Will Slate Make Their Battery ‘Easily’ Replacable?

[1yeliab_sufur1]

The level of work and equipment even in the most DIY options discussed here show why, even beyond the HV aspect of it, battery work is not considered DIY, or even an option to be done at general automotive shops that haven't invested in the equipment and training.
A shop with all the equipment including what's needed to receive the replacement and send out the old one is going to be worth the money rather than go to all that effort for what is likely a once a decade or longer job.

yes but the same could be said about a engine swap and people do that all the time

 

[sodamo]

yes but the same could be said about a engine swap and people do that all the time

We borrowed a tripod and chainfall to pull 56 Chevy engine. Suspect that rig had seen a few engines in its lifetime.

 

[1yeliab_sufur1]

We borrowed a tripod and chainfall to pull 56 Chevy engine. Suspect that rig had seen a few engines in its lifetime.

nice I’m currently rebuilding a 351 for my 72 galaxie I’d say a battery’s swap would be just as time consuming

 

[smack daddy]

I would under take it I have a decent size shop not massive and would buy the stuff needed to do the swap why because the money the shop will charge to do it would probably be equal maybe a little less just gives me a reason to buy more tools

 

[JoeUser]

FWIW….
The packs will almost certainly be the same physical size. The question is how to change the vehicle configuration successfully

It will never be a factory-supported DIY endeavor. Far too much could go wrong, too much kinetic and electrical energy at play.

Different companies have different tools for battery removal. Rather than a $10,000 battery lift, Tesla uses a sturdy rolling table and a regular 2-post lift. This is the way.

There is an industry precedent for ‘updating’ batteries. Old SR and SR+!Model 3s came with NMC batteries, but for cost reasons Tesla now replaces them with LFP packs if they fail.

 

[E90400K]

I would under take it I have a decent size shop not massive and would buy the stuff needed to do the swap why because the money the shop will charge to do it would probably be equal maybe a little less just gives me a reason to buy more tools

I could do a battery swap in my shop. I have a 2-post lift and plenty of 2x's laying around to build a temporary wooden platform with heavy duty casters to support the battery. I'd have to drop the battery, move it out of the way (on the wooden platform), lower the Truck and roll it out of the shop. Then I'd need to use my tractor to lift the old battery off the platform and drop it on the ground. Then use the tractor to lift the new battery out of the OTHER pickup truck that has the new battery in the bed. Then roll the platform under the new battery and lower the new battery onto the platform. Then roll the Slate Truck back into the lift bay and raise it. Then roll the platform with the new battery back into to lift bay. Then lower the Slate Truck down onto the battery, and as I lower it, make the minute positioning adjustments with the platform to get the new battery aligned with the Slate truck's chassis battery mounting points. Then bolt it all back together.

Then use the tractor to place the old battery into the OTHER pickup to haul it to the EV battery recycling center (humm.... I wonder where THAT is?). I'd need to buy the four (4) casters and maybe a few 2x6's.

Or like AZ, just pay a shop to do it. LOL.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Hello folks!

Not sure if this has been posted yet but I'm sure replacement batteries will be covered by GreenTec EV & Hybrid Batteries at some point. I've no affiliation, just that I'd heard about them around the time I placed my Slate reservation and wanted to share it with this community.

 

[sodamo]

I could do a battery swap in my shop. I have a 2-post lift and plenty of 2x's laying around to build a temporary wooden platform with heavy duty casters to support the battery. I'd have to drop the battery, move it out of the way (on the wooden platform), lower the Truck and roll it out of the shop. Then I'd need to use my tractor to lift the old battery off the platform and drop it on the ground. Then use the tractor to lift the new battery out of the OTHER pickup truck that has the new battery in the bed. Then roll the platform under the new battery and lower the new battery onto the platform. Then roll the Slate Truck back into the lift bay and raise it. Then roll the platform with the new battery back into to lift bay. Then lower the Slate Truck down onto the battery, and as I lower it, make the minute positioning adjustments with the platform to get the new battery aligned with the Slate truck's chassis battery mounting points. Then bolt it all back together.

Then use the tractor to place the old battery into the OTHER pickup to haul it to the EV battery recycling center (humm.... I wonder where THAT is?). I'd need to buy the four (4) casters and maybe a few 2x6's.

Or like AZ, just pay a shop to do it. LOL.

Or build 2 roller platforms and save moving the Slate.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

I have just about everything I would need to do a battery swap in my garage, but also I'm not buying a slate unless the battery has an 8+ year warranty so I don't have to worry about it for a while, haha. After the warranty period, then battery availability is the actual concern. The labor will be close to any other EV, but if replacements cost four times what the vehicle is worth, then the truck becomes scrap. (See also: $13k refurbished batteries for the Spark EV)

 

[KevinRS]

I have just about everything I would need to do a battery swap in my garage, but also I'm not buying a slate unless the battery has an 8+ year warranty so I don't have to worry about it for a while, haha. After the warranty period, then battery availability is the actual concern. The labor will be close to any other EV, but if replacements cost four times what the vehicle is worth, then the truck becomes scrap. (See also: $13k refurbished batteries for the Spark EV)

Yes, the battery should be covered for 8 years minimum, because that is a legal requirement. I think most here are speculating about "better" batteries that may be released in the future, but I doubt that any will come out that are enough better to justify the cost to replace a working battery.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

Yes, the battery should be covered for 8 years minimum, because that is a legal requirement. I think most here are speculating about "better" batteries that may be released in the future, but I doubt that any will come out that are enough better to justify the cost to replace a working battery.

Yeah, I hope to be able to drive the factory battery into the absolute ground, and then replace it with an aftermarket one with newer or at least cheaper battery tech.