Slate Truck is a $20,000 American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, and no touchscreen
Slate Truck is a $20,000 American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, and no touchscreen
Fucking FINALLY.
I've been waiting for a small pickup like the old 90s 4-banger Toyota. And this is electric, simple for function, and actually affordable?
Capitalists must be seething. If it doesnt have leather interior, 19 speaker surround sound, and cost 80k, get it out of our country! /s
Small gas-powered trucks are effectively illegal in the US.
It's regulation made in response to automakers calling everything a "light truck" to get around fuel economy and emissions standards in the 90s and 2000s.The straw that broke the camel's back was the PT Cruiser being classified as a truck by Chrysler.
So, starting in model year 2012, vehicle fuel economy standards started being based on vehicle footprint. The side effect was that small, powerful vehicles designed for moving cargo more efficiently or in tighter spaces than large trucks were impacted. It's why 2011 was the last year model of the old Rangers, S10s, Dakota, etc.
That's why the new Rangers are larger than the old F150s. They have to make them bigger to meet CAFE standards.
Same issue hit the small cargo vans in 2021/22. As the CAFE standards went up, it became impossible to meet fuel economy standards for the NV200, Ford Transit Connect, and Ram ProMaster City compact cargo vans, so they were all discontinued.
New York City was changing its whole Taxi fleet to NV200s due to their flexibility and accessibility options, and now can't buy new ones because a Toyota Camry has less-strict fuel economy requirements.
What are the Maverick and Santa Cruz classified as? I think they fit the small or light truck category, if they are categorized as trucks at all.
That’s why the new Rangers are larger than the old F150s.
If you're comparing a crewcab Ranger to a 2-door F150, sure, but that's not really a valid comparison.
Comparing equivalent configs tells a different story: every crewcab F150 is taller, longer, and wider than a new crewcab Ranger. The 10th gen and earlier (pre-2004) F150s, which are shorter than 11th gen+ F150s, are still bigger when compared to the Ranger in equivalent configurations.
Relatively affordable. It is 20k after the federal discounts and kick backs. Meanwhile, the Chinese EV market has been making cars as low as 4k. https://greenspeedx.com/cheap-electric-cars-available-in-china/
I'm not a pro China person (because one time in Ark, a Chinese team kept destroying my thatch base), but they seem to have the things. Apparently Mexico is aiming to compete in the EV market as well.
If by "the things" you mean underpaid labor, then yes.
America used to have the things as well but then there was a civil war and it got banned.
Even Europe has a tariff for EVs from China due to government subsidies. So it’s probably not 4K, but it’s also probably less than 25
You might ask yourself what it is that allows them to produce and sell a brand new vehicle for $4k, basically the same price as a high-end PC or a couple of high-end smartphones.
Microraptors
Yeah, I'm pretty hype for this. It's got just the basics of what's needed, and if you want to mod it with upgrades you can.
I only wish there was a way to make it AWD/4WD, and if there was a way for it to tow a little more weight, then it'd be perfect.
As it is now, it's still a very compelling concept that I might get into as outside of towing, it solves all the things I need a truck for.
Capitalists must be seething
Capitalists funded this, that's one the benefits of capitalism, if the market is only offering pricey crappy products that people don't enjoy buying, theres an opening in the market that can be filled with a company selling people exactly what they want and need.
There’s no radio, no Bluetooth, and no speakers of any kind beyond for those required to play basic warning chimes.
Many will consider this a cost-cutting step too far, but the interior was designed for ease of upgrading, with easy mounting space for anything from a simple soundbar to a full sound system.
There’s an integrated phone mount right on the dashboard, but there’s nothing stopping you from bringing something even larger. I expect the low-cost Android tablet and 3D-printing communities to have a field day coming up with in-car media streaming solutions.
framework truck😭
This is 100% it.
All I want is a modular car system. Everything modular. Dashboard. Body panels. Whatever. I want 3+ cars possible on one frame, and to not need anything more than basic tools to swap parts around.
If only that money wouldn't be partially going into the pockets of Bezos, it would be amazing.
And while easily replacable panels and such are a good thing. Having the mounting screws exposed like that is a horrendus idea. Because I suspect I know what much younger and very drunk people would do, based on the Mercedes hood ornaments I have in a box somewhere.
I don't really see a downside to this, so why not line Bezos pockets if he is providing¡g a sane alternative?
As an FYI, (In the United States) all modern cars will have to have some kind of screen (whether built in the mirror, on the dash, or as part of the gauge system) as all cars are required to have backup cameras as of 2018.
Starting in 2029 all cars will be required to have automatic braking technology as well.
We're never going to be able to purchase new cars that are completely dumbed down ever again, but with how many lives it will save I'd say it's worth it.
