Rage Bait AI at its finest - why Slate will fail 😡

[GaRailroader]

It keeps stating that they only raised 100 million. Maybe round A. But after round B they're at 700 million. I swear I heard somewhere they were at 1.1 billion but can't find it now.

I think I’ve incorrectly stated it in a post on a YT video that it was likely $1.1 billion before they announced it was 700 million. My Logic was that series B likely generated an order of magnitude more than the series A round.

 

[ReverendQ]

I watched the whole video, somehow I still want one 🤣🤣🤣

so much false information and horrible speculation spewed as facts in this video

You lost me when claiming China cannot make an EV for $20K so here is some AI to counter this AI:

Yes, China can and already does make electric vehicles (EVs) that cost around $20,000 or even less. The country has become a global leader in affordable EV manufacturing thanks to its:

1. Economies of Scale

• China produces more EVs than any other country, leading to lower production costs.
• Companies like BYD, Wuling, and Chery have massive domestic demand and efficient supply chains.

2. Local Supply Chains

• Most components, especially batteries, are sourced domestically, reducing import costs.
• CATL and BYD are world leaders in battery technology and production.

3. Government Support

• Generous subsidies (especially in earlier years) and local incentives helped manufacturers scale quickly.
• Strong government backing in EV infrastructure like charging networks.

Examples of ~$20K or Less EVs in China:

Model	Manufacturer	Starting Price (Approx.)	Notes
Wuling Hongguang Mini EV	SAIC-GM-Wuling	~$5,000–$6,000	One of China’s best-selling EVs
BYD Seagull	BYD	~$11,000–$12,000	Small hatchback, new for 2023-24
Leapmotor T03	Leapmotor	~$9,000–$12,000	Compact city EV
Chery eQ1 (Little Ant)	Chery	~$9,000–$14,000	Urban-focused EV

Can These Be Sold in the U.S. or Europe?

Not directly yet:

• Safety standards, emissions regulations, and import tariffs increase costs in Western markets.
• However, as tech improves and companies like BYD expand globally, we might see $20,000-class EVs reach international markets—possibly through local production or partnerships.

Let me know if you want a comparison with Tesla or want to see how these cars might be adapted for Western markets.

 

[sodamo]

No Chinese pu listed.

 

[AKrietzer]

No Chinese pu listed.

BYD does make a pickup.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2024-byd-shark-phev-pickup-truck-first-look-review

 

[skidoofast]

I'm not saying anything that hasn't been said...but he said something about "we all drive in the 75mph range"...which I can't speak for everyone else, but I don't get near that speed in my normal day. He also kept saying 20,000 price point, which is a gray area. That IS what is advertised, but AFTER the rebate. So that wasn't even true in and of itself.

I DO want to see both good and bad reviews of the Slate...but not AI half-studied nonsense lol!

I agree, if someone can point out negatives that are truly negative instead of casting a wide net “nobody wants this” “everyone wants that” I’m all in to watch

right now all I really want to see is closeups and information, I can decide if it’s good, bad, or ugly

 

[cvollers]

BYD does make a pickup.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2024-byd-shark-phev-pickup-truck-first-look-review

If anyone should be worried about that BYD Shark, its Ford.

 

[Benjamin Nead]

The BYD shark is a hybrid, so it's more of a direct competitor to the Ford Maverick.

A quick (hardly definitive) web search for electric Chinese pickup trucks really didn't bring anything up in the same size class as the Slate. The closest I found was something called the Kaiyun Motors Pickman, which looks to be a smaller and less capable vehicle . . .



Lead acid batteries, 110km (68 miles) range per charge and in a body that I would NOT want to be inside of during a collision. Cheap, though, at around $5500. In some places in the US, something like this might be able to get on surface streets under neighborhood vehicle status, with a speed limit cap of 35mph.

The above video was made in 2019, but there are web articles dating as late as 2022 with aspirations of imminent street legal status for the Pickman. I highly doubt it would even get in the front door of a NHTSA crash test facility, though. This looks like several such efforts put forth by the Chinese during this period, before the current wave of seriously good vehicles from the likes of BYD and Xpeng would become more well known over here.

So, there is surprisingly no serious all-electric small pickup contender from China ready to knock off the Slate right now, as far as I can tell.

 

[sreeb]

BYD does make a pickup.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2024-byd-shark-phev-pickup-truck-first-look-review

That is a hybrid

 

[Firstevexcited1]

One word on this......Tucker. There is fear.