Small battery Slate (150 mi) has better driving dynamics?

[Mike]

I've been wondering, since all Slate Trucks are the same off the assembly line (motor and all), wouldn't that mean that the smaller battery one is lighter? Meaning faster, better handling, and more fun to drive. I'm no engineer, so I have no idea, but it makes sense to me.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

If the original plan of ~53kwh and ~84kwh with 5 and 8 modules of NMC cells is what they end up doing, then I would expect the small battery to be somewhere around 200-300lbs lighter. Rumor has it their battery options may have changed though.

 

[1yeliab_sufur1]

If the original plan of ~53kwh and ~84kwh with 5 and 8 modules of NMC cells is what they end up doing, then I would expect the small battery to be somewhere around 200-300lbs lighter. Rumor has it their battery options may have changed though.

interesting but if it did to what and to what degree

 

[1yeliab_sufur1]

Hi Bailey,

Happy to help clear this up!

Based on the most recent public information shared by Slate, the vehicle is expected to use NMC battery chemistry. The most recent confirmation came from a May 2026 interview with Slate's Chief Commercial Officer, which you can find here: https://electrek.co/2026/05/06/real...cco-talks-affordability-flexibility-and-more/

I think some of the recent speculation may have started after incorrect information was shared regarding vehicle weight. As a reminder, all specifications remain subject to change until the final production vehicle is released, and occasionally information shared by individual agents can be inaccurate or become outdated as development continues.

That said, we can't confirm, deny, or comment on any non-public product details, future changes, or internal development decisions. Like everyone else at Slate, we're under confidentiality agreements and can only discuss information that has been officially announced by the company. I know that's probably not as exciting as forum speculation, but if there are any future updates to battery chemistry, pack sizes, or vehicle specifications, Slate will share them publicly through official channels.

Thanks for reaching out, let us know if there's anything else we can help with!

Best,

Katelyn || Slate Agent Team

Slate to State Road Tour- Check us out in person!

slates response to the battery speculation very interesting

 

[Kopsis]

I've been wondering, since all Slate Trucks are the same off the assembly line (motor and all), wouldn't that mean that the smaller battery one is lighter? Meaning faster, better handling, and more fun to drive. I'm no engineer, so I have no idea, but it makes sense to me.

Splitting hairs. It's a roughly 3600 lb compact pickup truck with a 200 HP motor. If you think this is going to be some Miata-esqe canyon carver, you might want to adjust your expectations. Is there likely to be a measurable difference? Maybe. Is there likely to be a meaningful difference? Probably not.

 

[KevinRS]

Hi Bailey,

Happy to help clear this up!

Based on the most recent public information shared by Slate, the vehicle is expected to use NMC battery chemistry. The most recent confirmation came from a May 2026 interview with Slate's Chief Commercial Officer, which you can find here: https://electrek.co/2026/05/06/real...cco-talks-affordability-flexibility-and-more/

I think some of the recent speculation may have started after incorrect information was shared regarding vehicle weight. As a reminder, all specifications remain subject to change until the final production vehicle is released, and occasionally information shared by individual agents can be inaccurate or become outdated as development continues.

That said, we can't confirm, deny, or comment on any non-public product details, future changes, or internal development decisions. Like everyone else at Slate, we're under confidentiality agreements and can only discuss information that has been officially announced by the company. I know that's probably not as exciting as forum speculation, but if there are any future updates to battery chemistry, pack sizes, or vehicle specifications, Slate will share them publicly through official channels.

Thanks for reaching out, let us know if there's anything else we can help with!

Best,

Katelyn || Slate Agent Team

Slate to State Road Tour- Check us out in person!

slates response to the battery speculation very interesting

They aren't going to share any info that hasn't been released publicly. The battery speculation is based on what one of the members here heard at a fleet event, but actual details weren't shared. We are all just going to have to wait for the big announcement later this month, they likely won't release anything about anything until then.