I'm glad that there are some companies that are willing to offer cars with the bare minimum of features at least. I personally would prefer having automatic windows over crank, but if someone wants to save money more power(har har) to them!
EDIT: weather vs whether Braking vs breaking
Way over-thinking it.
Europe and Japan 10-15 years ago all had radios with 4x6 inch no-touch displays for pre-loaded GPS with no internet connection. They switch to backup cameras when in reverse.
America doesn't need to invent anything here, this is old technology widely used by large parts of the rest is the world.
Can we get another edit for braking instead of breaking, please? Surely all this fancy new-fangled tech never breaks? 😉
Dammit! Lol
all modern cars will have to have some kind of screen (whether built in the mirror, on the dash, or as part of the gauge system)
Starting in 2029 all cars will be required to have automatic breaking
As an FYI, they mention both of these in the article
It is a legal requirement now to have back up cameras. This thing also doesn't have any airbags, or seatbelts in the back when converted. There is nothing connected to the HVAC controls, you would need a heater box. They haven't even bothered with a plywood mock interrior is all just 3D printed garbage, literally falling apart in the reviewers hands.
The Chinese have tried this approach for low volume projects with a space frame and bonded plastic and carbon fibre panels, but its just too labour intensive to be practical for any sort of volume. The space frame still has to be painted, so you don't save any money in a painting setup.
A mandatory part of today’s safety features is a digital rear-view camera. Typically, this view pops up on a modern car’s central infotainment screen, but the Slate doesn’t have one of those. It makes do with just a small display behind the steering wheel as a gauge cluster, which is where that rearview camera will feed.
Need room for more than two passengers? Slate has an SUV upgrade kit that will bolt onto the back of the truck, adding extra rollover crash protection and rear seats with seat belts to match, all in a package that’s easy to install at home.
They aren't mentioned in this article, but it does evidently have airbags. Where are you getting this info?
It has airbags..
No stereo is a bit spartan, but definitely a move in the right direction regardless. I want one.
I'd be surprised if people couldn't put in a simple and cheap aftermarket deck and a couple speakers, which would only be around a couple hundo. If these things are easy to work on so you can install it yourself, even better.
Seems built In speakers will be optional
I have a stereo in mine. Has BT. I still usually just roll with ear buds. Lol.
There is also the Telo Truck. It's advertised as being as capable as a Toyota Tacoma, but the footprint of a Mini Cooper.
It's asthetic is more akin to the small trucks in Japan, though.
Edit: it does seem like it has more tech-forward features, but it is otherwise a relatively simple truck in a very manageable size.
Big bonus for Telo is that they support Right to Repair and are trying to use off-the-shelf parts where possible to enable end-user repairs. Oh and it isn't a unibody so, panels can be replaced if damaged.
I’ve had a lowkey obsession with this truck for a few months now. Sure, the looks aren’t for everyone. But I would get one tomorrow if I could afford it.
I have an older Kia Soul EV that I absolutely love, but could use a truck bed from time to time. I also love kei trucks (I live in Hawai’i and they’re everywhere!). Small vehicles with clever use of space is my jam. And I will never go back from an EV unless I’m absolutely forced to. This Slate truck is kinda awesome as well. Gives old 80s pickup truck vibes and I’m here for it.
That glass roof is a hard sell for me. The truck I currently drive has a sunroof with no cover and I need to wear a hat just to drive comfortably on a sunny day. I never need to see straight up while driving.
I like the Telo, though it is about twice the price of the Slate.
They can advertise it as being as capable as a toyota tacoma as much as they want but it will never be true. The tacoma has been widely regarded as one of the most reliable trucks of all time and without getting exact numbers has way more cargo capacity than the telo. They should just market it and sell it for what it is. A much needed introduction to the world of micro trucks in urban spaces for north america.
I am excited, this is what my husband and I have been waiting for - a regular vehicle with no bells and whistles just to raise the price
Fun fact, this isn’t $20K but that’s what it takes to get people, to share the article. The actual arrival says that it’s $20K after government rebates in the US. So it’s actually expensive without tax dollars.
Yup! And hopefully starts a new thing that other makers get behind!
(after federal incentives)
:|
That's 25-27k for a new electric truck, that's not bad.
BRUH
It’s backed by Bezos. Wouldn’t even consider it for that reason alone.
The design is bad. The front trunk is a bad use of space, and the Japanese figured this out decades ago with the Kei truck. If you want to see real utility, look at this design.
The front trunk is a safety feature called a crumple zone and is objectively safer to be in a crash with.
Hm. Interesting point.
Maybe as we move our economy away from cars, and people dont all have to be drivers, we could also move away from cars that are poorly designed specifically around bad drivers.
That is true, except I'm talking about utility primarily. Garbage trucks already fulfill the design I'm mentioning and are used daily in most cities already.
