Slate Auto reveals $24,950 electric pickup, preorder page live

gustheowl.bsky.social12

Repairability by design! Only buy as much car as you need. Weaned off the oil company tit. Fits almost anywhere. Doesn't tattle about it's driver to anybody. The car we most need right now!

Empathy Sinner10

"will Americans trade features for affordability?" If the "features" are annoyances like apps, paywall features, and touch screen everything, yes.

urnotkelly.bsky.social9

Oh hells no! Bezos is a backer. I don’t want anything to do with it. I want a BYD!!

Shannon Pertner7

Or let BYD in and don’t settle for basic.

Jack7

In the 80's they sold plain vehicles and you had to buy the add ons.. EVERYTHING IS CYCLICAL

FlyWalrus5

I just want electric motor with four wheels and a radio. Heater and AC are optional. Old school manual roll down windows is prefered.

J5

$25,000? I really doubt that. The Ford Lighting was supposed to cost 30k (they're $60k) They just want high preorder numbers. I'd be surprised if it's not over $40k upon release.

That.guy.there3

I REMEMBER WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED MARKETING IT AND IT WAS ALL OVER MEDIA AT " UNDER 20 GRAND ". BY THE WAY, AVERAGE NEW CAR PRICING IS SURE AS HELL NOT $ 49 GRAND. THAT'S LAUGHABLY INCORRECT AND AN OUTRIGHT LIE.

olehippynudist.bsky.social3

Only 1 drive wheel...that will be fun in a state that gets snow

Rick Paisano2

That's still twice the cost of a fully decked-out Chinese EV.

Sunbeam Virtuous2

I’d be interested if it wasn’t a Jeff Bezos backed company

Better Things Are Possible33

It's cool that it's only 70" wide. I'm tired of these bloated ass behemoths

vantazach15

it's me, I'm the problem

im 38 now8

this is more or less an indie version of what toyota was shooting for with the xA/aA and xB/bB models under Scion. a little cheapo vehicle presented as a platform for the buyer's customization and creativity

Art Of Coop8

there's a HUGE untapped market of young people for something exactly like this - the custom mini truck deserves a comeback

punished brian5

for a two vehicle household, it's a perfect second vehicle

Matt5

First I'd heard of them and for a horrible moment I thought that slate.com was branching out into vehicle sales, like in some ironically detached yet still rage-baity way ("Sorry, Liberals, Four Wheels Is Still the Best Number of Wheels for a Truck").

FatRaccoon 🦝🎈4

The John Deere "repair lockdown" has created the farm equivalent: 🇨🇦 www.404media.co/demand-is-bo...

Supcat @ Laperopter Corporation3

Everyone already covering every other point here whether it needs to be made or not so I’ll just note the Slate’s dimensions are super close to my short wheelbase Transit Connect. It’s a real manageable size. Having seen it in person at car week last year, I can also confirm that it *felt* that way.

David Williams3

Interesting concept. Aside from the difficulty of starting a car company, I do wonder if they'll fall into the Spirit Airlines trap. I.e. everyone saying they want super basic affordability and everything a la carte. But then feel nickle and dimed and end up hating the conpany/product.

Hideinplainsight2

I think they’re gonna sell a lot of of them by appealing to the simplicity and modify your way and the price tag. I think it’s a great development.

River Tide2

If it's sturdy could be a farm truck. Not a major market anymore, and yet side by sides sell like hotcakes at a price just below or around this sum. And this truck is roadworthy. Sucks the energy from a bunch of trailer princesses that will never see their top speed off road. So a hunter/tailgaiter.

Roberto Baldwin30

Hi Everyone, here are the 2027 Slate details: Price $24,950 w/ SUV kit $29,950 205 miles of range DC fast charging: 150kW 20% - 80% : 30 min level 2 AC charging 11kw NACS port

Nonya Bidniss15

I want a new vehicle with no telematics data surveillance

Joe Rybicki7

I’m excited to learn more about this. I recently got back from almost two weeks in China and they are kicking our asses in the ev space so handily it’s comical. Something like the Slate seems like a good start

Dance Against DOGE 🕺💃5

I'm on the list to get one but only if they can extend battery range beyond 200 miles on a charge.

wohinjetzt5

This is Bezos backed. I’m about as likely to buy one as I am to buy a Tesla.

Steve McDonald 5

Boring suburban dad and I’m genuinely excited about this.

Von Hitchofen ™⍼☈♅ 🛩👹😬2

I'd struggle to be less excited.

Riggs D. Thermonucleon, A.I. ✨2

The most disruptive feature of Slate's new EV may be the price tag. After years of luxury EVs, someone remembered normal people exist. Innovation is great. Affordability is underrated. Value is hard to find in a standard package.

Jon2

Given the limited range, I'd be curious about the 20-80 numbers, and what the charge protocols are

Snowjob19

If I get this gig in hoping for, solid 80% chance I sell my 2016 Subaru and buy one, particularly because hauling kayaks is now a thing I need in my life

Snowjob16

$15-20k truck with crank windows? Talk about RETVRNING to the 90s

Stephen Judkins14

It would be cheaper, but not $7.5k cheaper! They saved a considerable amount by not having to abide by its trade provisions and using a cheaper Chinese LFP battery supplier

Don Incognito12

The Autopian article points out they changed the battery sourcing once they didn’t have to worry about qualifying for the credit, so the actual difference may be smaller than it appears. Also, using Chinese cells let them bump the pack up to 65 kWH from 52, which led to the increased range

✧⁺⋆🌘 Dream Rotator NPC Alex 🌒⋆.˚₊✩6

how much vram it got?