 

[2thlesswithta2s]

From an engineering perspective, the 200-300 lbs added battery weight will be positioned very low, which will likely improve cornering stability. Even though it is added weight, it lowers the center of mass. It's also toward the rear, which should improve traction of the rear drive wheels (important for winter driving to those of us in the north).

Since the expected rated load capacity is 1400 lbs & that is based on a load positioned higher in the bed of the truck, the effect of extra battery weight should affect handling very minimally.

Since the motor & drivetrain are the same power output for both battery configurations, you can expect acceleration to be slightly slower, but no more than transporting a couple 150 lb passengers (with the SUV kit, of course).

 

[pfan760]

From an engineering perspective, the 200-300 lbs added battery weight will be positioned very low, which will likely improve cornering stability. Even though it is added weight, it lowers the center of mass. It's also toward the rear, which should improve traction of the rear drive wheels (important for winter driving to those of us in the north).

Since the expected rated load capacity is 1400 lbs & that is based on a load positioned higher in the bed of the truck, the effect of extra battery weight should affect handling very minimally.

Since the motor & drivetrain are the same power output for both battery configurations, you can expect acceleration to be slightly slower, but no more than transporting a couple 150 lb passengers (with the SUV kit, of course).

whether the extra 400 lbs is low or high it’s still 400 lbs. CoG is low owing to the fact it’s a BEV but weight will still affect everything from steering feel, braking and accelerating and suspension tuning.

yes, the standard battery, all else being equal, will be the better performer.

thats part of the reason why I’m sacrificing the extended range option. Most of my driving is well within 60-80 miles and on the rare occasions I go further the Tesla Supercharger network is pretty well represented here in SoCal and the Western US in general.

I hope someone like Eibach, Bilstein or Fox comes out with a performance suspension kit for these.

 

[DT444T]

I hope someone like Eibach, Bilstein or Fox comes out with a performance suspension kit for these.

Ya know... I've been thinking about how I would want to put a SMALL lift (maybe just a level kit) and have some decent winter tires, but I'm never going to take it off-road. Might as well lower it and make it handle decently.

 

[Sl8rGrl]

Like everyone else at Slate, we're under confidentiality agreements and can only discuss information that has been officially announced by the company.

Hopefully we don't get anyone fired by sharing these "leaks". Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to whatever is confirmed officially on June 24th

 

[sodamo]

Interesting discussion. I have been comfortable with Std battery solution almost from beginning, but every now and than get teased, “what if extended turns out quite affordable”. So extra weight factor? But also got me thinking as for charging. will be doing the 80% charge in convenience of my garage using my free pv power. So now wondering if extended might translate into less often but longer charge periods?
Guessing my normal trip will be about 17.8kw or less.

 

[KevinRS]

I also figure if the extended is cheap enough, I might go with it, but don't NEED it as things stand. Not going to make a difference in regular charging habits though, plan to plug it in when it's parked at home, programmed to charge (to 80 probably) during the most off peak part of the day for that season.

 

[cadblu]

Well it appears the news just leaked out in the base battery:

Slate CEO dishes new details on company’s 'mid-$20s' EV pickup

The base pickup is a two-door, rear-wheel-drive truck with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. LFP batteries are less expensive and more durable than the more common lithium ion batteries. The downside is that they don't have as much range. Slate promised a 150-mile range on a charge when it announced the vehicle in 2025.

Slate's pickup has fewer than 800 parts when it rolls off the line, compared with 3,000 to 4,000 in a traditional pickup, Faricy said.

 

[1yeliab_sufur1]

11 DAYS LEFT

 

[1yeliab_sufur1]

Well it appears the news just leaked out in the base battery:

Slate CEO dishes new details on company’s 'mid-$20s' EV pickup

The base pickup is a two-door, rear-wheel-drive truck with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. LFP batteries are less expensive and more durable than the more common lithium ion batteries. The downside is that they don't have as much range. Slate promised a 150-mile range on a charge when it announced the vehicle in 2025.

Slate's pickup has fewer than 800 parts when it rolls off the line, compared with 3,000 to 4,000 in a traditional pickup, Faricy said.

WAIT WAIT WAIT THATS HUGE