What is Slate competing with for YOUR money?

[Driven5]

A direct competitor (more than Maverick) from Ford could certainly be bad news for Slate, attracting (too?) many potential customers.

What makes Slate compelling (to me) though, is not just that it's a small electric truck. Rather the entire premise is actually a 'novel' (for today) concept, with passion and personality, that happens to be a small electric truck.

I suppose Ford could just carbon-copy Slate, with retro-cool (Bronco Sport based) styling, 'fun' handling RWD potential, and rabid simplification with DIY and mod friendliness. But if it's just a conventionally modern (overly complicated, amorphous styled, soulless, and disposable) appliance that happens to be a small electric truck, merely competing on traditional measures of 'more' (range, tech, etc) for the price, I have zero interest.

Sometimes 'better' isn't.

Disclaimer: I am probably a poor choice of market to target.

 

[KevinRS]

Many of these rumored competitors may just never become anything more than that. Much of what has been announced/leaked since slate announced the truck is likely manufacturers covering their bases. If Slate is a big hit, they don't want to be stuck starting then with even asking if building something comparable is possible/profitable. There have been many potential vehicle developments like that that just kind of disappear and are forgotten. The Telo seems to be starting real small scale, where it's likely to be unobtainable for nearly everyone for years, even with a reservation. A Kei truck made to US safety standards and power levels would likely be years away. Ford or others seem unlikely, they are heavily invested in the upsold larger trucks, and tied to the dealer system, where dealers don't want the low profit cheaper vehicles.