Slate's big bet - going against the grain

[Jimw]

Same here. Two door Bronco hauls everything I need. Most pickups these days are luxury vehicles that no one will ever use to haul anything at all. My dad will drive a pickup every single day of the year because he gets mulch twice a year, it’s hilarious.

Back at the turn of the century I had a 1990 Isuzu P'UP space cab as my 70 mile round trip a day work vehicle. I think the only option was day/night mirror. Hauled firewood, mulch, yard waste. With snow in the bed I could stick 2 blizzards from DQ home for the wife and I. (Our DQ closed in the winter.) The little lake town I worked in stayed open year round. That little truck with rwd skinny tires and weight in the bed would go through anything. 25 mpg. Square body, the Slate reminds me of that. Wife had a 97 Wrangler TJ with auto and air only. Zipper windows on half doors and am/fm radio.

 

[cvollers]

Plywood is an easy stand in for the largest thing I will conceivably need to transport, and having a cargo capacity that's slightly below does me zero good when I do.

The 4x8 size covers way more than just construction grade plywood. If you do any home maintenance at all you'll run into the 4x8 sheet good limitation for sheathing, drywall, insulation board, slatwall panels, pegboard, etc. If you're handy and want to build anything from a new built-in bookshelf in the family room to a workbench for the garage, to a potting bench for the wife, you're going to eventually need to move sheet goods. Even if it's only a few times a year, NOT having that capacity is a project-blocker.

The last time I moved a 4x8 sheet of something was a packaged sheet of Wilsonart plastic laminate I needed for a couple furniture projects…I needed a rented van to pick it up at a freight terminal. Before that I’ve taken delivery of plywood that I had to cut into pieces first before hauling in my FJ. I love the idea of having a bed available for this kind of hauling. When I wrap the topper, I am doing it separately from the vehicle.

 

[JeffVA]

I'm the guy just a month ago swore I would never drive an EV. The moment I saw the Slate about a week after it was released I thought of my 3 previous small 2 door Toyota trucks and couldn't get to my credit card fast enough to put down my deposit.

Now I'm picking out a spot on my garage wall for a 240v outlet and picking out level 2 chargers.

This truck made me an EV advocate in under 5 minutes from a diehard ICE only driver. I think this Truck is going to have the same affect on many

 

[cvollers]

I'm the guy just a month ago swore I would never drive an EV. The moment I saw the Slate about a week after it was released I thought of my 3 previous small 2 door Toyota trucks and couldn't get to my credit card fast enough to put down my deposit.

Now I'm picking out a spot on my garage wall for a 240v outlet and picking out level 2 chargers.

This truck made me an EV advocate in under 5 minutes from a diehard ICE only driver. I think this Truck is going to have the same affect on many

I was leaning hard into the Scout as my first EV, but in the EREV Harvester version. Now I'm not so sure that is my ideal next vehicle as I think the Slate is a better fit as a baby, low cost, street-only brother to my overlanding FJ. Its also a better fit for my business needs. Thanks to the Scout forum for making me aware of the Slate in the first place.

 

[cadblu]

I fully agree that Slate’s business model with a single, basic configuration and DIY customization is definitely a game changer. For some, it can be the fun ‘project car’ we always wanted.

But is Slate really going against the grain? The short answer is “no”. We can all agree the design language is RETRO. As others have mentioned, the look is similar to small Toyota pickups of the 90s. The retro wave in the auto industry has never been stronger. Others riding on the success of the retro truck theme include Scout, Bronco, Ranger, and Land Cruiser to name a few. And nothing screams ‘retro’ more than crank windows.

 

[cvollers]

I fully agree that Slate’s business model with a single, basic configuration and DIY customization is definitely a game changer. For some, it can be the fun ‘project car’ we always wanted.

But is Slate really going against the grain? The short answer is “no”. We can all agree the design language is RETRO. As others have mentioned, the look is similar to small Toyota pickups of the 90s. The retro wave in the auto industry has never been stronger. Others riding on the success of the retro truck theme include Scout, Bronco, Ranger, and Land Cruiser to name a few. And nothing screams ‘retro’ more than crank windows.

The simple boxiness of the Slate is a design language that should appeal to hardcore Land Cruiser fans...maybe even the design language they would have liked to see in a simpler (and less expensive) version of a new Prado. I know it appeals to me. There isn't a wasted line or unnecessary flourish...its just pure function.

 

[E90400K]

I fully agree that Slate’s business model with a single, basic configuration and DIY customization is definitely a game changer. For some, it can be the fun ‘project car’ we always wanted.

But is Slate really going against the grain? The short answer is “no”. We can all agree the design language is RETRO. As others have mentioned, the look is similar to small Toyota pickups of the 90s. The retro wave in the auto industry has never been stronger. Others riding on the success of the retro truck theme include Scout, Bronco, Ranger, and Land Cruiser to name a few. And nothing screams ‘retro’ more than crank windows.

Agree with the retro. I was an early Bronco Reservationist and bought my 2-dr, manual transmission, Black Diamond in 2022 when it finally arrived. So, I know of what I speak. My configuration IS the modern version of 1st Gen (OG) Bronco.

BUT, Ford has all but dropped the 2-door, manual Bronco from its line up. AND for 2024 Ford did drop the Bronco Base model, the one that was the "blank slate" Bronco and was $29,995. For 2025, the Base model is back (I'm not sure if it is yet for sale though). The steel-wheeled Black Diamond has been dropped as a stand-alone model.

Just market things to ponder...