Why Doug DeMuro Thinks the Slate Truck Will Fail

[GaRailroader]

I guess the question is since the market is now "trained" to want larger vehicles as a result of the asinine footprint-based CAFE regulations (seems oxymoronic) will there be enough of a market share that 140,000 Slates get bought by consumers. Is the bulk of the market familiar with and have a longing for the compact pickup trucks of the 1980's? Most of us who do are in our late 50's to mid 60's. Do we need a small truck now based on a near retirement lifestyle? How would a Dale Webb community look with hundreds of slate gray 2-door compact pickups in every driveway?

The problem I see here, and maybe DeMuro does too, is the Slate is not a family-oriented vehicle. I think the bulk of the market buys family-oriented vehicles. That said, for me the Slate is a perfect answer for what I need heading into my mid-60's, but I live in the woods on 40 acres, not a Dale Webb property. LOL. I need my Slate to make a run to the trash dump (err... Waste Transfer Station) every few weeks and haul gasoline and diesel back home.

Great points. Perhaps Slate should broaden the appeal by making it standard with a 3 seat bench in the front and promote being able to install 1 or 2 child car seats in it with provision to disable air bag. Probably a lot of families would like to have 1 family car and 1 truck but the ability of either parent to do the car pool line.

 

[skidoofast]

No, I meant the golfcart, it has manual steering.
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I guess the question is since the market is now "trained" to want larger vehicles as a result of the asinine footprint-based CAFE regulations (seems oxymoronic) will there be enough of a market share that 140,000 Slates get bought by consumers. Is the bulk of the market familiar with and have a longing for the compact pickup trucks of the 1980's? Most of us who do are in our late 50's to mid 60's. Do we need a small truck now based on a near retirement lifestyle? How would a Dale Webb community look with hundreds of slate gray 2-door compact pickups in every driveway?

The problem I see here, and maybe DeMuro does too, is the Slate is not a family-oriented vehicle. I think the bulk of the market buys family-oriented vehicles. That said, for me the Slate is a perfect answer for what I need heading into my mid-60's, but I live in the woods on 40 acres, not a Dale Webb property. LOL. I need my Slate to make a run to the trash dump (err... Waste Transfer Station) every few weeks and haul gasoline and diesel back home.

Its hard to say or guess, what I find interesting that 140,000 seems high to people

"There were an estimated 243,350,000 licensed drivers in the U.S. in 2023"

so 0.05% of the driving population is a stretch? I too am at a point in my life where my kids are out of the house, I live 40 miles from the biggest town, I think this will appeal to much more people than a lot think it will

do I hope that this does well so that maybe down the road we can have a SLATE 4 door, absolutely

I see a pattern of older generation looking for some simplistic options and a younger generation that does not want to have children and want something small, affordable and EV

and I see another 3rd group that want a small 3rd vehicle for running around, maybe see the benefit of less maintenance, less cost of ownership, less fuel

we will see, I'm along for this ride!!

 

[Luxrage]

I'm still of the belief that fleet sales will be a big helper for Slate in the long run. A quick hop on google maps shows random fuel-sipper fleet cars that are just used for around the town deliveries. If they had a place to charge them (or even just a 120V wall charger to keep them topped off), I think Slate would have a great niche. I know every time they seem to open a new auto parts store here they have two brand new Mavericks sitting in the back so they aren't afraid of buying new. If O'Reilly's is using Versas, surely a Slate could fit that spot just as well lol.

I'd love to see a future where there's a slate with the big "Rent me for $19.99/hr" on the side like you see on around the town Home Depot / UHaul rentals. Heck, I'd wish they'd do that with ANY EV pickup so I could have a chance to test drive one!

 

[cvollers]

I guess the question is since the market is now "trained" to want larger vehicles as a result of the asinine footprint-based CAFE regulations (seems oxymoronic) will there be enough of a market share that 140,000 Slates get bought by consumers. Is the bulk of the market familiar with and have a longing for the compact pickup trucks of the 1980's? Most of us who do are in our late 50's to mid 60's. Do we need a small truck now based on a near retirement lifestyle? How would a Dale Webb community look with hundreds of slate gray 2-door compact pickups in every driveway?

The problem I see here, and maybe DeMuro does too, is the Slate is not a family-oriented vehicle. I think the bulk of the market buys family-oriented vehicles. That said, for me the Slate is a perfect answer for what I need heading into my mid-60's, but I live in the woods on 40 acres, not a Dale Webb property. LOL. I need my Slate to make a run to the trash dump (err... Waste Transfer Station) every few weeks and haul gasoline and diesel back home.

The bulk of the market buys family vehicles because, other than sports cars, that's all you can buy. Auto makers are dictating the market, not the other way around. Actually government is dictating the market and the auto makers are just responding to what the government is incentivizing them to do. I personally don't need or want a family vehicle, unless you count my dog as "family". When I was heading off to college, I didn't need or want a family vehicle. When I was a single guy living in Boston, I just needed something I could drive out of a plowed-in snow bank...I traded a GTI for a 2-door Montero 4WD to get that done...still not a family vehicle. Small business owners don't need a family vehicle. Commuters don't need a family vehicle. Mountain bikers don't need a family vehicle...neither do surfers. Its about time people's needs drove the market, not the government.