European vans are probably the safest of utility cars, they don't have a front trunk.
Counterpoint: One of the first things people buy for a truck is a container for the bed for things they don't want to be in the weather but also not in the cab.
A front-trunk eliminates this need which also frees up bed space.
Exactly, you can usually tell someone actually needs a truck if it's got a stainless box behind the cab. Obviously there's still people who cosplay as truck drivers that will have them too, but there are other signs you can use to tell them apart.
Americans won't buy a Kei truck though. Granted, the frunk is a marketing concession, but it's a fine one, if it can help push the market away from huge and expensive SUVs.
Or, more succinctly, don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
Americans can't buy them new because of the so-called Chicken Tax. We can only import them if they're speed-governed, or at least 25 years old.
Even with those restrictions, lots of Americans want them, including me. There are quite a few importers bringing them over, including one that just started up in my area. They're desirable enough that major media outlets are running articles about how people who need to get real work done covet kei trucks.
Yes, Americans would buy them. Americans are buying them.
Americans won't be able to afford anything anyway pretty soon.
Forward control trucks, like that Kei truck are shit in so many respects, it would take a while to list. Source: I've owned one of it's larger siblings and learned to hate them (being 187 cm tall didn't help)
Front trunks save lives in collisions though. I'd 100% rather be in a vehicle with a hood between me and another car, and I say this as an avid kei-truck fan.
Car has to look big or americans no buy.
I have owned a Nissan vanette, And let me tell you, it's a van-full of nope! Steering is super weird, as the wheels are under you, the feeling that your knees are going to be what crumples in a crash is unnerving, having the engine right next to you (it's between the front seats) is smelly, warms up one of you thighs, but just one, even in the summer, and a slew of other shit. Standard layout for me, at least Eurovan layout.
Yea but we're talking about electric vehicles now, no engine block.
Damn, an electric truck I might actually want. It's a shame it's made in America
Sign me THE FUCK up, have been looking at 90s danger rangers to sate my small truck fix but so many of them have a car-looking front end.
I find this minimalism strangely appealing. Unfortunately, I do not live on a farm. I hope this thing is useful to those who do, though.
I live in a rural area and need to do truck stuff frequently (ex. We have no trash pickup and have to haul it ourselves to the dump). Something like this is very appealing to me. I could also see this being useful as a fleet vehicle that doesn’t really leave campus grounds (think facilities/grounds/maintenance).
I hate that Bezos backed them
When you got unlimited money, you have a finger in everyone's pie. An unfortunate reality.
Rich people's money and actual dark illegal money is intertwined in our economy. The economy would probably collapse without it.
I wonder how this could be fixed?
If you taxed the rich would it work best to do it gradually? Also would that give cartels and organized crime advantage? Would you have to tackle both?
I wonder if in doing so without doing it gradually would be as messy as what the Trump admin is doing now?
he knows people will want it 🤷
Features I look for in a car
How hard is this?
Kind of like what Steve Martin looks for in cars:
Legally, you need quite a few more features than this just to be able to sell it.
I would also include seats. And maybe doors. Also a windshield.
Overated
It has all of that except the radio x3
I thought I read that it has crank windows.
Please add the triangle windows.
Crazy how so many people have been begging for bare bones, affordable electric vehicles.
Then when one comes on the scene they do nothing but complain. Can't please anybody these days it seems.
Edit: sp
They claim 20k, which is nice, but noone will believe it will stay that way. Given the [gestures broadly to everything] they likely will need to find an non-lithium based alternative battery before the reserves run dry, the price sky-rockets and then would-be buyers deal with scalper prices (not like thats much different than going to a dealership anyway).
This would have been a smash hit in 2022, but now its too little, too late.
The 20k is after government incentives, definitely not permanent pricing. Lithium isn't scarce in the US, at least. The McDermitt Caldera reserves are quite substantial. More than half of the world's total supply.
20k after 7500 tax incentive. So 27,500 approximately. Cheapest EVs are I think 29k right now. So this is well within the realm of possibility imo. It will probably go up a bit by the time it makes it out the door. And probably no one will get the barebones model and spend 2-3k at least on accessories.
It's a great concept, but it has blinding LED headlights and automatic high beams
instant fuck off
Part of the problem is they exist, but not in America. Ford even makes a small EV hatchback in Europe.
Definitely interested…
Please make a 4x4 model I will definitely buy one.
This is a truck I’d actually feel comfortable driving. Unlike those gender affirming, semi truck adjacent, embarrassing pavement princess trucks that you see everywhere now.
It only seats two yet has a bed big enough to hold a sheet of plywood. It only does 150 miles on a charge, only comes in gray, and the only way to listen to music while driving is if you bring along your phone and a Bluetooth speaker.
