Posted on 04/26/2025 9:31:59 AM PDT by Cronos
Meet the Slate Truck, a sub-$20,000 (after federal incentives) electric vehicle that enters production next year. 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. It is the bare minimum of what a modern car can be, and yet it’s taken three years of development to get to this point.
But this is more than bargain-basement motoring. Slate is presenting its truck as minimalist design with DIY purpose, an attempt to not just go cheap but to create a new category of vehicle with a huge focus on personalization. That design also enables a low-cost approach to manufacturing that has caught the eye of major investors, reportedly including Jeff Bezos. It’s been engineered and will be manufactured in America, but is this extreme simplification too much for American consumers?
(Excerpt) Read more at theverge.com ...
Sounds like you’ve got it covered.
I’m assuming I would get it with the $7,500 Gov rebate chipped in. That’s what makes it doable.
I agree. I’m thinking they are being careful with their words. Will it fit a 4x8 sheet, between the wheel humps and be able to close the tailgate? I doubt it.
I'm sure this is a unibody construction which after considering the vehicle weight including the weight of the battery isn't going to leave much towing or load capacity.
If it had a small ICE and body-on-frame construction, a minimalistic design like this could have some appeal. IMO, as this truck is designed, $20K could be better spent on a used Ranger, Dakota, or similar pickup which would have more utility while offering more features and probably long outlast this one.
Which means we, or our children, (not "Uncle Sam") are paying for it every time someone buys one. This is another obvious target for Trump and Congress to cut as a violation of the 9th amendment. Enough of plundering taxpayers to pay for the personal agendas of the rich and powerful. Let them pay for their own electric vehicles.
I just want a mid sized truck with a gas engine, cold AC, manual transmission, old style button post locks, roll down windows, good tires, an 8 foot long bed, and an old style chrome bumper set up with a hitch package.
Nothing big nothing fancy I just want a nice work truck, not debt.
Mr mm and I were just discussing the other day that nobody orders cars any more. They’re all picked off the lot which is why the roadways are absolutely flooded with boring gray or silver, and followed closely by black and white, SUVs and cars.
UGH.
I found a nice color for mine and can easily find it in a parking lot. Matter of fact, mr.mm and the kids all did the same thing. I guess we’re all just throwbacks. Non-conformists at the very lesat.
Starts with understanding the symbiotic relationship between the Left and Big Gov't. Neither one wants you to be free, happy, and successful. Successful individuals are a threat to Big Gov't who want you to NEED THEM so they can in turn CONTROL you.
They are not the least bit interested in your health, well being, or safety. They want power over you and they want your money and will do whatever it takes - deception and lies - to get it.
Welcome to the End of the Age where the only answer is turning from trusting in man and his gov't and turning to trusting in the God of the Bible and Jesus Christ who is coming very soon.
It certainly eliminates one for me. To go shopping at Costco or Walmart is a 160 mile drive for me.
so then...an electric model T. except for the black.
My grandfather had one of those. 2.3L 4 cylinder with a 5 speed manual. It was actually a decent truck.
Some of us don’t want EVs regardless of price point.
We used to be able to buy vehicles that weren’t rolling computers that become obsolete in 3 years.
Part of the logic on how that is easy to apply is based on the fact that we also have a gas pickup. The gas pickup gives us the security blanket to let the EV's charge get down lower and lower if it rains multiple days in a row, hoping to get a sunny day to charge the EV for free. If we make a mistake and wake up one morning saying, "Oh, wait. I have a lot more driving to do today than I thought. I wish I had charged the EV even if it meant adding to our power bill." No problem. The gas pickup is available.
Thus, we allow ourselves to go without a charge longer, and longer. In the end, we don't let the EV get below 100 miles range. So a max of 230 mile range (if it's charged to 80% and we're not doing highway driving) minus 100 miles before we charge on the grid, means 130 miles of driving. That almost always results in a sunny free power day to charge it to 80% before we reach that point.
If you can make your transportation and your HVAC and your water heater all result in having to buy less energy, then you've won the major battles in cutting your energy costs. Bonus points if you can do so without changing your lifestyle (i.e. drive less, set the HVAC temp to lower in the winter or higher in the summer than you want, etc.) That's the main reason we got an EV and do most of our driving in it. We can't make our own gasoline, but we can make our own power.
Yeah. I can get 8’ lumber and even 2x8 sheets of plywood into my first generation Scion xB. But not 4x8.
Yep. I don’t see it as a “main” vehicle. But as a retiree that spends most of my time at home, it would be great for driving to my band gigs and hitting the local supermarket or main street in my small town, both less than ten miles away. And Church, 8 miles away.
Have you seen actual DIY “flat looking” finishes? They are pathetic looking. Sort of the modern world equivalent of the old spray can primer paint job.
Those flat looking paint jobs are really semi-flat and borderline “semi-gloss”. I didn’t like them at first, but they grew on me. They look pretty cool on some vehicles and in some colors.
I’m retired now. I paid a LOT of money into taxes in my working life. Anything I can get back is a bonus.🤣
I remember decades ago the US pick up truck makers making a cheap version for South America. No paint, no radio, standard shift, simple seats. And a lot cheaper than the same model sold in the US.
I think EV’s have their place. I have 32 acres and would love an electric EV. The “miles” would be so low that it would handle all my needs without “range angst” or anything like that. Problem is, they are too expensive.
This pickup would be a nice addition to my stable of vehicles that rarely see more than 50 miles in a week. But as an only vehicle it would suck big time.
i.e. this truck, especially at the price point, fills a nice niche for me, personally.
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