Repair Pal presentation for shop owners - updated with new information (for shops & owners)

[Adam W]

Repair Pal is hosting a livestream tomorrow (Thursday, Dec 18th) for shop owners to learn more about the Slate partnership. It's probably not going to have any customer-centric information, but you never know. There's a pre-registration form to sign up to watch live, or get the recording after the fact. Now, I'm not suggesting anyone make up a fake repair shop name, but...


Here's the agenda from the signup page:

Plug Into New Customers: How the RepairPal & Slate Partnership Drives Business to Your Shop
December 18, 2025 10:00 AM
- Overview of the Slate electric vehicle
- How RepairPal and Slate are working together to simplify and improve EV maintenance and repair
- How to get new business from this partnership

 

[ElectricShitbox]

I'm legitimately trying to get a friend's shop to join repairpal, so I'll report back.

 

[SparkYellow]

10 AM PST tomorrow I am probably still at work. 🤦

 

[KevinRS]

I did notice when I took my mother to pick her car up after a repair of yet another leak, that the shop had a repairpal sign up. other customers were waiting, so I didn't get a chance to ask about it.

 

[SparkYellow]

There is a lot of very useful information! Attendees are supposed to get an email later that contains the PPT slides and recording.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

Alright, there's a few things I noticed.

Repair shops that are repairpal certified and signed up with Slate will have access to ALL technical data one day one.

They also say that owners will have access to the same data, but then imply that might not include information on high voltage service.

They expect that only shops with HV certification will be doing any work with the high voltage system.

There shouldn't be any Slate-specific tools needed, even for high voltage work.

For diagnostics, owners will have some ability to scan diagnostic codes directly with the Slate app, which answers someone's question about OBD scanning. I guessing it does still have a normal OBD port because they discuss shop scan tools, saying they don't have a definitive compatibility list but that most should work.

 

[dcgray2]

For diagnostics, owners will have some ability to scan diagnostic codes directly with the Slate app, which answers someone's question about OBD scanning. I guessing it does still have a normal OBD port because they discuss shop scan tools, saying they don't have a definitive compatibility list but that most should work.

At first I was like "wait the OBD-II port is federally mandated" but that's not true for EVs. I did not know that.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

https://pages.repairpal.com/slate-w...tm_content=395169607&utm_source=hs_automation

 

[AZFox]

At first I was like "wait the OBD-II port is federally mandated" but that's not true for EVs. I did not know that.

all BEVs, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and plug-in hybrids sold in California between 2026 and 2035 must have a standardized diagnostic system similar to the OBD-II standard.

Thread:
Will there be an OBD port? What do other EV's have?

 

[Trail Seeker]

all BEVs, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and plug-in hybrids sold in California between 2026 and 2035 must have a standardized diagnostic system similar to the OBD-II standard.

Thread:
Will there be an OBD port? What do other EV's have?

Thank you AZFox. That was informative.

 

[SparkYellow]

Working through my notes...

Common fasteners
Off the shelf fluids
Simplified EV architecture
Minimize use of specialty tools (advanced automotive tools, not oem-specific tools)
Error proof fasteners

If shop encounters difficulties, Slate team is available to triage virtually and even send field tech out.

Retail/Fleet (consumer/commercial)

I counted ten folks in the chat, two from Repairpal/Slate, one with no shop. 😬 How many of us were there with no shops?

 

[SparkYellow]

It wasn't clear to me before today's session that Slate is suitable for commercial use as well. From this slide, it looks like the cargo kit for commercial/fleet is a box with no windows (and presumably with barn doors in the rear). That's what I'd want to use as a camper.

There are discussions here about other/future models. I wonder if the truck is the only base model, and the different variations are the same truck wearing different kits?

 

[KevinRS]

Yes the truck is the only base model, the photos are examples of adding on different accessories and wraps

 

[SparkYellow]

There must be two cargo kits though. One with windows/carpet/insulation to carry passenger, the other without. For commercial use, the walls are prime real estate for mounting racks, shelves, and etc. In that case, the combo is more like a cargo van than SUV.

 

[KevinRS]

"Cargo" kit as far as we know is the fleet version, no windows etc.
SUV kits are the ones for passengers, with seats, and windows.
We don't know any details yet though, all we have seen is photos of the SUV versions from events and external renders of the cargo kit.