Instead of steel or aluminum, the Slate Truck’s body panels are molded of plastic. Or, as Slate calls them, “injection molded polypropylene composite material.” The theory is that this makes them more durable and scratch-resistant, if only because the lack of paint means they’re one color all the way through.
By eliminating paint, and thus eliminating the paint shop, Slate’s manufacturing process is massively simplified. So, too, the lack of metal body parts. “We have no paint shop, we have no stamping,”
I can't make 150 mile range work. That completely kills this one for me, personally.
Also, if it's 150 mile range, that means it's 100 miles with using the truck bed for light truck stuff, and probably a 75 mile range if it's cold out while doing truck stuff. Be great for a lot of people, but I have to get a 250 range for my viability.
Someone posted link to Telo trucks,
350 mile range according to the website, footprint is same as a minicooper
Can fit 8' sheets of plywlood or seating for 8 people depending on configuration of the midsection
Model is MT1 that states it.
If this thing is legit its a beast in a small package
They have a larger battery available.
Seems like half the article is talking about paint.
no touchscreen
Sounds like a dream. Or public transport. It doesn't have touchscreen either.
Or public transport. It doesn't have touchscreen either.
Do you live in a stone age or something? The first time I saw a touch screen on a bus built into the backs of the seats was like 12 years ago or so. Pretty much all long distance public transport has them these days, apart from low cost airlines like Ryanair.
You know what... Give me an option for a bigger battery, and ensure that replacement batteries are going to be available for a while, and I'll definitely look into it.
The article says they will have a 240 mile battery upgrade available at some point, that can be done at some yet undisclosed service center (article assumes a car service chain).
Sweet. Hopefully those batteries will also be manufactured and sold for long enough for me to get at least one first party replacement, before having to deal with third party vendors.
The article mentions an upgradable battery
Am I reading this right and it only offers 1000lb towing capacity? Isn't that kind of utterly useless?
Oh, not at all. Not at all. Now as a full-fledged TRUCK, and hauling, yeah it's pretty pathetic. But the truck platform that this uses is clean, simple, and fucking brilliant.
A lot of non-truck city people like to cite some damning statistic, something-something-87% of truck owners haven't hauled anything significant in the past year. Correct, and I think most people simply don't have that need. The number of oversized trucks I see, that go from home to cubicle work to WalMart & back home again... 🙄🙄🙄
Full-sized trash cans don't fit in a car very well. But they fit nicely in a truck. This truck can "haul"...all kinds of bulky, awkward shit that doesn't weigh much. I've got a lot of that in my life.
I could use this as a nice, basic farm shuttle vehicle. Chores. Daily driver to & from work. Camping even, obviously light tent camping. Drive-in movie theaters. Parties. "I don't have room in my car for [junk] ." Well, throw it in my truck. Problem solved, yay 🥳
It's electric, so you could even drive it part-time & fully recharge it with the fucking sun.
I adore the standard cab, small, working man's truck. It is not kind of utterly useless, it just doesn't allow you to be the manliest man that ever manned, bro. Lift kit & shoxxx for offroading, bro. Best in class for towing, bro. Extended cab, bro. It runs on endangered species of owls, bro. ...you can keep all that. I'll take this. 🤗
Full-sized trash cans don't fit in a car very well. But they fit nicely in a truck. This truck can "haul"...all kinds of bulky, awkward shit that doesn't weigh much. I've got a lot of that in my life.
Yep, furniture especially. A Queen-size bed is bad enough, but at least you can tie that onto the roof of most sedans. A table and some chairs? Some dressers? Doesn't matter how light they are, you run out of space real quick, and that's assuming you've got your Luggage Tetris skill maxed so you can cram everything in perfectly.
...or you could just set it all in the bed and put a net over it if you really wanna make sure it won't go anywhere. I know which one I prefer.
Fair enough, I guess I've been considering my own use case, which is moving lumber.
If you need to tow something, sure. The vast majority of people who own a pickup don't tow jackshit. That goes for urban and rural areas.
And this will not fit all requirements of all people all the time. Nor does it intend to. But my god, trucks are such a practical platform & they used to be a lot smaller. The Asians do the tiny utility trucks....so well. But noooooo, Americans simply can't have anything small, or affordable, we won't allow small trucks to enter market. 🙄
It fits most cases, and a change 60-75% in the right direction is better than a 0% change in the right direction, cranking out oversized & overpriced trucks that don't fit our lifestyles.
There are lots of men not entering relationships, lots of couples not having children. This is perfect for daily living & daily tasks. Long-distance trips? Fuck no. But how often are you doing that? Price is right, if it's cheap-running & simple & reliable -- what are we waiting for?? Let's go, the Toyota Stout isn't coming to save us anytime soon. Let's go with this tiny truck until then.
