yes! My question DID specifically mention Double DIN in the dash which was avoided.

Edit: Just caught where she said there's now 150,000 reservations instead of 100K.