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I guess we will find out if many of these things actually matter with the Slate truck. It is in many ways the antithesis of this electric F-150. If that vehicle

I guess we will find out if many of these things actually matter with the Slate truck. It is in many ways the antithesis of this electric F-150. If that vehicle fails then there are no more excuses, a significant chunk of Americans just don't like electric vehicles and are destined to be laggards.

baby_souffle 11mo ago
I might be biased because I hang out in the slate subreddit and have been pretty attentive to The product as a whole since they announced it this spring but I think they're on to something assuming they can figure out how to build out the service and parts network. The vehicle itself may be a runaway sales success but if there's only or two locations in each major state where you can get it serviced, that runaway success will be extremely short-lived. In theory the simplicity means that it shouldn't be difficult to partner with any independent shop... No complicated or proprietary software theoretically means that any shop with tools and a lift can do the work. Time will tell, though. I remain optimistic and eagerly await delivery of my truck.
- api 11mo ago
  They seem like Framework for cars. Am also following closely.
- nebula8804 11mo ago
  Have they even given anyone a test drive or shown anything other than that single press car at all their events? Im starting to get worried that as we approach release expectations may fall flat. I am tired of all the youtuber just sitting in the truck and repeating the same press release.
  - baby_souffle 10mo ago
    As far as I know they are hoping to do this in early 2026. So far the only vehicles they have shown off have been validation prototypes.
- onionisafruit 11mo ago
  Their wikipedia page says they announced “a partnership with RepairPal, a network of certified auto repair shops and dealerships across the US, to give owners access to 4000 service points from day one”. I don’t know if a “service point” is the same as a mechanic shop though.
  - pavon 11mo ago
    RepairPal is just a rent seeking middleman like Angi's list. I don't see what that partnership will provide, certainly not shops that are trained to repair the truck.
    - onionisafruit 11mo ago
      I hadn’t heard of it before reading that paragraph on wikipedia, but the name combined with the wording made me suspect as much.
  - TylerE 11mo ago
    That only matters if said repair shops are A: actually trained on the vehicles and B: can get parts.
nozzlegear 11mo ago
I love electric vehicles, but I want something that lands somewhere between the DIY-esque Slate and the literally-costs-more-than-I-paid-for-my-house F-150 Lightning. I have a 23 Chevy Bolt EUV which is the sweet spot for me right now, I just wish it had AWD for the winters where I live.
- shmoe 11mo ago
  Ok, where are houses going for 60k? I need to know this secret.
  - nozzlegear 11mo ago
    Haha, I'm in rural Iowa – my house was $89k for 3 beds, 2 baths in 2016. When we were looking at electric vehicles at the end of 2022/early 2023, the F-150 Lightning was pushing 70k-100k for the trims and ranges we were looking at.
    - rootusrootus 11mo ago
      Yes, early adopters paid extra, as is normal when demand is high and supply is low.
- sh34r 11mo ago
  I want a BYD that costs less than a 2000 Camry did brand new in 2000. EVs are inherently pretty simple machines. All the complexity is in the battery, and China’s crushing everyone at battery tech. It’s not even close. It’s like a human trying to beat a polar bear in hand to hand combat. They really need to deregulate the auto industry and let us buy the Yugos with a Jetsons battery. America is a poor country now. Nobody can afford used cars in this economy, never mind new ones.
- rootusrootus 11mo ago
  > literally-costs-more-than-I-paid-for-my-house F-150 Lightning I'm on board for a house that cost less than 50K.
wsc981 11mo ago
I'm just a Dutch guy that emigrated to Thailand, but I'd never trade my Toyota Hilux diesel for an electric truck. I don't want to have to rely on electric to be able to drive my car. A hybrid could be ok though. The nice thing about diesel, in case of emergency is you can have a couple of filled jerrycans around so you can always move if needed. I like the reliability, it feels more anti-fragile, if that makes sense. I wonder if the Gibraltar company that produces Toyota trucks for UN [0] is going fully electric anytime soon, if ever. --- [0]: https://www.offgridweb.com/transportation/toyota-gibraltar-the-secret-factory-that-builds-trucks-for-the-un/ https://www.offgridweb.com/transportation/toyota-gibraltar-t...
- ta9000 11mo ago
  “ in case of emergency is you can have a couple of filled jerrycans around so you can always move if needed” How many times has this been a problem for you?
  - wsc981 11mo ago
    Luckily I haven't had any emergencies. But in Thailand recently there's been flooding in the south, many people stuck. And in eastern part many people have been evacuated due to border tensions with Cambodia. I live in the north-west Thailand, close to the border with Myanmar. An area known as the Golden Triangle [0]. About once a month or so we don't have electricity for a about 10-12 hours or so. I also experienced a quite big earthquake here about a year ago. --- [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Triangle_(Southeast_Asia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Triangle_(Southeast_Asi...
    - elcritch 11mo ago
      Seems like an electric vehicle that could serve as an electricity backup might actually be more useful for you than not.
      - defrost 11mo ago
        That's a need that can also be met with a towable trailer that locks up tools, carries batteries, and supports panels for charging, eg: * https://www.solarbatterywarehouse.com.au/solar-battery-shop/off-grid-solar-trailer-8-panel-system https://www.solarbatterywarehouse.com.au/solar-battery-shop/... In an emergency you can leave the house in regular vehicle leaving trailer behind to power the freezer. In other times it's handy for powering tools away from a main supply. It's also a honeypot of nickable stuff so it'd be good to invest in quality locks and towball / wheel locks.
moduspol 11mo ago
The Slate initially looked good to me, but there were three things about it that were not upgradeable that seemed problematic: * Bed size is fairly small * Towing capacity is low (Just 1000lbs) * RWD -> AWD I liked the idea of buying a barebones truck and customizing it myself, but if it can't tow much, can't carry much, and can't go off-road, it's only really a truck in terms of its shape.
- ta9000 11mo ago
  There really is always going to be something. shrug
  - sroerick 11mo ago
    Those are all the things people use trucks for
    - moduspol 10mo ago
      Yes. If I fold the back seats down in my wife's SUV, it already does all of those things better.