Equivalent towing capacity of a Chevy Impala, so yes.
This is less of a truck and more of a truck-shaped go-kart.
I have an older Ranger. I don't do much truck stuff. The bulk cargo area is the draw, not the weight capacity. The heaviest load I carried was 800lbs of plywood, which was 15 sheets or something. I have a 4x8 trailer that can also help haul bulky household goods for moves, a motorcycle, lumber, or furniture. While the trailer is rated for 1700lbs payload and weighs 300lbs itself, I have never put more than 500lbs on it, despite filling the 4x8 floor stackef 4ft high. I made the trailer before getting the Ranger, so now they're redundant and never actually hauled together.
If you're already towing, this probably isnt the truck for you. If you aren't towing, it provides an option to tow something if you have to. The reason I chose the Ranger is because it's cheap, gets good fuel economy, and has the capacity to grab full lumber sheet goods on my commute home. While I could find a 30mpg car for the same price, I'm still in the mid 20s. Maybe I could spend 30k on a newer F150 V6 and get similar, but then it costs 10x what I paid. Bulk space and handling scratchy cargo is the main goal. I think of the Slate as being what the Ranger should've been now.
Fair enough
I don't need a truck, but this is perfect for people who want to take a bunch of mountain bikes out to the downhill mountain bike park. Throw 5-6 bikes in the back, take the riders in a separate car.
That said, I hope they come out with a smaller wagon or sedan with clearance (so a hitch can be installed for mountain bikes).
I didn't need a truck back when I bought an Isuzu pickup. But it was the cheapest new vehicle at the time and did come in handy. Didn't even have power steering or brakes.
my trailer weighs like 350lb total, that gives me 650lb to haul in it still
Yeah, for towing that's basically useless unless you're only using it to tow around a wood splitter or something.
That said, my family has had a 1993 Ford ranger for many years. I'm pretty sure even with the 4-cylinder engine it still has a towing capacity several times that much, but we have never towed anything with it. We have gotten a lot of use out of it as a truck though, moving furniture, camping gear, small loads of firewood, trips to the hardware store, etc.
I can also potentially see this being big for certain fleet vehicles. Growing my dad worked on a military base as a civilian in their wastewater treatment plant. Part of his job involved driving around the base once a day or so to take water samples from a couple places. The public works department had a couple small trucks, Chevy S10 I think, that he'd use for that. They got used by other public works employees, never for anything particularly heavy duty but they did occasionally tote around some bulky tools, equipment, materials, but a significant amount of what they used them for could probably have used a golf cart. I'd be amazed if those trucks went 10 miles most days, they sat most of the time, kind of a perfect sort of situation for them to sit on a charger.
I will buy this immediately if it's even close to this price point.
Lost me at “American”.
they lost me at automatic high beams. we don't need more cars on the road with LED high beams blinding everybody within two kilometers
Automatic means they turn on and off automatically so it actually cuts down on the problem you’re describing
That's the theory and it sounded great in the adverts. But in my experience, "automatic" means on by default and most folks don't think about them, creating the problem- we're all blind because the damn things come on too much. To work properly, they'll have to know where the city limits are, not just trigger at "x" lumens level. And while we're temporarily blinded, "Fooly Automasted Slef Driving" will probably kill us before that happens...
that is very inaccurate
they often don't work until after they've already flashbanged you, and they don't recognize anything but vehicles
They don't work well enough to justify their legality
I hate to break it to you bud, but pretty much every single vehicle sold in the last 5 years or so are equipped with LED headlights.
and fuck every single one of them
I am physically unable to drive after sundown because those headlights fuck so hard with my light sensitivity. I can't see anything, it feels like someone slowly stabbing your eyes with a pencil.
Admittedly not the smartest thing to do, but I now keep a reflective umbrella in the car for when my partner is driving and one of those assholes decides to tailgate.
Do one thing and do it well.
The philosophy behind UNIX! I love it. Thank you for sharing that, and I fully agree with you.
The approach outlined by your suggestion is likely to be much more environmentally friendly too.
And no buyers
You know, I like the design. If I can take a wrench to it and customise it or repair broken stuff easily and for cheap, even better.
The range is kinda meh, but for working in remote sites, bringing a diesel generator is already par for the course, and that bed looks like it fits a lot of stuff.
No stereo sucks though.
I often drive long distances for work, and I NEVER listen to the radio. All my listening is through headphones off my phone. I even keep a spare pair charging at all times. Not only does it sound a million times better than any crappy car system, it's far easier to take phone calls. I hate holding my phone while driving. It's also easier to hear the map navigation lady.
