Maverick could be Slate Killer

[Gumpus]

Right now, the Slate is vaporware, rather than an actual vehicle.

I think this is exactly correct. I need to stay off the Slate forum because everything I see makes me cynical.

I worked for the blue oval for a long time. Some Slate folks expect their vehicles in December or January...so I ask myself if they have production representative vehicles available why don't they let people drive them? If they don't have production representative vehicles available then it should take a year to do extensive durability testing once they finalize tge design. I don't know the details of their DV1 and DV2 prototypes but I do know that some manufacturers have zero prototypes at this stage and having 2 prototype builds anywhere near production sounds sloppy, like trial and error. Late design changes are the worst thing you can do for quality.

I will not be an early adopter of Slate. If they achieve their reliability potential (potentially best in class) I'll reconsider. I want Slate to succeed and hope my perceptions are wrong. I would be much more open to taking a chance on a first year Fathom since the folks in charge are experienced and the design and manufacturing processes are mature and proven.

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[Cherokee]

Fathom will be the Slate killer. Slate is dead before it even comes out... It will sell a little but I do not see it lasting.

If this internet bullshit ever does get built the guys who just had to have a new toy,
Had to scratch the, ‘Look at what I got’ itch
Will not be able to get parts in three or four years.
Kinda like the, ‘Yugo’

 

[Cancunbadlands]

Duh

 

[ripperAZ]

Simple common sense will take care of that truck. It’s gonna be a rattle trap. It’s not even a trucklet
It’s almost like a kit car at the price of a real truck, almost
I think you’re making your financial prayer of hope by investing in that little piece of crap

 

[Blue_Max]

If this internet bullshit ever does get built the guys who just had to have a new toy,
Had to scratch the, ‘Look at what I got’ itch
Will not be able to get parts in three or four years.
Kinda like the, ‘Yugo’

Nobody bought a Yugo to show off. Nobody was ever impressed by a Yugo.

 

[Cherokee]

Nobody bought a Yugo to show off. Nobody was ever impressed by a Yugo.

That’s a fact but you totally missed my meaning.

The one guy I knew who bought a Yugo was extremely excited about it. For one year.

That’s the Slate, a new toy to many. Nothing more. So many get excited about vapor crap.
It’s life with the Internet I guess.

 

[jay viva]

Slate will not threaten Maverick Sales.

But Maverick could KILL Slate sales with one simple and very do-able move:

Advertise a nicely equipped Hybrid Maverick for $26,399.

Slate looks like a compact truck from Subaru or Isuzu in 1990's. If you think you can convince me that Slate will be able to sell millions of truck to masses you should as well try to sell me George Washington bridge

 

[MaverickDragon]

If this internet bullshit ever does get built the guys who just had to have a new toy,
Had to scratch the, ‘Look at what I got’ itch
Will not be able to get parts in three or four years.
Kinda like the, ‘Yugo’

Could be.
A problem with the Slate is it's value proposition assumed that the government would continue to shell out thousands of dollars because someone was buying an EV. That's gone.

While the Slate appears to be inexpensive, that is only for a very bare bones vehicle that isn't even painted. A two seat small pickup with crank windows is unlikely to appeal to a large number of buyers, like anyone with a child.

A rear drive pickup won't be seeing much off road use, and in snow, it could be exciting.

As far as parts, history will say if parts are available years from now, but what about in the short term.... If the motor fails, who fixes it? In a wreck, where does a body shop get parts?
Will anyone even know how to repair it?
Insurance companies and adjusters may have fun.

Unlike vehicles with established networks, early adopters of the Slate may find they have a paperweight instead of a truck in the event of problems, and with an untested vehicle, an untested company, and a website instead of a brick and mortar business, there may be enough otherwise interested parties to see how others make out before they would buy one, especially with a lot of competition due to debut at about the same time.

I did notice that the $300 deposit is non-refundable, so with 100,000 people already in line, I wonder how long it would take before production came anywhere near that number...

Although the vehicle has a built in destination charge, it apparently does not include delivery, so unless the buyer happens to live in Warsaw, Indiana, or goes there to pick up the vehicle, the truck won't be showing up at your house without a hefty delivery fee,

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Could be.
A problem with the Slate is it's value.....

....Although the vehicle has a built in destination charge, it apparently does not include delivery, so unless the buyer happens to live in Warsaw, Indiana, or goes there to pick up the vehicle, the truck won't be showing up at your house without a hefty delivery fee,

Even if you live two blocks from the factory in Warsaw Indiana You will still have to pay the destination fee of $1,450 for a new slate.

Picking your vehicle up at the factory. It used to be done, prior to 1958, when most vehicles were made in Michigan. Yep you could pick them up at the factory.

All that changed in 1958.

 

[Blue_Max]

The one guy I knew who bought a Yugo was extremely excited about it. For one year.

I guarantee you he was the only guy who did that.

 

[Cherokee]

I guarantee you he was the only guy who did that.

Very likely. The guy was a old Skool hippy :’P

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

You can still get parts in the US for a Yugo.

 

[OJJR]

I relearched the Slate extensively. I went with the Maverick because the car was a hybrid. I think people are still skepticle about full EV cars. Especially those who live up North where the vehicle will not charge in extremely cold weather.

 

[inline_five]

I relearched the Slate extensively. I went with the Maverick because the car was a hybrid. I think people are still skepticle about full EV cars. Especially those who live up North where the vehicle will not charge in extremely cold weather.

95%+ of new car sales in Norway are electric. Full EV. Not hybrid.

 

[Chops]

95%+ of new car sales in Norway are electric. Full EV. Not hybrid.

75% of new cars sold in Nepal are EV. 25% is ICE. Hybrid’s are considered ICE, but pure ICE is majority of that 25%.

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