Who’s Reserving the Slate EV: Everyday Americans, Young Professionals, New Drivers, Contemporary Seniors, Auto Enthusiasts

[E90400K]

Certainly the new Leaf is more attractive than the outgoing model. I owned the previous generation Leaf and I generally referred to it as a transportation appliance. I don’t think speed makes it not a transportation appliance. Heck the Leaf is probably the fastest car I’ve owned that isn’t a Tesla. It is just a boring car that you are invisible in when you drive it.

When you see cars that are wrapped or have custom paint jobs, custom wheels, lowered, etc. Have you ever seen a Leaf in this category? People that drive Leaf’s are not wanting to draw attention to themselves. It is not an auto enthusiast’s car it, just a transportation appliance.

The top selling sedan and the top selling SUV in the US are the Toyota Camry and RAV4. They are the definition of transportation appliance. Their owners are the very definition of anonymity. No offense meant to them, but that's the market; they are the market.

 

[AZFox]

Second, no one has yet driven a Slate so no one can say the Slate is not also just a transportation appliance.

Slate's unique offering isn't a transportation appliance. Nobody needs to drive one to know that.

Heck, even a 2010 Kia Soul wasn't a transportation appliance.

 

[KevinRS]

I believe the "small" battery Leaf is the one that got a "mid-twenties" price tag. I also saw that it's limited production or something to that effect, so it might not actually be an option for long.

Yeah, now I remember, it was supposed to be a Leaf S, (no plus), that was supposed to be the mid-twenties, not seeing it even listed.

 

[Luxrage]

I honestly do think it's an appliance vehicle, but for a different reason.

The Slate as it is; grey, no frills, nothing inside, designed for fleet appeal. Absolutely an appliance, but it's up to the buyer to make it into anything but that if they desire.

The same way I'd probably call the base model Corolla, with its steel wheels, radio delete, and black plastic bumpers, an appliance. But I'd be hard pressed to call the same year Corolla GTS FX16 one.

actually here's another good comparison of two same trucks of the same year. The first one I could see emotionlessly carrying its owner to and from the canning plant 5 days a week for 30 years, unlike the second one that would be the pride of someone's minitruck fleet:

 

[E90400K]

Slate's unique offering isn't a transportation appliance. Nobody needs to drive one to know that.

Heck, even a 2010 Kia Soul wasn't a transportation appliance.

95% of the car models on the market are transportation appliances. The world's largest automotive company has built itself selling transportation appliances.

 

[Johnologue]

Certainly the new Leaf is more attractive than the outgoing model.

Subjective, but I just need to note my very, very, very strong disagreement.

 

[AZFox]

95% of the car models on the market are transportation appliances. The world's largest automotive company has built itself selling transportation appliances.

They're not alone.

 

[smack daddy]

what is less and how much will it cost to get to parity?

electric window addon will prob be about $100, an infotainment and speakers is prob $200.

So mentally just add $300 and now compare against the maverick.

The less tech the less amenities less size should equal less price 24k would the price point that will make it a success and not try to gouge us for the accessories 3k for the top a couple hundred for the roll bar if they do this they will have to build another factory to produce the volume

 

[KevinRS]

Part of the problem is automatically adding an SUV top in your price calculation and declaring doom.
Many of us don't plan to add that, not any time soon anyway, we are looking at Slate as someone who doesn't need to carry 4 people, and could use a truck bed, but don't want to pay a truck premium, or truck low MPG. From the poll I posted a bit back, it seems that among the people who answered anyway, more than 3/4 are interested in it as a truck, not an SUV.

 

[bloo]

They don't, but they do reflect what the American market wants in a small SUV.

I think you're projecting what American manufacturers want. And they're wrong. Just as wrong now as fifty years ago when they said no one wanted to drive small cars. It took the US auto industry decades to recover from that mistake.

The American market wants choice and inexpensive automobiles - regardless if doors. Not everyone needs to haul a family. Remove the SUV exemption that incentivizes manufacturers to build high-markup, inefficient vehicles, and lower-cost vehicles will follow.

Poor people matter, too.

 

[E90400K]

I think you're projecting what American manufacturers want. And they're wrong. Just as wrong now as fifty years ago when they said no one wanted to drive small cars. It took the US auto industry decades to recover from that mistake.

The American market wants choice and inexpensive automobiles - regardless if doors. Not everyone needs to haul a family. Remove the SUV exemption that incentivizes manufacturers to build high-markup, inefficient vehicles, and lower-cost vehicles will follow.

Poor people matter, too.

Not everything is a conspiracy by Big Auto. There are plenty of models in the new car market that are priced between $25K to $35K. There is a huge used car market because some people do not want to absorbe what they precieve is a big depreciation hit. The best used car to buy in the market now are used EV. The Slate is not going to reverse that trend.