$24,950 SLATE Truck News & Info

[MavGeek]

It will be the cheapest EV vehicle at launch, which by definition is affordable.if you can't afford a Slate, you can't afford any new EV.

Affordable is not just a number though. It’s about what you get for the money.

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[MavGeek]

Affordable, but not practical?

Well said. Exactly what I meant.

 

[buttugly25]

LOL

affordable
adjective
af·ford·able ə-ˈfȯr-də-bəl

Synonyms of affordable
Take our 3 question quiz on affordable

: able to be afforded: having a cost that is not too high
products sold at affordable prices

an affordable purchase

affordable housing [=housing that is not too expensive for people of limited means]


affordability
ə-ˌfȯr-də-ˈbi-lə-tē
noun
affordably
ə-ˈfȯr-də-blē
adverb
an affordably priced car

 

[Pknopp]

On the positive note:

No dealing with jackass Dealers.

To note, that means they can't be sold directly in WV. Yes, stupid law but it is the law.

10 year/110k mileage battery AND drivetrain warranty.

No dealers for service. A network of repair shops to handle warranty should it be needed.

4 year roadside service included.

Again, likely a though sell in lower population areas. Few will invest in the needed equipment.

 

[babytruk]

I’m curious if any MTC members with Slate deposits had/have the intention of having it as their only vehicle?

 

[MavStangVa]

15 states ban direct sales of new vehicles, this includes EVs and start ups. Tesla tried the no dealer approach. Here's a nice (vaguely) Slate SUV for the young family. Keep in mind it is still 2 doors so that backseat will be great for kiddos car seats.
https://www.slate.auto/en/store?sta...rior&subcategoryId=accessories_exterior_style

 

[El Kabong]

If you have the money for the SLATE as a 2nd or 3rd vehicle, and you have a place to charge, you probably have the money to take it up a notch and get something nicer with more features like the MAV, the new Ford EV trucklet, or any of the new entry level EVs.

Yes, but - among us are the parsimonious, the urbane yet thrifty, and the inveterate tinkerers.

If the Slate "worked" for my wife and I as a second vehicle we'd probably want one in the squareback SUV configuration and have a charger installed at the house.

Building on the Slate website, the squareback with a wrap, armrests (really!?), speakers, and no other options show me a build that costs $31,249.95 at Slates website. I admit thats a hard take when "stripper" versions of the the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, and Toyota Rav 4 all have hybrids starting at the same price range with more features. It would be a hard sell for the wife coming from a Golf Wolfsburg with it's heated pleather seats, power mirrors, BLIS, actual stereo system, etc.. to buy any "stripper" models but ...

One neat thing about the Slate - there is no comparable small squareback SUV with a flat load floor! With the rear seat deleted in the squareback and some accommodations fitted it would be ideal to transport pic related and still be useful for the average commute. If I had the cash to spare I would do it for the fun and kit one out with DIY heated seats, a cheap Android Auto/CarPlay stereo, and other fun stuff.

And that will probably be the niche for the Slate outside of the ones who just need a cheap vehicle and want to buy something new - nerds who want to customize a little runabout EV, we will also probably see upfitters who customise for those too meek to DIY.

They are surely missing AWD which is supposedly planned for a future release.

 

[LSchicago]

Affordable is not just a number though. It’s about what you get for the money.

Well you do expect to give up some things being standard to be $3,000 less than the next cheapest EV with 4 wheels.

 

[El Kabong]

Also home owners. Mine, for example, doesnt have a garage. So I'd have to build one.

Chargers can be installed outdoors.

Even if it IS fine, my eclectic service is only 100 amp, and my box is full. So to have DC home charging I'mma need a box upgrade at minimum, so add more $$$. If you dont want to throttle your charger, you're going to need 150 or 200 amp home service, so LOTS of $$$.

There are swaths of old homes in the US in no way ready for EV charging.

I get that. I am lucky to have an old decommissioned RV hookup spot that still has a power feed that should work for a charger, my home also has no garage and would not have sufficient capacity for an EV charger otherwise.