I'd build a mount for my DeWalt speaker that I'm already taking to my job sites who cares about a stereo
Hell yes, take my money. As long as it's not a limit and manages to keep its range and I can get parts fuck yes
I was the same way until I found out it was only 2WD. Add a second motor for the front wheels and I'll pay $30k for it
How are they going to get around the backup camera requirement? I guess it could be done through your phone but that sounds like it might be a support nightmare.
It does say "no touchscreen", not "no screen". I'm betting it will have a small screen for the backup camera, with no touch elements.
It has a small screen in the speedometer.
Europe and Japan had backup cameras with no touchscreen on cars 10-15 years ago. The radio head unit just switches from a small 4x6 inch LCD display to back up camera when in reverse.
The article states it will display the backup camera feed on the dashboard screen
The rear view mirror has been used in The past as a mini screen and I liked it. And if you unhook the camera in my Ford it would flash the little screen blue for a moment then realize nothing was hooked up and would turn off. Though you could just unhook the mirror connector and it would be just a mirror as well if you want to disassemble the interior to unplug it.
Getting closer to what I want, which is a reasonably sized and priced EV truck built for actual utility. I'm ok with it leaving out all the extras that I don't need, and hopefully that means it isn't also going to be tracking people and harvesting their data.
My biggest objection to the truck itself is that it's still trying to look like an ICE truck. There's no engine in front, you could easily slide the cab forward a bit to make room for a larger bed. I would much rather have a tiny frunk and an 8 foot bed, even if it means making the whole thing slightly longer. It's shorter than a corrolla, so it's not like they couldn't add a little length to the design if necessary.
Bezos being involved is also a massive turn off, but than I'm not sure who is going to go into mass manufacturing EVs without some rich asshole funding it.
I love cab over trucks but the one thing I have experienced is the ride quality difference between an unloaded cab over and an unloaded pickup truck. The pickup wins every time due to physics. I think the other two reasons for them to pick an ICE truck look would be the limited space for covered/enclosed storage (not much of any in a cab over) and customers being used to that look. Look at the Canoo EV. That think checks all my boxes for design but is expensive and caked in features that I don’t care about.
This is a small truck. To meet safety standards without adding a lot more cost and weight, you need that front end space for a crumple zone.
No stereo is fine if it has ports for me to just buy my own car stereo kit and add it afterwards. I don't see the point of no paint, like don't you need it to protect the metal from the environment
Since incentives are being killed, it will probably be about $30k. Still looks like a good design
Is it a networked surveillance nightmare?
It doesn't seem to come with any gadgets. No touch screen, not even a radio. It's possible that it still broadcasts location data and it's possible they could hide a mic to record audio as well. But it isn't connecting to your phone with Bluetooth, it can't exploit the Bluetooth connection to scrub your messages and socials. So it's a LOT better than most new cars.
Less reason to believe that it is than most cars that literally market themselves as connected
The kei truck comparison seems apt. This seems like it's for people who need a runner for their ranch or farm, or local town handyman work.
One of my neighbors has a kei truck and I want one so bad.
Like, I love the functionality of a pickup, but they are wildly impractical for everyday use...not to mention the...implications....
Something cheap enough to be an auxiliary vehicle, that can carry 4x8 sheet goods and 12ft boards without much hassle would be awesome though.
As it is now, we have two cars (A VW Passat (sedan) and a Honda Odyssey (minivan)). The minivan can carry 4x8 goods and 12ft dimensional lumber, but it requires removing the middle row. Kind of a pain in the ass. It's rather uncommon to need both cars at the same time (but still comes in clutch, pardon the pun, when we do need it)...generally the sedan is for solo trips and the minivan is for family outings. I'd replace the Passat with a kei in a heartbeat.
Perfect except for it being a truck. Why is North America allergic to small cars?
Trucks are incredibly useful?
Sure but not every single person needs a truck? My comment isn’t even intending to hate on trucks, I literally just want a small car that’s electric. I don’t drive often and I want something that’s electric but doesn’t take up much space
I have an answer for this that's from my personal life if that's helpful.
I've lived either in the great plains or in the rural south my entire life, and I only found out a year ago you can pay $20 to rent a pickup truck. So up until that point, I thought, every group (of friends or family) has to have a person with a truck in it, in case someone needs to move, or in case of an emergency (like a tornado effing up their house and now you have to clear the property).
When I found out that renting a truck is so cheap, I was so mad! All that time wasted paying extra for more car than I needed! I prefer something small and cheap and efficient, personally, but so does everyone else I know so I always wound up with the truck. (And I helped a LOT of people move over the years as a result.)
Obviously this is n=1 but at least it's my story? And my answer is legit, "ignorance and being too poor to own my house, and landlords like to jack rent on someone staying in one place every year so you have to keep moving to avoid that needless creep of fees."
