r/slateauto

Well, that's a bummer. Just read an article stating that Slate will not be coming to Canada.

So Ford CEO Jim Farley has come out on the side of stealerships on vehicle repairs.

While he supports the "ability" to repair vehicles, he believes modern cars are too complicated and unsafe for at-home DIY repairs. He favors stealership servicing, particularly for complex and warranty-related work. He also appears to be working behind the scenes to water down the REPAIR bill going thru Congress to prevent folks from getting access to things they need to maintain their cars... Like torque specs etc. He not only doesn't want the plebes like you and me from getting data to repair, he also doesn't want independent shops from having that data either.

F these corporate a-holes like this. This is why I want a Slate and will never buy a Maverick or the new Ford truck that looks like a Maverick with a 2 foot bed. Or any other vehicle where the manufacturer tells me it's too hard for me to maintain and just bring it in. (And yes this includes Tesla)

It's not that hard. Quit trying to be John Deere and BMW and hiding behind pay walls and subscriptions and stealership business models.

I may never buy anything but a Slate from now on.

Has anyone seen a VIN on a Slate? I am curious what the starting letter and model codes will be.

I like to prove people wrong when they say something is impossible. For example, I want to take several long road trips out west, offroad, towing a trailer, uphill both ways.

My 1992 Toyota Pickup RWD was surprisingly capable in the mountains of California and I imagine the slate will be better.

Interesting to see that delivery dates are being rolled out according to geographic location. That seems to indicate some of the “coming soon 2027“
messages still in preorder accounts will be adjusted in the next few weeks. After reading some posts ,it seems many sitting with coming soon , irrespective of early deposits, are west coast: Colorado, Utah, Oregon. Perhaps there are fewer purchases in these states compared to east coast, NY, PA, etc.
Wonder if SLATE wants to get their vehicles on the road in some of these lesser early buyer states as soon as possible. Anyone with a coming soon date, that gets adjusted, let us know.

"The two-seat Slate truck at under $25,000 is no frills – it comes with hand-crank windows, no stereo, no speakers, no ambient lighting, a smartphone mount on the dashboard instead of a navigation system, and standard cruise control instead of adaptive. The Slate truck gets an estimated 205 miles of range, and it is small – think of Ford Rangers and other pick ups from the 1980s. At 14.5 ft, it is shorter than a Corolla.

Moreover, the $24,950 is just the starting point for a Slate, and the company offers a range of 3D-printed accessories, a stereo, a fob and an add-on that converts it into a five-seat SUV. Customers can also pay extra for vinyl wraps instead of paint, which eliminates the need for the company’s plant to include a paint shop.

But opting for those basic features quickly takes the price north. Jessica Caldwell, executive director of Insights with Edmunds, likened the Slate to a budget airline such as Rynair, which offers a cheap ticket to physically get on a plane, but the add ons that make the flight tolerable quickly add up. She is skeptical that this approach will take off with buyers in the US market."

As auto costs rise, will the US miss the golden age of electric vehicles?

"opting for those basic features quickly takes the price north. " Way north. For example, if you buy the SUV kit for $5,000 in does not include installing it on the truck. So it is not really a $30,000 SUV as some would have you believe. It is a $25,000 vehicle + destination charges +SUV kit, + install (either $$$ or your time) + other add ons you want + install for those add ons.

If you have the financial means to purchase two or three slate trucks, it’s important to remember that you may not be the intended customer base.

I see the influence of the "Boxy" shape of a classic range rover. I can see someone making "Land Rover" style panels.

What do people think of this concept?

No AI I don't know how. Bent polycarbonate for the roof windows.

https://preview.redd.it/2dv6htwqg8bh1.jpg?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a84fbf7dcccad4cdd2b1a8fd6edcac510b445754

I'd love to see an extended cab kit with jump seats that uses the same passenger rail slide in the SUV kit.

Would the added miles to the range even be worth it?

Also has anything been said about trading in an accessory if you don't want it like how REI Co-op does