Slate makes the cover of Car & Driver magazine!

[AZFox]

So, we just need one single mid-sized SUV model from one manufacturer or the same exact vehicle built by several (or many) manufacturers.

The people's car as it were.

That's not what I meant, and you know it. 😠

Here we can see why you put "strawman argument" and "logical fallacies" in the post where you self-owned yourself.

"FUD" is just another meaningless internetism, like "confirmation bias", "strawman argument", "logical fallacy", "ad hominem", et cetera.

Psychobabble phrases used by people when they've lost an argument on the net.

Regarding your conjured-up Doom-and-Gloom prognostications (Kits may not be profitable! Sales will drop off!), they're obnoxious and irksome.

In 7-10 years there could be well over a million blank and formerly-blank OG Slate Trucks running around. If so, factory accessories will sell well and be profitable for the company.

 

[AZFox]

I think, if Slate gets enough sales that it can sustain itself for a second model, is to take the Slate architecture and make a tall-roof van.

Vista Cruiser wagons had a raised roofs with skylight windows. Something like that might be fun.

 

[E90400K]

That's not what I meant, and you know it. 😠

Here we can see why you put "strawman argument" and "logical fallacies" in the post where you self-owned yourself.



Regarding your conjured-up Doom-and-Gloom prognostications (Kits may not be profitable! Sales will drop off!), they're obnoxious and irksome.

In 7-10 years there could be well over a million blank and formerly-blank OG Slate Trucks running around. If so, factory accessories will sell well and be profitable for the company.

Im really not sure what you meant. The Market has settled on the mid-sized SUV as the primary bodystyle of choice. And for good reason because its the best bodystyle to accommodate the broadest use cases of the Market.

But your point with the graphic I saw as an inapplicable counterpoint to my premise. My premise is will in 10 years or so be enough of the Slate Truck ver. 1.0 to justify carrying upfit kits inventory (at a profit) for those 2nd and 3rd tier buyers who may want to take advantage of the DIY SUV conversion capabilities of the truck. My premise is at some point Slate will have to redesign the Truck to keep the Market interested in it.

The Market is used to and expects periodic model changeover.

 

[AL-Derby]

One new (to me) factoid is that the SUV Kit weighs 310 lbs.

Is that the entire kit? Seats, roll bar, and shell?

 

[AZFox]

Is that the entire kit? Seats, roll bar, and shell?

Yes. Here's what it says:

[...] and even a kit that enables owners to turn their two-seat truck into a five-seat SUV.​

​

The likely four-figure accessory package offers a bed-mounted three-across rear bench seat, a roll bar replete with integrated airbags, and a removable hard top; it adds about 310 pounds too.​

A five-seat SUV has seats, rollbar, and a shell.

 

[cadblu]

Is that the entire kit? Seats, roll bar, and shell?

I certainly hope that’s the total weight, includes all. And at that level, shipping costs might cause sticker shock. I suspect it’s now considered “freight” —- strapped on a pallet.

Last time I checked, I don’t have a loading dock at my house. I guess I’m going to have the kit shipped with my Slate!

 

[AZFox]

I certainly hope that’s the total weight, includes all. And at that level, shipping costs might cause sticker shock. I suspect it’s now considered “freight” —- strapped on a pallet.

Shipping costs may be more reasonable than you are expecting. There's an infrastructure for LTL (less-than-load) shipments and it's surprisingly efficient.

 

[SichuanHot]

Won’t there be a 3-D printer market out there to create whatever in 8 years?

Gotta think they want to push 100K truck units (civilian and fleet) and then decide if they want to export also…and then get crazy with AWD models for our yankee/performance brothers and bolster that 100K annual mark?

I’m still stumped on some of this bc it is just our speculation.

The 3D printed stuff will only be for interior knick knacks and low stress doodads. Even if printed in nylon glass carbon fiber filament, you're not going to put those parts in any major structural application that's exposed to the elements.

 

[KevinRS]

You can 3d print even with low cost printers in materials that would work for exposed to the elements, like the light covers. I was just thinking the other day that people will probably be printing holiday themed ones, where the maker has flower examples. Structural elements on the slate are mostly metal. Things like body panels the problem is size, even if you have a printer big enough, the time it takes may be prohibitive, and you probably need post finishing.