Toyota to follow Ford in $30k small truck segment

[E90400K]

This^

I can’t stress enough how much value there is in simplicity. Ford and Toyota have both abandoned the simplicity that won them loyalty. My Grandfather drove a mid 80’s Toyota cargo van that had only enough power, A/C and crank windows. We routinely walked past my Grandma’s Lexus to run errands in the van.

I really don't see how EV claim to be simpler. Have you ever seen the guts of the cooling system and charging system in say, a Mustang Mach E, the stuff under the frunk panels? It looks as complicated as my Ford EcoBoost turbo Bronco. Both ICEV and EV have sensors and computer modules that help diagnose problems. Batteries have a lot of parts in them as does the battery and EV drive unit controller hardware.

I will give the Slate an advantage in simplicity because it is BYOD vs. a native Infotainment system, but there is still a shitload of software in the Slate as there is in an ICE to make the vehicle actually run.

 

[AZFox]

EVs can break, ask any Tesla or Mach E owner.

Regardless of that, simpler is better.

An ICE/EV hybrid is more complex than just an ICE.

By "simpler is better" I mean the slate won't require the expense and hassle of maintaining and repairing a lot of extra moving parts.

The things that break on Tesla and Ford EVs are not breaking because they are EVs. They're things that a Slate Truck won't have!

Lower maintenance cost (and hassle), lower cost-of-ownership, etc. We've discussed it thoroughly before, so if you don't understand the thought process by now I don't think more discussion will help.

 

[AZFox]

I really don't see how EV claim to be simpler.

Far Fewer Moving Parts

It's easy to comprehend.

 

[KevinRS]

Far Fewer Moving Parts

It's easy to comprehend.

Exactly, and Slate appears to be something EVs were supposed to be from the start.

The non-refundable tax credit just meant you needed at least 75k of taxable income if you've got nothing but the standard deduction, no retirement, etc, to even be able to get the full amount, so automakers went for the luxury end of the market, added all the bells and whistles, and made them testbeds for things like self driving features.
Many manufacturers have promised an entry level vehicle, but either just dropped it, or produced only limited quantities and made them hard to get or lease only, or now Tesla is turning them into robotaxis instead.