The Hypothetical Vehicle I Would Chose Over The Slate

[GaRailroader]

I have read in so many posts about what the Slate killer will be and it ranges from Maverick to Bolt to Leaf to Equinox to Frontier to Tacoma to used Maverick to Bronco Sport. For me the only vehicle that I would choose over the the Slate is as follows:

1. It has an overall length of 175 inches.
2. It only comes in 1 color, molded in color plastic panels.
3. 2 doors and 2 seats.
4. Expected to get between 5 and 6 miles per kWh.

What I am describing is an open bed variation of the Tesla Cybercab. Tesla is expecting to sell this platform at a rate of 2 million annually and Lars Moravy hinted at other form factors in this Robotaxi line. Elon Musk has insisted when this model comes out it will have no steering wheel, pedals or sideview mirrors. I am fairly certain that it will have all the usual manual controls for the foreseeable future. I think it is unrealistic to think that they will go from 100% manual controls to 100% autonomous in 1 iteration. I have FSD on my 2018 Model 3 and there are a lot of situations where FSD is unable to figure out. For instance, I tried leaving the parking garage at work on level 3 and after 2 laps around level 3 I had concluded it was in an infinite loop and took over. If I didn't have manual controls would I need to get a tow truck to get me out of the parking garage? To me the Slate or the Cybercab Pick-Up are the ideal 2nd car for a 2 car family.

 

[Dorbiman]

I dig it. For me, the requirements are:

1) Affordable
2) EV
2) Small
3) Fun

The Truck fits all four of those for me, which is why I'm interested in it. If we get a new Golf/GTI EV that's competitive, it would be on my radar. I don't want an Equinox EV or a Bolt or any other "car". I want something with a bit of personality!

 

[sodamo]

1) Truck
2)Affordable
3) EV
4) Small
5) Fun

 

[SichuanHot]

I'd probably get a new Nissan Frontier since they seem to fetch better deals than the Toyota counterpart. The VQ38 seems to be a solid engine anyone handy with a wrench can DIY on.

 

[E90400K]

My hypothetical would be:

Ford Ranger Gen 6
True 2-door cab
6' bed
4-wheel drive
2.3L EcoBoost
6-Speed manual transmission
Advanced trac 4x4 transfercase
2" factory lift suspension
Steel wheels
Tech delete package (no TV screen)
Mustang GT bucket seats

 

[Chapman]

The only hypothetical vehicle I'd buy over the Slate is if they made my 2014 Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab brand new again with all of the same parts as original. I love my 4cyl 2wd base spec with crank windows.
Though a 200hp electric motor in the rear with ~240 miles of range and a frunk would make my old taco the best vehicle on the planet (in my eyes). The slate truck looks great but it doesn't quite scratch the itch of my "old" taco aesthetics.
I will still likely end up buying the Slate because it improves on what I love about my current truck and is a modern vehicle that is actually affordable, DIY friendly, and easily customizable. It also seems like it will be extremely fun to drive and will be even easier to park in the city. I also want to support a company that has potential to force the hand of existing manufacturers to make more small base model trucks again.
I've been wanting a Kei truck for years due to their size and practicality, but they just aren't safe enough to be my only vehicle since they are a death trap on the highway. The Telo truck is attempting to be the American Electric Kei truck, but it is so horrendously ugly it is an instant flop in my eyes. Also, they gave it way too much power for what it is and way too many creature comforts. I don't need to go 0-60 in 4 seconds and I don't want 4 doors or power windows. The second I saw the Slate roll out during the reveal event I knew it was what I wanted. It more or less already is the "hypothetical" vehicle I have been waiting for.

 

[FC49er]

Truck. Maverick isn’t a truck.

 

[Paul]

I have read in so many posts about what the Slate killer will be and it ranges from Maverick to Bolt to Leaf to Equinox to Frontier to Tacoma to used Maverick to Bronco Sport. For me the only vehicle that I would choose over the the Slate is as follows:

1. It has an overall length of 175 inches.
2. It only comes in 1 color, molded in color plastic panels.
3. 2 doors and 2 seats.
4. Expected to get between 5 and 6 miles per kWh.

What I am describing is an open bed variation of the Tesla Cybercab. Tesla is expecting to sell this platform at a rate of 2 million annually and Lars Moravy hinted at other form factors in this Robotaxi line. Elon Musk has insisted when this model comes out it will have no steering wheel, pedals or sideview mirrors. I am fairly certain that it will have all the usual manual controls for the foreseeable future. I think it is unrealistic to think that they will go from 100% manual controls to 100% autonomous in 1 iteration. I have FSD on my 2018 Model 3 and there are a lot of situations where FSD is unable to figure out. For instance, I tried leaving the parking garage at work on level 3 and after 2 laps around level 3 I had concluded it was in an infinite loop and took over. If I didn't have manual controls would I need to get a tow truck to get me out of the parking garage? To me the Slate or the Cybercab Pick-Up are the ideal 2nd car for a 2 car family.

Tesla hypes things for years and never delivers. I personally don't listen to anything they say until I actually see it being sold. The talk is mostly designed to boost an overly inflated stock price and a trillion dollar pay package. And there's probably a pretty good slice of America who would never touch his products, due to politics. I guess that goes away with time though. They were building a plant in Mexico to produce an affordable car and then stopped it. A few years later people get a stripped down model y as an affordable option. The Ford electric truck looks like a more reliable release, But I think that might be larger than the Maverick and four doors. What's great about the Slate is That it doesn't try to create something to Market to everyone that doesn't exactly fit anyone.

 

[ScooterAsheville]

>> Truck. Maverick isn’t a truck.

It's funny to see the wars over on the Maverick Truck Club on whether or not the Maverick is a truck, whether it is truly small, etc. I decline to participate. My Maverick is a cheap reliable runabout that I neither love nor hate. It's an appliance. I've put 36,000 miles on it over three years, and I would buy another in a heartbeat if nothing better appears (I'm still deciding if the Slate is better).

As for why I'm interested in the Slate and what I might cross shop. It's not about affordability for me. It's about a small personal utility runabout. That could be a Nissan Leaf, a Telo, a Rivian R2T if they offer one (they've dropped hints). Or future product from Toyota or Ford or GM or anybody else - remember, true production of the Slate is not till CY 2027. Lots of competition can appear in 15 months.

I have no loyalty to Slate or Ford or anybody else. I'll buy the most appealing vehicle, and appeal is measured on all the factors others have mentioned - cost, content, efficiencty, comfort and convenience, size, BEV vs ICE vs Hybrid, and all the rest. Each of us weighs those aspects differently, which is why we don't drive down the highway and see only one perfect vehicle. There's someone for everyone.

I still oscillate between being a Slate fanboy and a Slate skeptic. One day I'm cheering them on. The next day I'm thinking they're absolutely doomed (I betcha the folks at Slate do the same). Automaking is a stupidly tough business. The good news is that Slate will motor on and we'll see how it goes, good or bad, soon enough. They're trying, and you have to cheer somebody who tries.

 

[MIDgrid]

As a second (non-RV) vehicle, there is nothing I would choose over the Blank Slate Truck - hard to wait a year for it, especially after I've sat in a tour prototype!!

However, if I was replacing our primary vehicle (SUV), I'd be looking for a four door Range-Extended Electric Vehicle (REEV) AWD SUV with fold-down flat rear and front passenger seats and a winter options package (like our current ICE SUV).