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Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

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Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#341
post #37
post #24

It's at the second to last page where it says it's an EV. I didn't know and had to scroll down. Also there is no mention of range on one charge, which I think is a miss. The range (especially for an EV) must be on the landing page. The modular design is cool though.

Good criticism. It looks like the car's EV tech is average at best; definitely not outstanding. That's probably why they don't advertise it strongly, and also probably a big factor in why it's so cheap. They list some details on the Specs page[1]. They quote 200 miles of range, which is not great especially for a small car. They list a 20-80 charge time of 30 minutes so it's probably a 400V architecture, which is bec…

> probably a 400V architecture, which is becoming outdated as 800V architectures and chargers exist now.

Good luck getting 800V mode to kick on half of the time if you ask most US drivers of 800V architecture EV's. Most of the networks I see with 800V capabilities are also the most expensive per KW of electricity by 10-20 cents a KW.

I'd much rather stick to 400V platforms for the next decade before we get serious expansion of modern charging networks in the US.

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#342

This was posted about a year ago and it was complete vaporware, all pictures and videos were digital art. And looking at their website now, I see the same thing unfortunately. Why would someone "preorder" a car that only exists as a prototype and digital art? What proven track record do they have of actually being able to manufacture these, and what independent outlets reviewed it? I'm sorry, but a lot of red flags i…

You get to give Bezos a $300 loan, with the opportunity to upgrade to $25k later.

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#343

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love the lack of a center console touch screen precisely so I can add one I made myself with a raspberry pi and some cool shit from adafruit

Entertainment, telemetry, weapons systems?

I was moreso thinking music, gps, and control of the cars ac/heating. Maybe also the control of some LED strips for decoration. Also, random sensor readouts would be cool. Sure, most cars have thermometers but how many cars have geiger counters?

Weapons systems do sound pretty sick though

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> every single home in the USA is capable of level 2 charging Agreed > the question is just do they have a 240v outlet somewhere nearby to a garage or parking spot. They almost never do. This is the key thing you are not understanding about my reply. We can get level 2 anywhere, but most of the time it means you have to have an electrician. > Using apps like ABRP That is my objection. When I drive a gas car don't nee…

> They almost never do. This is the key thing you are not understanding about my reply. We can get level 2 anywhere, but most of the time it means you have to have an electrician. In my personal experience most, homes have a dryer outlet in the washroom connected to the garage at least in TX. It's no bother running a cable from the washroom to the garage. > That is my objection. When I drive a gas car don't need an a…

Tell me about this "garage" it sounds magical. ;)

For me, installing a 240V outlet for charging would entail...

Running a new circuit from the breaker box (back wall of basement) to the front facade (40' forward, 1 level up) with whatever drywall patching/paint comes with that.

That gets the outlet. But, I don't have a driveway, so I'd need to trench my front yard and the public sidewalk in front of my house, so I can pull the charge line through to the front edge of the curbing adjacent to my parking space.

I figure all-in, that's a $10k buy-in that only serves one of my two cars, so I'm stuck rotating cars every few days (not a big deal, just not ideal). Only one of my parking spaces is assigned - the other is "guest parking" open to anybody.

And I fully realize my situation might not be the norm, but it's not far off for many TH or condo residents.

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love the lack of a center console touch screen precisely so I can add one I made myself with a raspberry pi and some cool shit from adafruit

I'm surprised I haven't seen a generic "turn a raspi into carplay" firmware or anything of that sort.

There have been attempts but most of them kinda suck. One of them is a webapp and another requires you to install android

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#346

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They almost never do. This is the key thing you are not understanding about my reply. We can get level 2 anywhere, but most of the time it means you have to have an electrician. In my personal experience most, homes have a dryer outlet in the washroom connected to the garage at least in TX. It's no bother running a cable from the washroom to the garage. > That is my objection. When I drive a gas car don't need an a…

TX is the key. Where I live nobody would put a washroom in an unheated space - the pipes would freeze and break. Thus no easy to get at dryer outlet. I'm not sure how far north things change, but my impression is not very. Rest areas in TX often don't put doors on the restrooms (thus heat is not possible), but OK does - implying that it gets cold enough to need them (but this was also very different ages of building…

FWIW, placing a climate-controlled laundry room or mud room between the house and the garage is pretty common here in VA. It might not have the dryer (washer/dryer have mostly moved upstairs to bedroom level for new builds), but there's a good chance it won't be hard to pull that 240 circuit into the garage.

That's assuming you have a garage and the breaker box isn't already in it, which is also common.

Of course, I have neither, so installing a car charger would be expensive. Thus my continued use of ICE vehicles.

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plenty of people buy expensive phones for the specs and features, yet either have no interest in jewelry or see it as a negative status symbol.

And by plenty you mean minority.

Obviously, but the question I was responding to was, "Why buy a sleek phone made of premium materials just to bury it in the cheapest, ugliest, chunkiest plastic case you can find?"

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#348
Like for car EVs, I'd like ot know what those range numbers are when tested in the real world - like with two or three passengers or in the case of this small truck, a few hundred pounds of tools and/or supplies (and better yet, hills and cold weather). I'm skeptical that that 200 mile estimate range doesn't drop quite a lot and heaven forbid you get a load of gravel in the back.

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#349

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The dimensions of the maverick vs a 1990's ford ranger are almost identical. The Maverick is slightly bigger. So if the maverick is barely a truck, then the 1990's ford ranger is barely a truck too.

Size has nothing to do with it. The Rangers were body on frame.

truck [truhk] / trʌk / noun

> any of various forms of vehicle for carrying goods and materials, usually consisting of a single self-propelled unit but also often composed of a trailer vehicle hauled by a tractor unit.

> any of various wheeled frames used for transporting heavy objects.

> Also called hand truck. a barrowlike frame with low wheels, a ledge at the bottom, and handles at the top, used to move heavy luggage, packages, cartons, etc.

> a low, rectangular frame on which heavy boxes, crates, trunks, etc., are moved; a dolly.

> a tiered framework on casters.

> a group of two or more pairs of wheels in one frame, for supporting one end of a railroad car, locomotive, etc.

> Movies. a dolly on which a camera is mounted.

> British. a freight car having no top.

> a small wooden wheel, cylinder, or roller, as on certain old-style gun carriages.

> Nautical. a circular or square piece of wood fixed on the head of a mast or the top of a flagstaff, usually containing small holes for signal halyards.

I see no mention of "body on frame" as part of what makes a truck a truck.

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#350
If they just had a back option that was a foot higher, I'd seriously consider buying one of these to use as a mini camper. I feel like they were so close!

Edit: damn, bed length: 5 feet. Wonder if they could get an extra foot in the other direction as well, although I'm guessing all that would eat into range.

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