So many posts about, will you still buy if the EV credit

[ccharla]

Yes. Stoked on a little mod friendly truck.

 

[evtruth]

I am not Pro EV or anti EV, I do not currently own any EVs

Go drive one. Then you'll be pro-EV.

however when Slate announced the pick up I was very interested in this platform. I personally think for what you are getting ( as cool as it is to get a very basic truck) that the price with the EV credit is already pushing the max I would spend for this.

Think about it this way: These days it costs $30K for a SXS / RZR and they aren't even technically road legal or interstate capable like a Slate truck. They also only carry 4 people instead of 5.

For me this is just another toy. I can go spend less then half of this on a clean 2wd 90s mini truck, and with the basic mechanics and fuel economy of these old 2wd, 4cyl trucks and the amount of time I would be using it, it would take me decades to spend the money in maintenance, fuel, etc to come close to spending the price of the slate without the EV credit.

Let's say you spend $10K on a B2000 and get 20 MPG. At that price you've spend $10K in fuel after about 66K miles, not including all of the other maintenance and parts from a 25 year old truck. Heck, try to find parts of it. Meanwhile when you break a headlight on your Slate truck you can just go buy a cheap Wrangler replacement and drop it in to fix it. Or when you break a body panel you can jump on the Slate site and buy one quick, have it shipped to you, and replace it with a handful of screws in just minutes while you wait for your B2000 body panel to come in that cost 3x as much. This would also serve well as a SXS / RZR replacement for help around the farm / ranch. It's a great value either way when you consider the alternatives, IMO, but everyone has an opinion.

So for me, I am hopeful the EV credit holds out long enough to get my reservation. I do not believe that Slate has enough margin to be able to bring the price down close to the price it would be with the EV credit.

I would agree, it's highly unlikely there's enough margin to bring the price down much at all.

 

[skidoofast]

I also think the unknown is the price of other vehicles, the Maverick (that I have ZERO interest in) has been climbing and climbing in price so if a base maverick climbs to $35 or $38k I think some that were out with the slate might reconsider

I’m all at this point up to a certain $$ amount, unsure what that amount is as of now - probably $30k with upgraded battery

hoping for the 200,000 credit to still be around when I can get mine

 

[sodamo]

Just musing here, but what if…
What if the EV credit goes away, but even if it doesn’t, Slate has the investors that support dropping the price significantly on Blank Slate for 1st yr production? They absorb some loss (tax benefit?) the 1st year to get a very visible base of supporters. They step up the price over next year or two while making some margin on the accessories which I would anticipate to be somewhat a continuing market. This would be a tangible benefit to early buyers and establish a firm footing in the market.
In my own case, I’ve already set a target of what I’ll pay if EV credit goes away. Should the Credit remain or the base price decreases most likely I will spend that difference on accessories When I order versus waiting for alternatives.

 

[skidoofast]

There’s also talk of an interest credit on new USA made vehicles that are financed (doesn’t help if your paying in full or a big down payment)

but it is something bit I’d bet that the interest you pay would be a credit to lower your taxable income so for most you’d day about 22% of your interest back in the form of reduced taxes (or larger refund) at the end of the year

 

[sodamo]

There’s also talk of an interest credit on new USA made vehicles that are financed (doesn’t help if your paying in full or a big down payment)

but it is something bit I’d bet that the interest you pay would be a credit to lower your taxable income so for most you’d day about 22% of your interest back in the form of reduced taxes (or larger refund) at the end of the year

No clue how this would work. I haven’t been able to itemize taxes for years. Not sure if I pay X interest and get to offset my income by a percentage of X there is much benefit. i already try my best to minimize my tax bite. Years ago that would have been of more interest, now I prefer to keep interest to a minimum. I’ve already started saving toward my Slate purchase. Could be interesting though. Am guessing there are a number of potential Slate buyers that have already calculated their 84 month loan.

 

[skidoofast]

No clue how this would work. I haven’t been able to itemize taxes for years. Not sure if I pay X interest and get to offset my income by a percentage of X there is much benefit. i already try my best to minimize my tax bite. Years ago that would have been of more interest, now I prefer to keep interest to a minimum. I’ve already started saving toward my Slate purchase. Could be interesting though. Am guessing there are a number of potential Slate buyers that have already calculated their 84 month loan.

I’m accelerating my payoff of my current f150 and hoping to have a big chunk to put down and make the slate as little of a loan as possible for as short as possible

 

[sodamo]

I’m accelerating my payoff of my current f150 and hoping to have a big chunk to put down and make the slate as little of a loan as possible for as short as possible

Sounds like my plan, 11 months accelerated payments left on my Tundra. Have a spreadsheet to determine having full price saved for Slate unless it comes early 4th quarter 2026, which would be even nicer.
Challenge will be how long I keep my Tundra which I really like.

 

[Tinker]

Probably not. At 27k, It doesn’t pencil out for me in a spread sheet.

 

[Karl Childers]

I am hopeful for the credit to remain. If it does not, Slate is going to have to be real close to 27k or it will probably be a no go for me. Alot of things can change between now and roll out.

 

[atx_ev]

Im their perfect customer:

I want an EV truck (a car form factor is not acceptable)
I want to pay less than 30K.
I want it to be shorter than my 2010 tundra, ideally less than 200 inches. The tundra is great but I want something smaller.

I dont care about paint, infotainment, speakers, etc.

I want a blank slate and will do minimal upgrades (tow hitch for my bike rack) electric side view mirrors

 

[E90400K]

Modern cars are complicated because of FEDERAL emissions standards and safety regulations/standards. We all voted for the people who created the pathway for such regs to exist.

Stop crying about it. Lol.

 

[Benjamin Nead]

I've been driving an EV for a decade now and will never go back to anything powered by gasoline. Full stop. The pickup truck format really isn't a high priority for me, but I like Slate minimalist approach and that's an important consideration. I don't want any car with AI-assisted cup holders that requires a monthly subscription to keep working.

My current EV is a 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV and I'm on the 2nd battery (free warranty replacement) as of 2020. So, my thoughts are this 2nd battery will last as least as long as the 1st . . . to around 2028. Now that I've moved from a relatively large city to a rural area, I'm starting to feel the range limitations of a 16kWh pack. That's really the only thing I don't like about this car. That and the general rarity/expense of parts that do happen to break or wear out.

The other car I have my eye on is the relaunched Chevy Bolt EV. They're promising an LFP pack and that's good. They're even promised a "smaller Bolt" and if this true, that may sway me in that direction. I'm also hearing much about Ford's LFP plans and a line of vehicles they're developing at the "Skunkworks" facility that are promised to be cheaper that what's generally available today.

I'll get on my political soapbox for a moment to say that all the cuts to clean energy infrastructure and eliminating the tax breaks that encourage consumers to consider everything from EVs to heat pumps is amazingly short-sighted. The rest of the civilized world is on their way to electrifying everything. Those who are responsible for keeping us in the fossil fuel age will deservedly suffer at the ballot box over these next couple of election cycles.

 

[Neil Nelson]

I will not get the credit in any case.