Slate Open-Air version spotted driving and parking in Nashville, TN [video & photos]

[Saint Alban]

Saw a post on FB, Slate just had a test vehicle down on Broadway (famous bar scene area) in Nashville. Noting “To the fan who shouted at us from the Nashville Pedal Tavern: we love you tooooooo!”

Yet here we all are, twiddling our thumbs in the Slate Fourms without a clue. Would have been nice for folks with reservations , I.e. future order holders, to have a heads up of a local visit to see a truck in the wild first hand. Otherwise, why are we here?

We all can’t fly to the meet ups, but damn, if Slate is going to be in a city we live near by to post pics, why not give their biggest fans a heads up?

With forethought and effort, am sure Slate will generate more regional street buzz than “the fan“ on the Nashville Pedal Tavern this summer. Come on Slate, bring your promotional “A Game” to your future customers, in a very affordable and efficient manner, communication!

I understand how you feel. I too would be upset if I saw a post that Slate was somewhere that I could’ve been. I saw their post and they even asked “where to next?” as if we had some say in it. We reserved, we signed up for news and updates, we follow them on their social media platforms. Yet they show up places and we have no idea. Maybe it’s a marketing strategy to make it more exciting, I dunno. I’m not angry about it…..yet, lol. I see the first stop of their tour is Salt Lake City in June, but no actual date and we are in the last week of May. I am nowhere near there or any of their next stops, but I’m excited for the people who get to go and look forward to their opinions.

 

[cvollers]

Kind of irrelevant as to whether the person was a reservation holder isn’t it? The point I am making is, if Slate knows it will be stopping in a major city to post pics, why not simply tip reservation owners via an e-mail or post on their website that they will be there. Gorilla marketing campaign or not, why not afford the people who are serious about making an investment in their product, the opportunity to see it when it presents itself. Not a hard ask in my opinion.

Perhaps it was an event not open to the public?

 

[cvollers]

I understand how you feel. I too would be upset if I saw a post that Slate was somewhere that I could’ve been. I saw their post and they even asked “where to next?” as if we had some say in it. We reserved, we signed up for news and updates, we follow them on their social media platforms. Yet they show up places and we have no idea. Maybe it’s a marketing strategy to make it more exciting, I dunno. I’m not angry about it…..yet, lol. I see the first stop of their tour is Salt Lake City in June, but no actual date and we are in the last week of May. I am nowhere near there or any of their next stops, but I’m excited for the people who get to go and look forward to their opinions.

I just concluded a chat with Yolanda at Slate...no confirmed date yet for the Olympia WA event. I'm assuming this goes for all the tour stops.

 

[raybythelake]

Saw a post on FB, Slate just had a test vehicle down on Broadway (famous bar scene area) in Nashville. Noting “To the fan who shouted at us from the Nashville Pedal Tavern: we love you tooooooo!”

Yet here we all are, twiddling our thumbs in the Slate Fourms without a clue. Would have been nice for folks with reservations , I.e. future order holders, to have a heads up of a local visit to see a truck in the wild first hand. Otherwise, why are we here?

We all can’t fly to the meet ups, but damn, if Slate is going to be in a city we live near by to post pics, why not give their biggest fans a heads up?

With forethought and effort, am sure Slate will generate more regional street buzz than “the fan“ on the Nashville Pedal Tavern this summer. Come on Slate, bring your promotional “A Game” to your future customers, in a very affordable and efficient manner, communication!

Your point is well taken!

 

[Saint Alban]

I just concluded a chat with Yolanda at Slate...no confirmed date yet for the Olympia WA event. I'm assuming this goes for all the tour stops.

That’s funny, she just replied to me as well about the kits. No confirmation as to wether or not the open air kit is just an SUV kit without the top.

 

[cvollers]

That’s funny, she just replied to me as well about the kits. No confirmation as to wether or not the open air kit is just an SUV kit without the top.

Now I'm thinking about that Open Air concept. If the third brake light is part of the rear cab section that has the operable glass and the Open Air does not have that part, how will the third brake light be handled? Mounted to the roll bar?

 

[YDR37]

Perhaps it was an event not open to the public?

Looks to me like the Slate has been exhibited at multiple industry trade shows to date:

- Advanced Clean Transportation Expo, Anaheim CA, April 2025
- NAFA Fleet Management Association 2025 Institute & Expo, Long Beach CA, April 2025
- Home Delivery World, Nashville TN, May 2025

There is obviously noting wrong with exhibiting at trade shows; Slate apparently expects fleet sales to be an important part of its business. However, it's frustrating that there have been zero opportunities for the general public to see the Slate, and that no events have even been firmly scheduled.

 

[cadblu]

Now I'm thinking about that Open Air concept. If the third brake light is part of the rear cab section that has the operable glass and the Open Air does not have that part, how will the third brake light be handled? Mounted to the roll bar?

Good point. It may explain why the Open-Air Kit and SUV kit may not be fully interchangeable. I suspect the 3rd brake lamp will be integrated in the cross bar for the open-air kit, whereas the SUV version will have the lamp embedded in the glass panel. Better yet, it will be a plug-in module. Of course, this all needs to be confirmed by SA after the details are worked out.

 

[Garbone]

Good point. It may explain why the Open-Air Kit and SUV kit may not be fully interchangeable. I suspect the 3rd brake lamp will be integrated in the cross bar for the open-air kit, whereas the SUV version will have the lamp embedded in the glass panel. Better yet, it will be a plug-in module. Of course, this all needs to be confirmed by SA after the details are worked out.

Think you on to something with the tail lamp. Not finalized is my guess.

Possible solution may be an led strip across the top of the tail gate or between the gate and bumper. I do not know what the height requirement is.

 

[danielt1263]

It was my understanding that in order to put in the back row of seats, one must remove the wall between the front seats and the bed. If that is done, then the roll cage is needed for stiffness. The SUV and fastback covers are just relatively flimsy panels.

Reports are that the back window of the SUV is just the truck back window moved further back. Not sure about the fastback though...

 

[cadblu]

It was my understanding that in order to put in the back row of seats, one must remove the wall between the front seats and the bed. If that is done, then the roll cage is needed for stiffness. The SUV and fastback covers are just relatively flimsy panels.

Reports are that the back window of the SUV is just the truck back window moved further back. Not sure about the fastback though...

Judging from the simulator tool, that glass panel for the fastback kit is definitely larger than the standard truck back window. I suspect that the fastback kit will be more expensive than the square back; hopefully not that much.

 

[sodamo]

Kind of irrelevant as to whether the person was a reservation holder isn’t it? The point I am making is, if Slate knows it will be stopping in a major city to post pics, why not simply tip reservation owners via an e-mail or post on their website that they will be there. Gorilla marketing campaign or not, why not afford the people who are serious about making an investment in their product, the opportunity to see it when it presents itself. Not a hard ask in my opinion.

Any chance you emailed Slate your suggestion?

 

[SL8R]

Any chance you emailed Slate your suggestion?

They reached out to me via Messenger yesterday afternoon:

Hey, Charles

Totally hear you, and you’re right to want more ways to get up close with Slate. The Pedal Tavern moment wasn’t planned, just one of those lucky right place/right time run ins. But your support as a reservation holder means everything to us, and we’re working on kicking off our summer Slate Tour very soon. Keep an eye on our website for the next event locations, and we'll be updating it with new ones as they are planned. You deserve that chance, and we’re doing our best to make it happen. 🙏