Well they didnt say no

[1yeliab_sufur1]

Was curious about the battery upgradeablility and they didn't out right say no and they are looking into the theft concerns so we will see i hope we could upgrade the battery later on imagine 5 years down slate get solid state batteries so instead of swapping truck you could just have them swap the battery would be nice for the long time keepers like myself

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Marketing 101: Never say no.

 

[The Weatherman]

As for battery swaps. There have been at least two instances of folks swapping a SR Ford Lightning battery for an ER version without ANY modifications or software changes. It turned out to be fully plug and play.

We can hope Slate follows their lead.

The videos are available on YouTube or through the Lightning Forum.

 

[ScooterAsheville]

I have a very strong suspicion that the Slate agents are just that - AI chatbot agents. Unfailingly polite and maybe a bit too sugary. Both hallmarks of an AI chatbot.

 

[Trace26]

I have a very strong suspicion that the Slate agents are just that - AI chatbot agents. Unfailingly polite and maybe a bit too sugary. Both hallmarks of an AI chatbot.

Probably some remote work college students who throw the question into a chat bot before replying. Lol

 

[E90400K]

"We'll be sharing more information... as we get closer to production" *

Seriously, how many times have we all read those EXACT words. LOL

CEO Barman said they are going to be starting low-rate initial production in Spring 2026, so late April/early May. That's just 10 to 12 weeks away. I'm sorry, so what don't they know about production of their truck just 10 weeks out from today? Going from the 52kWh to the 84kWh battery is simply just additional cells in the same battery case that bolts up to the frame. Software to tell the drivetrain and charging control modules what size battery is installed.

* Translation - "Shutup and just f#$&ing wait".

 

[Susan]

I have a very strong suspicion that the Slate agents are just that - AI chatbot agents. Unfailingly polite and maybe a bit too sugary. Both hallmarks of an AI chatbot.

I think they're real people. Only because when I was chatting with one of them this fall, they told me their name and that we'd met at the in person event in Hollister and I of course remembered them and we had a little chit-chat.

It's rather unusual of course, most chat agents are bots. I've run into real people elsewhere too.

But they surely have a script that they need to stick to as far as answers to our questions.

 

[Sl8rGrl]

I'm sorry, so what don't they know about production of their truck just 10 weeks out from today?

I called in earlier this week and tried to push for more info, the agent flat out said there's a lot of internal conversations and plans that can't be shared yet since it's not publicly announced.

I'm sure they all signed NDAs when they were hired, so they don't necessarily want to lose their jobs by telling random people on the internet internal details, especially *us* who like to post everything to the forums

 

[Adam W]

It's so weird that people see a few exposed screws and they immediately think the entire truck will be dismantled by crews of ravenous plastic fiends if you're at a stop light too long.

 

[E90400K]

I called in earlier this week and tried to push for more info, the agent flat out said there's a lot of internal conversations and plans that can't be shared yet since it's not publicly announced.

I'm sure they all signed NDAs when they were hired, so they don't necessarily want to lose their jobs by telling random people on the internet internal details, especially *us* who like to post everything to the forums

I have lots of questions too but figured out none of them would get answered, so I've just never asked them. It's pretty much a waste of time. They should just answer "it's not publicly available information." Saying, "We're still figuring stuff out and will let you know closer to production" makes it look worse for them, IMO.

 

[Sl8rGrl]

It's so weird that people see a few exposed screws and they immediately think the entire truck will be dismantled by crews of ravenous plastic fiends if you're at a stop light too long.

I actually asked about this too because there's a lot of car theft in Fresno, well moreso the bay area, and this is what they told me back in November:

For the external panels, even though you can see some fasteners from the outside taking a panel off isn’t as simple as removing a couple of bolts. There are additional attachment points and steps involved, so it takes time and access to do it properly. So someone can’t just walk up and pull panels off. The design keeps things secure for everyday use while still making repairs and customization straightforward for owners.

Seems like it's a question they get pretty often

 

[Sl8rGrl]

I have lots of questions too but figured out none of them would get answered, so I've just never asked them. It's pretty much a waste of time. They should just answer "it's not publicly available information." Saying, "We're still figuring stuff out and will let you know closer to production" makes it look worse for them, IMO.

agreed. hopefully they pay attention to these forums and take some notes

 

[KevinRS]

I called in earlier this week and tried to push for more info, the agent flat out said there's a lot of internal conversations and plans that can't be shared yet since it's not publicly announced.

I'm sure they all signed NDAs when they were hired, so they don't necessarily want to lose their jobs by telling random people on the internet internal details, especially *us* who like to post everything to the forums

Pushing for more info is unlikely to get anywhere. As you said, their jobs are on the line if they let something slip, in fact all they probably "know" is in a file they look through to write their responses, that includes all the info on the website and publicly given in interviews, and little else. We'll find out more when we find out more.

 

[SichuanHot]

It's so weird that people see a few exposed screws and they immediately think the entire truck will be dismantled by crews of ravenous plastic fiends if you're at a stop light too long.

It's a valid concern. People already do quick jobs of stealing catalytic converters in dense metro areas like DTLA and I'm sure other cities.

 

[Sl8rGrl]

Probably some remote work college students who throw the question into a chat bot before replying. Lol

I got curious about who these people are and searched up Slate Agent at Slate Auto on linkedin, not trying to be a creeper or anything but I found a bunch of them listed there. Most of the agent team seem to have several years experience at other automotive companies