My hope is this will be another nail in the coffin for the giant bro dozers. Everybody I know who does actual real truck stuff have been crying for this exact vehicle for years. A small (in American terms) utilitarian vehicle for getting your truck stuff done. Essentially an American kei truck
Plus I think there have been a lot of small smart-car sized EV offerings, but I can’t really think of a small truck besides the Telo truck.
Wait. Why the hell wouldn't you paint it? Does it at least have a clear coat?
For those who don't feel like reading an article: solid plastic panels.
What I would love to see for a pickup like this is a rentable battery slab you could drop into the bed and temporarily boost the mileage for longer trips.
Glad someone has the balls to produce a truck people actually want. Give me power windows, locks, radio, cruise and a cheap radio and I am fine. I guess I throw in 4x4 because I live in Colorado.
I would love to also see an ice or a hybrid version of this truck too. This is exactly want so many people are wanting right now. Very excited to see this EV when it hits the road
They can't legally make an ice version of this truck because of how emissions laws work in the US.
From caranddriver with no sign-in requirement.
Apart from its digital gauge cluster that also serves as the rearview camera display, power locks, cruise control, and a forward-collision-warning system with automated emergency braking, the Truck offers little in the way of luxuries.
Sounds nice. I do like highway lane following, but not essential.
This is like the electric version of the bare-bones Toyota ICE pickup
Frugal design. I love it.
The msrp of this truck is $28000. For having nothing in it that is absurd. Not to mention the rebates put it at 20k but you still have to pay upfront which deters most people from getting. Overall shit truck, shit design, shit price.
Reserved
I am really excited for this as a DIYer and Maker
Can't wait for the 3D printed mods.
Aftermarket stereo market here I come, haven't had to buy one of those in a long time.
...has caught the eye of major investors, reportedly including Jeff Bezos.
Goddamnit!
Shut up and take my money!!!
This is big time give it to me now.
Now make it a panel van and I'll be interested
No stereo is the only thing I would change
It seems to be designed with that in mind.
See, tariffs work!
/s
We’re owning the libs now! Now we can all buy any EV we want! It’s all computer.
Make it 10k-12k and it would be a yes if parts and repair ability were guaranteed for 10 years.
I want one. The ONLY thing that would stop me is the rear-wheel drive. We get a lot of snow and rear-wheel and snow are not compatible.
Reminds of the first VW Beetle under fucking Hitler. One color, black. I wish Toyota would introduce their Hilux Champ to the North American market.
The Hilux is a perfect example of why tariffs won't work the way Trump wants them to. The Hilux is not offered to the North American market because a retaliatory tariff applied over 60 years ago due to a trade dispute involving chicken (it is now known as "the chicken tax") the original reasons for which are largely forgotten to modern consumers, yet the tariff has remained in place ever since. Rather than incentivizing the makers of trucks like the Hilux to move production to the US to bypass the tariff, instead the market for such trucks simply vanished, and manufacturers never bothered investing any effort to bring it back, because... why would they? There's no profit in it for them.
The tariff hangs over the entire product category like a sword of damocles. Nobody will import them here, because they would need to be specially customized to meet domestic regulations and customers won't pay for the tariff on the imports nevermind the redesign, so all they would be left with is a bunch of unsellable prototypes . And since there's no way to test the viability of their products in the market, nobody can make a case to invest in building them here either, because the tariff could be gone tomorrow and they would instantly be put out of business by cheaper imports of the rich variety of light cargo vehicles used throughout the world. The tariff creates an insurmountable risk/reward mismatch that no sane company can ignore.
You can argue and nitpick about economics all you want, the proof is in the economy itself. If you think tariffs work, go ahead and buy a Toyota Hilux. I'll wait. Some people have been waiting 60 years. It still hasn't happened. And it's not going to.
Yes, more of this please!
No idea why it has no stereo though. That feels like a pretty basic feature. Doesnt even need to be built in. Just iso standard head unit bay would do.
I don't even want a truck or an electric car (at this point), but I would love to own this.
But does it break when water ?
What's with the American obsession with pickups? Hard to find a worst design when it comes to practicality. You carry extra people way more often then huge loads. If you do need to carry big loads just get a van, at lest your cargo is protected from the weather and people. If you don't carry extra people or cargo get a smaller car. Almost no one uses pickups in Europe and everyone is still getting their job done. Where I live most old farmers just use this:
I find a pickup to be quite practical in my line of work. Mine is regularly packed to the brim and I'm from Europe as well.
As long as it isn't a stupid big boat like the Americans.
They do have an option to turn it into a 2 door 5 seat SUV style setup so that's something.
You just don’t know how to use a pickup. Besides, what do you think SUVs are for? People+Crap
To start, yes many people get a truck that shouldn't, so no arguments there. But to think a van is just blanket superior undermines your point. They have different use cases really (I've never seen a welding van for example).
