Slate Factory Update Video & POV Tour (January 29, 2026)

[bloo]

I hope the finish product has special fasteners that secure the body panels from thieves can't steal them🤔

Truck will be built in the US, not Finland.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

I hope the panels are extremely stealable so I never have to buy any.

 

[bloo]

Something about the robo-welders doesn't jive with the paintless process Slate's promoting. Once metal components are welded, they should be painted to prevent corrosion in the field. How will this work out ?

 

[ElectricShitbox]

Something about the robo-welders doesn't jive with the paintless process Slate's promoting. Once metal components are welded, they should be painted to prevent corrosion in the fiekd.

The unibody (or slateboard, or whatever they want to call it) is going to be electrostatically coated.

 

[Letas]

From this article:

"Slate has developed a dual-layer fastening system that’s designed to ensure the panels can’t be easily removed without the proper access."

Curious how this will look. My guess would just be that the panels that overlap the door have a fastener under the door, only accessible when the door is opened, and the other panels not overlapping with the door overlap with these panels.

Or, they use a super secure proprietary bit called a "torx" bit 😂

 

[bloo]

Smash a window then open the door from the inside to access the overlap or fasteners.

If there are hidden screws holding the panels on, why bother with exposed ones ?

 

[Bayfire2441]

Smash a window then open the door from the inside to access the overlap or fasteners.

If there are hidden screws holding the panels on, why bother with exposed ones ?

We won't know of course until we have a final product in hand but I'd imagine the hidden screws don't actually really hold the panel in place when the exposed fasteners are on.

 

[AZFox]

The take-away is that Slate's dual-layer fastening system (somehow) addresses the concern people have when they see exposed fasteners and, understandably, jump to a conclusion that someone can just walk up to a Slate and remove body panels. They can't.

Determined thieves can remove parts regardless of fastener visibility.

FWIW, I've owned cars with parts that were easy to steal, and no parts were ever stolen from those cars.

 

[KevinRS]

Honestly the exposed fasteners are probably mainly for looks. Maybe there is a bit of simplicity adding a few fasteners in some of those spots rather than twice as many around the edges to stabilize the panel, and not have it vibrate in the wind, but there's no way the bed panels and front fender panels are held on with just the 4 visible fasteners each. I think we will find that there are more fasteners at the front and back of the bed panels, hidden by the door and tailgate, along with the bed panel hooking up over the steel bed underbody, and probably some kind of fasteners or clips along the bottom edge. So removing the panel is a simple enough operation, but you do have to open both the door and the tailgate to do it, removing those visible screws may make the panel a bit loose, and cause some noise, but it's not coming off and all you have to do is put screws back in.
Similar with the front fender panels.

 

[1yeliab_sufur1]

Truck will be built in the US, not Finland.

 

[atx_ev]

The take-away is that Slate's dual-layer fastening system (somehow) addresses the concern people have when they see exposed fasteners and, understandably, jump to a conclusion that someone can just walk up to a Slate and remove body panels. They can't.

Determined thieves can remove parts regardless of fastener visibility.

FWIW, I've owned cars with parts that were easy to steal, and no parts were ever stolen from those cars.

tailgates, wheels, and catalytic converters are the most common

 

[sodamo]

All this concern about stealable panels. What is their market? They have another use? I definitely must be missing something.

 

[beatle]

We won't know of course until we have a final product in hand but I'd imagine the hidden screws don't actually really hold the panel in place when the exposed fasteners are on.

My guess is the panel is held on by a combination of exposed and hidden fasteners. You might be able to get the panel loose by removing the exposed fasteners, but not remove it entirely. Kind of like some lock hasps. This is kind of a crummy example, but it was what I could find: