The ONE thing that I believe could actually cause Slate to fail...

[AmatuerX]

As for powertrain, every part is an off the shelf, plug and play component, from a large supplier used by the biggest OEMs in the world (the motor is from JJE whi supplies Stellantis, the largest manufacture in the world. The battery is from SK-on, who supplies batteries for Ford. Both mind you are assembled in Michigan)

I don't mean to derail the conversation, but is this true? JJE is the motor supplier? I worked for them here in Michigan for 2.5yrs as one of the manufacturing engineers launching their first NA assembly facility. It was a nightmare. If this truly is the case, I may withdraw my reservation. 😞

 

[beatle]

The price comparison statement: "Mid twenties is the same price as the Maverick which has so many more standard features", mostly no, but some parts yes, also, that's a very different vehicle. Ford changed destination charges on their fleet to $1,800+ which means the mexico built maverick is $29,990. Slate is made in the US so destination charges will be lower then an imported vehicle and that is just a fact (not to mention no dealer costs).

Unfortunately all Ford vehicles have giant destination fees regardless of where they're built. The Maverick is especially egregious since it's small, but an F-150 built in Michigan or Kansas is a whopping $2795! In contrast, a Toyota Corolla Cross shipped from Japan is $1350. I think these inflated destination charges are more to pad the bottom line so they can offer an artificially low MSRP.

If I had to guess, I think Slate's destination fee will probably be in the $1200-1400 range. That's less than Tesla ($1640 inc. order fee) and Rivian ($1895). But it could also be equal/higher due to a lack of delivery consolidation options since Slate has no service centers.

 

[IanNubbit]

I don't mean to derail the conversation, but is this true? JJE is the motor supplier? I worked for them here in Michigan for 2.5yrs as one of the manufacturing engineers launching their first NA assembly facility. It was a nightmare. If this truly is the case, I may withdraw my reservation. 😞

Yeah they have confirmed that, why is that an issue though? The largest auto-manufacture in the world (stellantis) and many others use them?

 

[IanNubbit]

Unfortunately all Ford vehicles have giant destination fees regardless of where they're built. The Maverick is especially egregious since it's small, but an F-150 built in Michigan or Kansas is a whopping $2795! In contrast, a Toyota Corolla Cross shipped from Japan is $1350. I think these inflated destination charges are more to pad the bottom line so they can offer an artificially low MSRP.

If I had to guess, I think Slate's destination fee will probably be in the $1200-1400 range. That's less than Tesla ($1640 inc. order fee) and Rivian ($1895). But it could also be equal/higher due to a lack of delivery consolidation options since Slate has no service centers.

I would hope for sub 1k, destination basically includes throwing it on an open trailer and dripping it off at home. No PDI, no dealer, none of that

 

[KevinRS]

Unfortunately all Ford vehicles have giant destination fees regardless of where they're built. The Maverick is especially egregious since it's small, but an F-150 built in Michigan or Kansas is a whopping $2795! In contrast, a Toyota Corolla Cross shipped from Japan is $1350. I think these inflated destination charges are more to pad the bottom line so they can offer an artificially low MSRP.

If I had to guess, I think Slate's destination fee will probably be in the $1200-1400 range. That's less than Tesla ($1640 inc. order fee) and Rivian ($1895). But it could also be equal/higher due to a lack of delivery consolidation options since Slate has no service centers.

Destination fee is supposed to cover transportation within the US, so it's not expected that it would be significantly higher for imports. In theory it's the average of the total cost of rail and truck transport and other costs in getting a vehicle model from a manufacturer or port to the dealer. It will not cover delivery to your curb though.

Slate hasn't mentioned a destination fee, they have mentioned paying extra for delivery to your curb. They probably won't set the fee if they have one until the last minute, just before starting asking people to make a purchase agreement, because the transportation cost situation is so volatile right now.

In theory Slate loads trucks onto rail cars at the factory, they go by train to hubs around the country, are transferred to trucks, and go to distribution locations where we pick them up, unless we pay extra for delivery to our curbs.
Those distribution locations could be existing car locations, or even just empty lots Slate rents, and contracts someone to sit in a trailer and we sign for the vehicle and they give us the keys.

 

[Oddballhero]

Unfortunately all Ford vehicles have giant destination fees regardless of where they're built. The Maverick is especially egregious since it's small, but an F-150 built in Michigan or Kansas is a whopping $2795! In contrast, a Toyota Corolla Cross shipped from Japan is $1350. I think these inflated destination charges are more to pad the bottom line so they can offer an artificially low MSRP.

If I had to guess, I think Slate's destination fee will probably be in the $1200-1400 range. That's less than Tesla ($1640 inc. order fee) and Rivian ($1895). But it could also be equal/higher due to a lack of delivery consolidation options since Slate has no service centers.

I asked my Slate representative if I could take a road trip to pick up my Slate and waive the delivery fee. She said that usually they can't be waived, but they haven't finalized the plans yet.
But in keeping with their mission statement of lowering cost and not giving us what we don't want, I think they should allow personal pick ups.

 

[KevinRS]

Because of the legal status of the destination fee, it may be a problem to try to do that. Even when other companies have had a factory pickup that you pay extra for and get a tour, that was on top of the destination fee.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Yeah they have confirmed that, why is that an issue though? The largest auto-manufacture in the world (stellantis) and many others use them?

AmatuerX answered your question in their post:

I don't mean to derail the conversation, but is this true? JJE is the motor supplier? I worked for them here in Michigan for 2.5yrs as one of the manufacturing engineers launching their first NA assembly facility. It was a nightmare. If this truly is the case, I may withdraw my reservation. 😞

 

[GaRailroader]

Tesla is a horror show. I mean, really. Run your battery down sitting like a fool in the Michigan winter storm, and your GD doors lock you in so the cops have to smash a window to get you out?

Why don’t the occupants just use the manual release inside the car? My 2026 has manual releases inside on all 4 doors. My 2018 only has manual releases for the front doors. Not a lot different than a Slate SUV since it has no rear doors. In an emergency you have to exit the front doors if the electric door releases are inoperative in the rear.

 

[TPL]

Normally when I see "the one thing that could cause X to fail" posts my mind goes immediately to nuclear war (or in general any sort of apocalypse.)

So now I guess there are two things.

 

[IanNubbit]

AmatuerX answered your question in their post:

"It was a nightmare" doesn't really say anything. I can say Stellantis is a nightmare to work for, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't buy one of their vehicles (We have now owned a total of 7 between the wife and I lol).

 

[beatle]

Why don’t the occupants just use the manual release inside the car? My 2026 has manual releases inside on all 4 doors. My 2018 only has manual releases for the front doors. Not a lot different than a Slate SUV since it has no rear doors. In an emergency you have to exit the front doors if the electric door releases are inoperative in the rear.

The idea of a "manual release" is incredibly counterintuitive since interior door releases have always been manual by default. The C6 Corvette had button release, but they at least had a manual latch on the floor. The Model S really started hiding the release. I only discovered that the rear doors had no physical latch on them when I was working on my 2015 and installing stereo equipment with the 12v disconnected. I just climbed out through the front. I later discovered the manual latch for the rear doors is hidden under the rear seats behind a carpeted panel just a couple inches wide. Even when I knew it was supposed to be there, it took a flashlight and some poking. Rivian isn't much better, hiding the manual latch behind a trim panel in the door itself. Again, completely hidden unless you know exactly what you're looking for. There is now actually legislation to mandate a more obvious manual override.

That all said, this is almost surely unrelated to the Slate which looks like it will just use plain manual door releases.

 

[E90400K]

CONTENT HUNGRY CONSUMERS

Yeah...

The Slate is built as a bare bones, american made with american parts vehicle, nothing you need, and only what legally needs to be there and a couple things to make it perfectly usable as a daily. It seems more and more people (including on this forum) are forgetting that, or outright throwing that out.
Price: People continue to say "At that price I could get a Maverick" or "For that price it better come with XYZ, not nothing". This actually genuinely aggravates me. The vehicle was built under the $7,500 tax credit making it under 20k to the consumer, to no issue of Slate's own, that credit is now gone, and as stated, they are doing everything they can to bring the price down, further due to this. At sub 20k sure this was an easier sale, but that was never what it costs, it always was going to cost mid 20s but the feds where gonna give you money. The vehicle does not cost more now, it did not become more expensive, but it seems many people are only looking at it this way. The issue with this is a common statement is "well if it cost 27k it better have XYZ now". I don't know if this is a lack of understanding or what, but that logic is so flawed. That would mean they need to add more features for free, more features that people have been asking to be removed (like me) to be removed for years. The way the Blank Slate is built is realistically the lowest cost the vehicle can possibly be while maintaining repair ability, US manufacturing, reliability (in design) and being an EV pick up.
The price comparison statement: "Mid twenties is the same price as the Maverick which has so many more standard features", mostly no, but some parts yes, also, that's a very different vehicle. Ford changed destination charges on their fleet to $1,800+ which means the mexico built maverick is $29,990. Slate is made in the US so destination charges will be lower then an imported vehicle and that is just a fact (not to mention no dealer costs). Sure it has a radio and four seats, but THAT IS NOT WHAT THE SLATE IS! When people say they want a 2 door 2 seat truck, with nothing they don't need, that doesn't mean "well it could at least have 4 doors and 10" radio becasue everything else does these days" NOOO!!! That is not what people are asking for, people aren't saying "boy I wish someone would make another vehicle that has all these things that every other vehicle has" that exists, go buy it, stop asking for a vehicle that is not that, become that, that is a PROBLEM! The more people who continue saying that will be the killer of this vehicle. People are seeing things like the Telo, optioning it up to 50k+ and saying "wow this is pretty cool and is just barely above the national average price" do people not see the issue there? Sure it's decently compact due to the lack of hood, but spending double the price of the Slate so you can have 2 more seats, a smaller cabin and bed then the Slate with no Frunk at that.

If people want a high Content vehicle, go buy them, every brand is flooded with them, stop asking the ONLY vehicle with these de-contented features to dismantle their goal

This is just baloney.

The tax credit subsidy going away is a big detriment to the PRICE the buyer is going to pay for the Slate. Absolutely the tax credit subsidy going away didn't affect the original planned COST for Slate to manufacture the Truck, but it does affect the content-to-value ratio of the Truck. The low content meme of the Truck was originally planned in consideration of the $7,500 tax credit subsidy being in place. If it wasn't, Slate would not have made the effort to meet the IRA of 2022 requirements for CONUS manufacturing and especially the sourcing of US manufacturing and US mineral content requirements of the IRA of 2022. It's clear since the former CEO announced months ago Slate was looking to reduce parts and battery COSTS in order to make the Truck's PRICE as reasonable as possible to the prospective consumer to still consider the Slate.

Now that the tax credit subsidy is gone, the situation of Slate's content in relation to PRICE comes into play because there is competition in the marketplace based on price point. More important is performance. The Slate Truck doesn't hold a candle to the performance one can get from an extended cab 2x4 version of the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier. If the Slate's PRICE for a wrapped and 82 kWh battery Truck is near or above $30K, both the Tacoma and Frontier are its competition on Price and both have much better performance, especially with towing and bed size.

 

[E90400K]

In summary- Slate is going to use industry standard parts but somehow produce a vehicle above industry standard? And they will make a software better than every OEM, because every other OEM, big or small, just.... forgot? To make a good one?

@phidauex summed it up best. This is entirely blind speculation right now. And anyone who thinks a brand new vehicle from a brand new manufacture will have less issues than an established OEM has more optimism than me. Building cars is hard. Slate won't just be better because this forum thinks it will be.

 

[E90400K]

I’ll start the bottom here, simplicity is a HUGE factor into reliability and longevity, but not thr sole reason. On simplicity, the short statment is “less parts less problems” which is just true, the exception would be the parts they use are completely horrendous and they have the worst software in the industry (honestly I feel like you would have to effort to do that, mainline manufacturers are TERRIBLE right now, not to mention small companies like Lucid)

So we the simplicity part which is great, let’s talk about those fee parts they did use. L

As for powertrain, every part is an off the shelf, plug and play component, from a large supplier used by the biggest OEMs in the world (the motor is from JJE whi supplies Stellantis, the largest manufacture in the world. The battery is from SK-on, who supplies batteries for Ford. Both mind you are assembled in Michigan). Then you have the electronics, while the don’t specifically say this, they are using off the shelf parts here as well (only confurmed customer electronic I have seen is the HVAC controls, probably because no one makes one, and 3 potentiometers and 3 buttons is hard to mess up lol). The EVCU (PCM) is a bosh unit, the ABS module and pump are the same used across the industry, you can only assume but it is pretty safe to, the ORC, BPCM, and other needed modules are going to be units that have been developed and proven by the best in business, just plug in place and flash your firmware. Then we have the suspension components, I even asked because they looks so familiar, every suspension component is from a supplier using already readily available components with a small tweak in measurment or angle to fit the chassis. Basically the suspension is identical to 1,000s of vehicles on the road (mostly 90s-late 2020s) and is cheap realiable and proven. So your ball joints, shocks, springs, bushings, cv joints etc are nothing new, nothing redesigned, just take a proven component, and plug in place.

these things add up, while sure not a definitive (still have to reliably bolt those parts in on the assembly line, and properly route and wire harnesses), they show that instead of spending resources only ground up parts costing more time, money, and issues, they chose to give the consumers parts that are easy to source, work on, and keep on the road. Not 1,000s of proprietary parts impossible to find and assembled with only the assembly line in mind

These choices do alot for cost of ownership. Easy to replace body panels mean extremely low cost to insure. Off the shelf parts means ease of availability and option (and mods for that case, realistically, you could buy coil-overs day one on these once someone realizes what other model they shared from). Limited parts, located in easy to access locations means lower labor times, in turn lower cost to repair items if and when they do eventually have an issue. And finally, open source files open repairability, no need for a dealer, pick the favorite or cheapest shop in your area to get your service done, if there is a weak point found in thr vehicle, the market can correct this thanks to open-source cad files.

I understand why everyone says it’s just words or hypotheticals as far as repairability and reliability but it really isn’t. Essentialy Slate would have to have the worst software, and poor assembly with underspecd components, just to end up woth a vehicle that is on par with the industry average… This thing is different, I know people who don’t know repair/vehicles might not see it, but those who do see how beautiful this can be. Its everything they love about a 90s ranger, with modern parts, a warranty, and lower cost of ownership

This concept of "off the shelf" making the Slate more reliable is a misnomer. I'll say an automobile engine, for example Ford's 2.3L EcoBoost, is an "off the shelf" part built with off the shelf components. When something is made in the quantity of millions, it is "off the shelf". Sure, you can't go buy a 2.3L EcoBoost sitting on a shelf at Walmart, but Ford makes around 1M 2.3L EcoBoost engines annually.