 

[lgerger]

Caution: trigger material for us Slate fans.

Dear Doug: I DISAGREE!

I have really enjoyed Doug's series where he reviews cars. This podcast format is not well suited for his personality. He cuts people off, he comes off as arrogant and dismissive. Unwatchable.

 

[lgerger]

Great points. Perhaps Slate should broaden the appeal by making it standard with a 3 seat bench in the front and promote being able to install 1 or 2 child car seats in it with provision to disable air bag. Probably a lot of families would like to have 1 family car and 1 truck but the ability of either parent to do the car pool line.

How do you deal with airbags and shoulder seat belt with a front bench? I didn't see any indication of a center airbag.

 

[GaRailroader]

How do you deal with airbags and shoulder seat belt with a front bench? I didn't see any indication of a center airbag.

There is no center air bag so turning it off is not necessary if they ship them with benches instead of buckets. There is only a requirements for airbags on the outboard seating positions. Shoulder belt shouldn’t be a problem, they have solved that problem in the bench rear seats of 2 row vehicles. I trust the 40-20-40 bench seats on regular cab F-150s have a center shoulder belt as well.(My 2006 Ford Ranger Reg Cab only had a lap belt in the center position)

 

[lgerger]

There is no center air bag so turning it off is not necessary if they ship them with benches instead of buckets. There is only a requirements for airbags on the outboard seating positions.

Oh interesting. Great. A bench would be terrific in the rare chance I'd have a second passenger - and likely wouldn't be for long distances.

 

[lgerger]

Don’t forget when Cybertruck was announced in 2019 it was to start at $39,990. I wanted the $39,990 version. I cancelled my Cybertruck order the day after I reserved a Slate. Cybertruck would have sold a lot better if it came closer to the price they estimated in 2019.

Yeah, the CT was always absurd and wasn't sure what market it really served.

 

[lgerger]

]Do we need a small truck now based on a near retirement lifestyle?

...for me the Slate is a perfect answer for what I need heading into my mid-60's, but I live in the woods on 40 acres, not a Dale Webb property.

I'm 50 and nearing my first retirement (will work another 15 years) but moving to a large property about the time this thing is released and the idea of something I can just putter around town in, that I drive (not the other way around), seems very appealing to me. I'm an empty nester so there's only two of us to drive around.

 

[mthulhu]

Full disclosure, I didn’t watch the video. But, I have watched Doug’s review of the Mitsubishi Mirage, the most affordable economy car on the market at the time.

He roasted it at every inch for being what they are: cheap cars. It definitely rubbed me the wrong way- like he reviewed it just to shit on it. If he can’t appreciate an affordable 2000lb manual Japanese hatchback, I don’t think I am aligned with Doug’s mindset… and I’m not surprised to hear he is critical of the Slate idea.

 

[eddiet57]

This truck will sell. I have been driving electric for quite a while, and they handle so much better than ICE vehicles. If you charge at home (and most people who have a truck, are not in an apartment building), the energy cost is 50% or less than using gasoline or diesel. And most people with a truck are only averaging 12,000 to 15,000 miles a year (less than 50 miles per day) and are driving around their local area. This is way to practical to fail as long as the purchase price is low. If you need longer hauls, do what I do. Rent a truck.

 

[E90400K]

Its hard to say or guess, what I find interesting that 140,000 seems high to people

"There were an estimated 243,350,000 licensed drivers in the U.S. in 2023"

so 0.05% of the driving population is a stretch? I too am at a point in my life where my kids are out of the house, I live 40 miles from the biggest town, I think this will appeal to much more people than a lot think it will

do I hope that this does well so that maybe down the road we can have a SLATE 4 door, absolutely

I see a pattern of older generation looking for some simplistic options and a younger generation that does not want to have children and want something small, affordable and EV

and I see another 3rd group that want a small 3rd vehicle for running around, maybe see the benefit of less maintenance, less cost of ownership, less fuel

we will see, I'm along for this ride!!

It's though, more like 140,000 out of 13M new cars sold annually. Still a small percentage, but is it an underserved market, or a market that may not exist? Which is why the majors haven't created it.

But I'm in too, because a Slate fits my needs perfectly.

 

[skidoofast]

It's though, more like 140,000 out of 13M new cars sold annually. Still a small percentage, but is it an underserved market, or a market that may not exist? Which is why the majors haven't created it.

But I'm in too, because a Slate fits my needs perfectly.

I appreciate your comments on my and other threads, it definitely makes you think about it

at this time this pickup is almost exactly what I want ( I live in Minnesota so the only thing I would like as an option would be 4wd)

right now I feel that it is such a market that has not been served (not sure if that is demand, CAFE fuel standards or cost) but time will tell

right now Im so excited for this that I need to step back and take in what others are saying about it and see that they do have some good points

 

[E90400K]

I appreciate your comments on my and other threads, it definitely makes you think about it

at this time this pickup is almost exactly what I want ( I live in Minnesota so the only thing I would like as an option would be 4wd)

right now I feel that it is such a market that has not been served (not sure if that is demand, CAFE fuel standards or cost) but time will tell

right now Im so excited for this that I need to step back and take in what others are saying about it and see that they do have some good points

EV is a great way to get around all the CAFE crap if it is a startup making the inroads.