 

[MavGeek]

Well you do expect to give up some things being standard to be $3,000 less than the next cheapest EV with 4 wheels.

I wouldn’t expect anything but a cheap vehicle which I’m not interested in. At some point….whats the point?

 

[LSchicago]

I wouldn’t expect anything but a cheap vehicle which I’m not interested in. At some point….whats the point?

Ford's version will be much better for $5,000 more.

 

[ScottyC]

Nothing says "Unibomber-like existence" like a single cab pickup truck..

 

[gzebrick]

Chargers can be installed outdoors.



I get that. I am lucky to have an old decommissioned RV hookup spot that still has a power feed that should work for a charger, my home also has no garage and would not have sufficient capacity for an EV charger otherwise.

Though not ideal. if your home has an easily accessible electric dryer outlet already in place, there are manual and automatic plug sharing switches that will enable a dryer outlet OR switch to an EV 220v charger outlet automatically. Amazon sells these for relatively cheap and can allow basic level-2 charging in existing homes without changing/upgrading any wiring.

If your home already supports an electric dryer, it can also support something like one of these.

https://a.co/d/02l5efA2

 

[Surly Old Bill]

The problem is anyone on a shoestring budget looking for a first car, probably doesn't have at home level-2 charging as an option (apt? Condo?), so any EV, even a $27,000 one, is probably not the best play (a hybrid/PHEV or EREV might be better).

If you have the money for the SLATE as a 2nd or 3rd vehicle, and you have a place to charge, you probably have the money to take it up a notch and get something nicer with more features like the MAV, the new Ford EV trucklet, or any of the new entry level EVs.

A little inconvenient to go to a charging station for half an hour every week, true. It's also inconvenient to go to a gas station for 10 minutes every other week.

I still think that any sub-$30k vehicle will be a target for first-time owners, and the other benefits of an EV regarding operating and maintenance costs will weigh heavily against access to charging. We just use a level-1 with the Fiat and it easily charges up overnight. Granted, it has a 35kWh battery, though, about half the size of the Slate. But, I doubt many people would be discharging it all the way before charging back up. 200 miles is a long way to drive every day, it would likely be charging once a week for the average driver.

New car prices; the average price is now $50k. I don't know the Bell Curve of what people are BUYING, the center is probably less than $50k. The many cars priced above $50k, like every full size pickup and most SUVs and full size sedans, drag the "average" price up, and I suspect the great number of purchases are under $40-50k. That said, anything under $30k is a bargain car, and most likely purchased by first-time buyers and cheapskates like me (hence the Mav...). My first new car was $5200 ($16k in 2026 dollars), an '86 Suzuki Samurai. Can you imagine a new car costing only $16k now?!

 

[Surly Old Bill]

Though not ideal. if your home has an easily accessible electric dryer outlet already in place, there are manual and automatic plug sharing switches that will enable a dryer outlet OR switch to an EV 220v charger outlet automatically. Amazon sells these for relatively cheap and can allow basic level-2 charging in existing homes without changing/upgrading any wiring.

If your home already supports an electric dryer, it can also support something like one of these.

https://a.co/d/02l5efA2

A lot of old houses only have 100amp service, or even less. For some people, adding a new 220/240v outlet would require updating the entire breaker box, and maybe even the lines from the power pole. I had some open spots in my breaker box when I added a 220/240vac pair to the kitchen for the "dual fuel" range (gas burners and elec oven). That's the only 220/240 device we have, the dryer and hot water heater are gas. But I only went with a 120vac new line to the driveway to charge the Fiat with a level 1 charger. We really don't need more than 5 miles per hour charging for the Fiat, which gets charged overnight maybe once a week. It has a 24kWh battery module, and is good for 80-90 miles unless the heater or AC is on a lot, and that drops it by a third!

But, I like the DIY idea of just using the existing dryer or water heater outlet instead of installing a whole new line dedicated to the car for level 2; of which a 40amp would charge 30-35 miles in an hour.

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