baby_souffle 11mo ago

I might be biased because I hang out in the slate subreddit and have been pretty attentive to The product as a whole since they announced it this spring but I think they're on to something assuming they can figure out how to build out the service and parts network. The vehicle itself may be a runaway sales success but if there's only or two locations in each major state where you can get it serviced, that runaway success will be extremely short-lived. In theory the simplicity means that it shouldn't be difficult to partner with any independent shop... No complicated or proprietary software theoretically means that any shop with tools and a lift can do the work. Time will tell, though. I remain optimistic and eagerly await delivery of my truck.

api 11mo ago
They seem like Framework for cars. Am also following closely.
nebula8804 11mo ago
Have they even given anyone a test drive or shown anything other than that single press car at all their events? Im starting to get worried that as we approach release expectations may fall flat. I am tired of all the youtuber just sitting in the truck and repeating the same press release.
- baby_souffle 10mo ago
  As far as I know they are hoping to do this in early 2026. So far the only vehicles they have shown off have been validation prototypes.
onionisafruit 11mo ago
Their wikipedia page says they announced “a partnership with RepairPal, a network of certified auto repair shops and dealerships across the US, to give owners access to 4000 service points from day one”. I don’t know if a “service point” is the same as a mechanic shop though.
- pavon 11mo ago
  RepairPal is just a rent seeking middleman like Angi's list. I don't see what that partnership will provide, certainly not shops that are trained to repair the truck.
  - onionisafruit 11mo ago
    I hadn’t heard of it before reading that paragraph on wikipedia, but the name combined with the wording made me suspect as much.
- TylerE 11mo ago
  That only matters if said repair shops are A: actually trained on the vehicles and B: can get parts.

