SUV vs Open Air vs Cargo

[sodamo]

From Maker:
Blank Slate: $24,950
SUV Squareback available from factory: $29,950 ($5,000)
SUV Fastback: $31,950 ($7,000)
Open Air from factory: $3, 950

Savings for factory order:

Squareback to Open Air: $1,150
Fastback to Open Air: $3,150
Assume this savings is the shell and labor

Details of Cargo kit are slim but possibly are a couple variations starting $3000. does not require seat or rollbar.

Worthy of discussion I think

Do the kits arrive complete: seats, rollbar and shell or individual components? Prior talk of flat packs indicate maybe complete but maybe three component packs.

Regardless, are the SUV tops useable without seat and rollbar?

Can it be installed with lower bulkhead in place?

ex. Could I buy 2 Slates, 1 Blank Slate, 1 SUV and after receiving, move the SUV top resulting in 1 Open Air, 1 Slate truck with SUV topper? Any extra pieces required?
Such configuration would be quite acceptable to the dog lover crowd wanting enclosed bed?

So I emailed this to Slate, not expecting a complete answer at this time, but I think this is a valid concern to be addressed eventually.

Might it be helpful if during the current and upcoming events individuals pose this scenario to the various helpful agents and report back?

 

[Moe]

As I understand it.
The Blank Slate is a truck vehicle from Warsaw.
The Squareback is an SUV vehicle from Warsaw.
- You do not receive the truck parts that were not used in its construction.
- There is currently no Squareback kit available.
The Fastback is an SUV vehicle from Warsaw.
- You do not receive the truck parts that were not used in its construction.
- There is currently no Fastback kit available.
The Open Air Body Kit is an Accessory Kit from the logistics partner.
- It is intended to be installed on the Blank Slate truck.
- it includes the rollbar, airbags, seat, etc used in SUV vehicles.
- It never sees Warsaw and is not installed there.
- it can be installed at a RepairPal partner.
- There is currently no Open Air vehicle sold from Warsaw.

There is a VIN designator for “FN Delivery” of Vehicle Type truck, meaning a vehicle built at Warsaw.
I believe for federal and state load shifting occupant protection laws as well as liability, it may have a bulkhead, perhaps removable.
I am unaware of any “Delivery” Kit currently available.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

As I understand it.
The Blank Slate is a truck vehicle from Warsaw.
The Squareback is an SUV vehicle from Warsaw.
- You do not receive the truck parts that were not used in its construction.
- There is currently no Squareback kit available.
The Fastback is an SUV vehicle from Warsaw.
- You do not receive the truck parts that were not used in its construction.
- There is currently no Fastback kit available.
The Open Air Body Kit is an Accessory Kit from the logistics partner.
- It is intended to be installed on the Blank Slate truck.
- it includes the rollbar, airbags, seat, etc used in SUV vehicles.
- It never sees Warsaw and is not installed there.
- it can be installed at a RepairPal partner.
- There is currently no Open Air vehicle sold from Warsaw.

There is a VIN designator for “FN Delivery” of Vehicle Type truck, meaning a vehicle built at Warsaw.
I believe for federal and state load shifting occupant protection laws as well as liability, it may have a bulkhead, perhaps removable.
I am unaware of any “Delivery” Kit currently available.

This is very interesting as it would mean that I could order blank slate and have open air kit shipped for my own installation, while easily preserving my ability to revert to truck formation. Hopefully they have a soft top option too! Otherwise, I might just get the square back suv and sell the hard top to one of my GA homies, and separately get the soft top…knowing that I can not revert back to truck without the truck parts.

 

[Moe]

I could be wrong but I believe there’s more to the Open Air Kit than the pieces listed. I’d think if you removed the rear of the cab you’d expose the inside of the B pillars as well the support across the top between them. It seems to me there would need to be trim pieces to cover those. Maybe not.

 

[sodamo]

Received reply from Slate:
Aloha David!

Thank you for the kind words on the events, we wish we could bring one out to Hawaii for you!

This is such a thoughtful breakdown and we love the dog lover use case. Here's what we can share right now:

You're on the right track with the Cargo kit, it's actually designed to be exactly what you're describing, an enclosed bed solution without the seats or rollbar. That one is actively in the works and we think it'll be a great fit for the pup crowd.

As for the SUV kits, they come as a complete pack. On your questions about swapping tops between two trucks, bulkhead compatibility, and mixing configurations — those are genuinely great questions and more details are coming soon as we finalize the kit specs.

We'll make sure to share more as it becomes available. Your feedback is exactly the kind that helps shape where we go next!

Mahalo for your continued support


Best,
Karen

Slate Agent Team