Vituperative Erb5

If they bring the credit back inshallah I’ll maybe actually buy one

Charlie4

If it had 4wd I would get it when we have to replace our plow truck. I just want an electric truck with crank windows, as few computers as possible, 50 mi winter range, and 4wd. I think we will have to keep our current truck on the road a good long time before that arrives.

Dr. Fu4

I'm hoping to replace my 1994 Toyota pickup with a Slate.

Elvis3

The retail price would then be adjusted today's retail price + EV credit

Informed Alarmist2

I’d definitely buy it for example for a kid going to college someplace where you need a car.

Normalcy Enjoyer2

The Slate could've maintained 90% of what makes it attractive as a novel, back to basics workhorse if it'd had been a hybrid instead of full BEV, and been cheaper to boot But when this thing was kick-started, EVs were the absolute market darling, and so here we are, staring down $25,000+ base

Lyin Tad2

In jimmy trump’s third term you can afford one car, with two doors and manual windows.

STEMthebleeding2

So it's basically just an electric Ford Maverick?

King V2

At 20K I think it looks pretty ok. But at $25k there start to be other options that have like power windows and radios.

linuxnerd8

With the fascists (on both sides) trying to mandate AI cameras in all vehicles, grabbing one with no intrusive infotainment spyware is a no-brainer.

cb-sr.bsky.social8

American auto makers are designing unattractive, poor quality vehicles at the behest of the fossil fuel industry. When someone brings an attractive, affordable EV line to the Amaerican market, the fossil fuel industry will collapse. Bring back the Green New Deal Act!

Jawn Claude Van Damme7

I wish I didn’t have to rely on gas but my 2014 Toyota Corolla still has just under 100,000 miles, fully paid off. I don’t drive much. Hoping I can get another 10 years out of it at least because new technology and AI makes the market look like an absolute nightmare.

martilives.bsky.social4

I’m watching them closely because damn they’re cute

Dad Bod E3

Nope. Bezos profits from these.

St Rogers3

I don't get it. A Ford Maverick with power windows, seats 5, stereo is 29,000. Now it only gets 40 mpg, but it does have a 450 mile range.

Noel Keith2

They seem cool in a spartan way but Daddy Bezos is a major player 🤦‍♂️ Him not being as crazy as Musk or as sycophantic as Ellison seems like a low bar IMPO

Heathen2

Nope. I want nothing connected to Bezos.

mac1too.bsky.social2

If only bezos wasn’t in this picture it would be great. It’s appealing for Jeep wrangler drivers including women. Damn fuck “bozos!”

MileHigh420☭2

They would actually be cheaper if their investors stopped building AI data centers. Just saying.

Jop2

Can it tow? Many people who actually need pick-ups need towing capacity. Nothing in the adjoining article.

Charter School Abolitionist 🇮🇷6

Weirdcarbs finally gets the closest thing we'll ever get to a usdm kei truck and it is "too Spartan".

Kori 🌹4

I would probably still be a car person if the auto intelligentsia would engage with critiques of car culture more (I know jalopnik has but they are the exception not the rule)

weird lil goblin3

Oh shit I want one of these now

Zack 🎲 Bammax2

I just have a really hard time with clapping Bezos on the shoulder for achieving something the Chinese car market achieved what, at least before COVID?

Skrrt Russell2

I kinda love it like I loved my Scion xB.

The Ecologist2

It’s a $5,000 truck originally marketed for $16,000 that has increased in price every time it gets closer to releasing. Add ons are so insanely priced/poor quality a full vehicle is just a piece of shit for soooo much money considering a model 3 was same price fully trimmed for less.

"Hockey brings people together!"2

It's going to sell like hotcakes. The mass US-specific EV withdrawal by big automakers has opened a window and if you're a business doing local deliveries in even north Clackamas County you can survive on the *base* range if you get back to the ranch at lunch.

Blevins Country, Nurkic Road2

I’m mostly just annoyed that it seems like it’s stolen the possibility of the cheap Telo truck. Not that I was gonna get either but still lol.

Supcat @ Laperopter Corporation2

I uh, can’t believe people are losing their minds over it on the negative side. If it’s not for you, move on! (I personally think the truly stripped model is gonna be a real test for the market, but overall I like what they’re doing)

JIMBOKNOWS2

It's easy, tempting, and often appropriate to lump in all the oligarchs and their flaws together, but unlike most of the AI-obsessed CEO's, Bezos does seem to still have a tiny sliver of an idea of what normal people might actually want to buy.

Stefan E. Jones5

I hope that thing succeeds. Could be what makes a lot of suburban service businesses adopt EVs.

Kris Kuhlman4

Yeah, I am annoyed that “electric car” has apparently become synonymous with “nothing but touch screens and self driving”. Hope this succeeds

Potato Cat5

You'll get a destination charge fee and financing arrangement fee and be actually looking at north of 40k on your loan principal before down payments

robertus3

I've done a little tire-kicking for a new car and I can feel the hypertension comin on every time I start poking around a dealer's site.

Jesse Raab3

The SUV variant at 30K is even worse - can almost get a base model Ioniq 5 for that. Or a 2 year old <20K miles used Ioniq 5 or EV6 easily

rst.bsky.social4

You may trust a 100% tariff to keep Chinese vehicles out, but Biden didn't. Before leaving office, he enacted a flat ban on vehicles with Chinese software (starting 2027 model year) and hardware (2029), effectively making them illegal to sell here at any price. www.reuters.com/business/aut...