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Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

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Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#521

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 probably a 400V architecture, which is becoming outdated as 800V architectures and chargers exist now.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

Many 800V vehicles have a split pack that can charge in parallel at 400V or series at 800V so they don't charge extremely slowly at 400V. Those are fine.

>Those are fine.

Not so fine if you go by Silverado EV experiences where they fail to ever go into 800V mode reliably and cause months of dealership woes with zero fixes. [1]

In my opinion its just another failure point that makes me prefer 400V EV's.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4T9p-Iks6Q

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#522

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really hope it gets a US market release. So far only Ford (e-transit) and VW (id.BUZZ) have attempted EV vans in the US and they both cost extreme amounts of money new. I bought an E-Transit anyway to setup as a Home/Office on wheels. Really hoping that in the future we see aftermarket long range batteries for these first two decades of mass market EV's being produced.

There's also Mercedes (eSprinter). Electric vans will remain ecpensive until the eSUV market has been saturated: the cost to make either is similar, and using the limited inputs and lines to make more of the lower-margin vehicle model makes no sense when the market can absorb more of the higher-margin ones.

Ah yeah I forgot the eSprinter and Rivian Van because they are both $80k-100K depending on how you outfit them.

Similarly the GM BrightSpot Vans (which are now dead as a platform).

Although if you get lucky you can find used GM Bright Spots for $40k, and used E-Transits for $20k. Haven't seen any used eSprinters yet on the market.

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#523

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The price of a 200-amp service upgrade should not cost more than $25,000. Even in the most extreme examples it shouldn't come anywhere near to that cost.

$25k would be on the low end for what my the electric provider charges for houses located like mine. That's just the cost of horizontal drilling and installing conduit. Pulling the service wire, upgrading the panel, etc. are all normally priced. See https://www.titam.ca/2021/05/cost-to-upgrade-underground-ele... The transformer for my house is two lots away and under a pathway. Would be less expensive to install a na…

My argument for pricing is based on the USA. A large majority of homes are connected via overhead hookup and often do not require a transformer replacement since they are oversized a reasonable margin and have been for decades, it only usually requires fairly minimal work.

Also, your price is in CAD not USD

Also also, for the case that you already have power unless it was installed a long time ago its probably already in conduit and doesn't require any horizontal drilling

Re: Slate EV truck starts at $24,950

#524

Just built a "hatchback" Slate with what I guess will be common options (speakers, wheel upgrade, spare wheel carrier, and a few other odds and ends) and it came to $35k. So, still pretty inexpensive, but also getting close to some existing EV sedans that are known entities and have pretty decent interiors. So, I'm not totally sold on these, but not not sold either. Need to see one in person, I think.

Compared to gas cars: Kia K4 hatchback is $26k with a lot more creature-comforts. Gets 34mpg, so if $6/gal gas is here to stay that's $0.17 per mile of fuel costs. My EV gets almost exactly 4miles/kW average and I pay $0.21 per kW so that's about $0.05 per mile. So $0.12 per mile saved in fuel costs implies about 80k miles for break-even. This excludes costs of servicing, which should be higher on the gas car. [edit…

Not sure if I'm out of touch, but this looks like such a minor difference in cost that I'd expect people to not even take cost into consideration while making the EV vs gas decision.

Factors like the (perceived) environment friendliness, comfort and (in)convenience are likely to be much more important.

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