Slate Auto w/ Tonneau Cover Walkaround from Fort Worth Texas showing (February 27)

[KJRaven]

Which basically means... One size does NOT fit all...

The study of ergonomics / human factors engineering is quite interesting. As applied to automobiles, making sure everything is within reach of the driver for safety considerations is often given more importance than comfort. Many trade-offs factor into the seat design and range of adjustments. I think the production Slate will have reasonably comfortable seats that fit the majority drivers and passengers.

I sat in the Slate truck yesterday at a fleet demo, the seats are... seats that you would not want to take a long road trip in, but they are also not much different than any other work truck seat. simple, manual adjustments. and it was also not a production unit so it is hard to say that it will be the same as what we get when we buy it. They will start having ride/drives in June with trucks that are much closer to a production truck.

 

[GaRailroader]

I sat in the Slate truck yesterday at a fleet demo, the seats are... seats that you would not want to take a long road trip in, but they are also not much different than any other work truck seat. simple, manual adjustments. and it was also not a production unit so it is hard to say that it will be the same as what we get when we buy it. They will start having ride/drives in June with trucks that are much closer to a production truck.

If you are willing and able to share I’m sure a lot of us would be interested in what your fleet use case interest is as well as others that were in attendance of the fleet event.

 

[KJRaven]

If you are willing and able to share I’m sure a lot of us would be interested in what your fleet use case interest is as well as others that were in attendance of the fleet event.

It was just myself, City of Farmers Branch and one other fleet manager, City of The Colony at this event. So it was very intimate.

They were headed to many other meetings in the area this week. I know that they were going to Dallas, and Ithink Pepsi, he mentioned more but I can't remember.

As for what role it plays in my fleet, it would be a perfect for a meter reader, code enforcement, supervisor, health inspectors, facilities technician, parts runner, parking enforcement. basically any time that there would be one person who doesn't need a lot of equipment to do their job.

I posted some of my thoughts and other items that i found out about the truck in this thread. https://www.slateforums.com/forum/threads/fort-worth-showing-whos-going.14253/post-215823

 

[GaRailroader]

It was just myself, City of Farmers Branch and one other fleet manager, City of The Colony at this event. So it was very intimate.

They were headed to many other meetings in the area this week. I know that they were going to Dallas, and Ithink Pepsi, he mentioned more but I can't remember.

As for what role it plays in my fleet, it would be a perfect for a meter reader, code enforcement, supervisor, health inspectors, facilities technician, parts runner, parking enforcement. basically any time that there would be one person who doesn't need a lot of equipment to do their job.

I posted some of my thoughts and other items that i found out about the truck in this thread. https://www.slateforums.com/forum/threads/fort-worth-showing-whos-going.14253/post-215823

That seems like a pretty big market with all these municipalities having so many vehicles for various jobs. Didn’t even think of that one.

 

[KJRaven]

That seems like a pretty big market with all these municipalities having so many vehicles for various jobs. Didn’t even think of that one.

Cities need cheap vehicle that just work. The bigger ones will take a chance on buying some slates to test, if it goes well then they will continue buying them. Especially the cities that have adopted and implemented EVs.

 

[Vyndralys]

Reminds me sooo much of my first Ford Ranger. A two door cheap-as-all-get-out XLT with cloth seats, manual shift, gutless 4 cylinder, RWD - and yes, window cranks. I put 100,000 miles on that basic truck, commuting CT to MA for years, yard work, etc.

That's the same reason I'm so interested in the Slate truck. From high school through college I drove an '01 Ranger, 4 cylinder with a MT. I loved that truck and have missed small pickups ever since. I do need a back seat because I have a little one, but once he gets older my plan is to convert the slate back to a single cab.

 

[KevinRS]

One of the cities near me is the city that went in on hydrogen. They even got Toyota to launch the Mirai there, but issue is where to refuel. There are no local public fueling stations. The city apparently has a station at one of their yards to fuel their fleet, whatever size it is, but even with all their promotion, no public station ever opened.

 

[KJRaven]

One of the cities near me is the city that went in on hydrogen. They even got Toyota to launch the Mirai there, but issue is where to refuel. There are no local public fueling stations. The city apparently has a station at one of their yards to fuel their fleet, whatever size it is, but even with all their promotion, no public station ever opened.

Hydrogen is a long way away from being mainstream. It makes sense for a city to do it because they have a limited service area and can install their own private refueling stations.

I have 2 Unleaded/Diesel fuel sites in my city that I manage. This allows me to buy in bulk and save a ton on fuel, right now my Unleaded is about $2.10/gallon. It also allows me to have a large reserve of fuel for extended weather events when the public fuel supply is scarce or fuel trucks cant deliver (we will transition to using public fuel first to hold on to our reserve)

Hydrogen also makes sense for cities because there are/were massive grants for alternative fuel vehicles, CNG, Hydrogen, LPG, EV (they are basically gone now) Bio-Diesel, etc. and the installation of their fueling stations. So the up-front cost was basically $0 for them to do it, and they get the good press of using clean energy.

 

[metroshot]

Off topic...

How do you like ADS-B?

It's a life saver!

Without it, I'd be flying around not knowing what's around me.

 

[KevinRS]

Hydrogen is a long way away from being mainstream. It makes sense for a city to do it because they have a limited service area and can install their own private refueling stations.

I have 2 Unleaded/Diesel fuel sites in my city that I manage. This allows me to buy in bulk and save a ton on fuel, right now my Unleaded is about $2.10/gallon. It also allows me to have a large reserve of fuel for extended weather events when the public fuel supply is scarce or fuel trucks cant deliver (we will transition to using public fuel first to hold on to our reserve)

Hydrogen also makes sense for cities because there are/were massive grants for alternative fuel vehicles, CNG, Hydrogen, LPG, EV (they are basically gone now) Bio-Diesel, etc. and the installation of their fueling stations. So the up-front cost was basically $0 for them to do it, and they get the good press of using clean energy.

The Mayor basically promised that Hydrogen was the future, it was going to be a hydrogen city, Toyota started retail selling the Mirai at the dealership in the city, first in the country, years later now, the nearest public station is still over an hour of driving to get to. Feel bad for anyone who bought one.