nozzlegear 11mo ago

I love electric vehicles, but I want something that lands somewhere between the DIY-esque Slate and the literally-costs-more-than-I-paid-for-my-house F-150 Lightning. I have a 23 Chevy Bolt EUV which is the sweet spot for me right now, I just wish it had AWD for the winters where I live.

shmoe 11mo ago
Ok, where are houses going for 60k? I need to know this secret.
- nozzlegear 11mo ago
  Haha, I'm in rural Iowa – my house was $89k for 3 beds, 2 baths in 2016. When we were looking at electric vehicles at the end of 2022/early 2023, the F-150 Lightning was pushing 70k-100k for the trims and ranges we were looking at.
  - rootusrootus 11mo ago
    Yes, early adopters paid extra, as is normal when demand is high and supply is low.
sh34r 11mo ago
I want a BYD that costs less than a 2000 Camry did brand new in 2000. EVs are inherently pretty simple machines. All the complexity is in the battery, and China’s crushing everyone at battery tech. It’s not even close. It’s like a human trying to beat a polar bear in hand to hand combat. They really need to deregulate the auto industry and let us buy the Yugos with a Jetsons battery. America is a poor country now. Nobody can afford used cars in this economy, never mind new ones.
rootusrootus 11mo ago
> literally-costs-more-than-I-paid-for-my-house F-150 Lightning I'm on board for a house that cost less than 50K.

wsc981 11mo ago

I'm just a Dutch guy that emigrated to Thailand, but I'd never trade my Toyota Hilux diesel for an electric truck. I don't want to have to rely on electric to be able to drive my car. A hybrid could be ok though. The nice thing about diesel, in case of emergency is you can have a couple of filled jerrycans around so you can always move if needed. I like the reliability, it feels more anti-fragile, if that makes sense. I wonder if the Gibraltar company that produces Toyota trucks for UN [0] is going fully electric anytime soon, if ever. --- [0]: https://www.offgridweb.com/transportation/toyota-gibraltar-the-secret-factory-that-builds-trucks-for-the-un/ https://www.offgridweb.com/transportation/toyota-gibraltar-t...

ta9000 11mo ago
“ in case of emergency is you can have a couple of filled jerrycans around so you can always move if needed” How many times has this been a problem for you?
- wsc981 11mo ago
  Luckily I haven't had any emergencies. But in Thailand recently there's been flooding in the south, many people stuck. And in eastern part many people have been evacuated due to border tensions with Cambodia. I live in the north-west Thailand, close to the border with Myanmar. An area known as the Golden Triangle [0]. About once a month or so we don't have electricity for a about 10-12 hours or so. I also experienced a quite big earthquake here about a year ago. --- [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Triangle_(Southeast_Asia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Triangle_(Southeast_Asi...
  - elcritch 11mo ago
    Seems like an electric vehicle that could serve as an electricity backup might actually be more useful for you than not.
    - defrost 11mo ago
      That's a need that can also be met with a towable trailer that locks up tools, carries batteries, and supports panels for charging, eg: * https://www.solarbatterywarehouse.com.au/solar-battery-shop/off-grid-solar-trailer-8-panel-system https://www.solarbatterywarehouse.com.au/solar-battery-shop/... In an emergency you can leave the house in regular vehicle leaving trailer behind to power the freezer. In other times it's handy for powering tools away from a main supply. It's also a honeypot of nickable stuff so it'd be good to invest in quality locks and towball / wheel locks.

moduspol 11mo ago

The Slate initially looked good to me, but there were three things about it that were not upgradeable that seemed problematic: * Bed size is fairly small * Towing capacity is low (Just 1000lbs) * RWD -> AWD I liked the idea of buying a barebones truck and customizing it myself, but if it can't tow much, can't carry much, and can't go off-road, it's only really a truck in terms of its shape.

ta9000 11mo ago
There really is always going to be something. shrug
- sroerick 11mo ago
  Those are all the things people use trucks for
  - moduspol 10mo ago
    Yes. If I fold the back seats down in my wife's SUV, it already does all of those things better.