For example, as a truck owner who can only afford one vehicle, and who uses their vehicle for personal and work, a van would be no good for my needs. The vehicle needs to be able to haul both people when not in use for work (so crew cab is a must) and large/gross/messy stuff when it is. My tools need to be kept separate from the messy things, and those messy things don't need protection (and it'd be harder to load/unload them if covered like in a van anyways).
Plus, all the work vans I've seen in my area are bigger than my truck anyways so that's kinda funny.
No touchscreen, but you bet your ass it has a computer and a cell phone tracking you.
This looks awesome.
Paywalled.
Anyone got a battery range on this vehicle?
150 miles per charge
Thanks.
Good luck, independent car manufacturers usually get bankrupted out of business directly or indirectly by a market dominated by traditional car manufacturing lobbies designed to be replete with minefields that usually go up in difficulty just before it's supposed to reach mass production. There have been plenty of innovative EV designs that have died off because of this, and it's telling how much power those lobbies have when its the one thing countries will unite against to keep Chinese competition off of their borders.
Already tired of seeing this cool car and now I’m already seeing more “fuck car” articles and post; as well as countries wanting to limit cars on the road. Something is at foot
Oh fuck. Where buy
Yes, please!
We need a wider range of vehicle prices on the market. I bet a lot of people would go for barebones models for cheap if they had the option.
Want!
Completely fabricated for the sake of fundraising.
This is cool, except you'll never be able to guarantee it'll make it to market to specification. They should try a small form factor too, with the same 2 seat option, even giving you the option to make a kei truck-esque experience.
Overall, looks solid.
But its made out of unsellable cybertruck bits?
5ft bed and auto high beams, no thanks
This sounds like they are going to deliver a truck that everyone is going to want/need to upgrade at least something, and are depending on this post-production upsell to keep things going. Reminds me of the Apple tax of only bare minimum RAM and you can pay a premium to upgrade it to something usable. And for Slate this fits well with the "customer can service/upgrade everything outside of battery stuff" as this lowers their overhead, and then are making a deal with a chain to do the servicing as the only alternative (and depending on which chain that is, and if the one near you is run well, could make this wildly different experience).
They could have put a screen in it so I can hook up my phone to it!
That's like the one thing I care about in the car being able to use android auto!
Sure, but it's American, so it'll somehow shit out a connecting rod around 150,000 miles and will cost $8000 to repair.
Edit: some of you clearly missed the joke.
Do EVs have connecting rods? The article does go into right to repair, sounds like the company is pro DIY repair so that's promising at least.
No, EVs don't have any connecting rods, that was the joke.
The chances of this ever being sold Zero.
Explain yourself!
Gross. Cars are a dead end for humanity.
We need hover boards. Though I've been told they don't work on water.
I introduce you to innovative tech called "megapod":
More innovation and overfeeding CEOs entrepreneurship will create experience called "gigapod":
While I'm with you it's far too late. We've got decades if not centuries of infrastructure construction to get anywhere else. There are needs for trucks, and a barebones electric one is real good thing
If this post was on Reddit I'd write it off as a troll lol
Yes, because the ability to move yourself and useful things over large parts of the world is so detrimental.
"No touchscreen" is a really great selling point imo
Every smart feature a vehicle *doesn't *have is a selling point for me. I want my car to be dumb as a boot.
Yep, the more software it has, the less I want it. And I’m saying that as a software engineer.
Well, I want smart boots
I fucking hate the touchscreen in my vehicle.
I dont mind a secondary 8" screen for things like navigation as long as there is no control over functionality of the vehicle on said touch screen.
My 2016 Veloster has a perfect balance
After reading the article and the website, I can't find anything that explicitly says there is no network connection built into the vehicle.
The instrument panel is a screen, and will be used to display the backup camera video. There is some computer capable of handling video processing and displaying the instrument graphics - so more than just low-level electronics to handle the battery and drive control. It could have built-in GPS, it could have 5G, it could still be collecting and sharing data on driving habits &etc, it could be subsidized by that on the backend. Just because those functions aren't displayed to the end user doesn't mean they aren't in the system.
Oh yes I was not commenting on any of that. Data privacy and the reliability of computer hardware and software over time are separate issues.
I was just speaking from the basic-level user experience of operating a vehicle- touch screens are terrible. Pretty much everything you want to do in a car should have 3 requirements:
Hoping it doesn't have tracking 🤞
If they also make a 4wd version in the future then this would basically be the first new car I'd consider buying.
Edit: I emailed them and they said it doesn't have any data collection at all.
Everything you describe could be handled by a single ESP 32 module but they probably do have much more computing power than that.
Other articles seem to indicate that it would need you to use your phone to perform updates on the onboard computer.
I guess this doesn't preclude the possibility of other types of embedded surveillance.