Cheap 'Transforming' Electric Truck Announced by Jeff Bezos-Backed Startup (techcrunch.com) 126
It's a pickup truck "that can change into whatever you need it to be — even an SUV," according to the manufacturer's web site.
Selling in America for just $20,000 (after federal incentives), the new electric truck is "affordable, deeply customizable, and very analog," says TechCrunch. "It has manual windows and it doesn't come with a main infotainment screen. Heck, it isn't even painted..." Slate Auto is instead playing up the idea of wrapping its vehicles, something executives said they will sell in kits. Buyers can either have Slate do that work for them, or put the wraps on themselves. This not only adds to the idea of a buyer being able to personalize their vehicle, but it also cuts out a huge cost center for the company. It means Slate won't need a paint shop at its factory, allowing it to spend less to get to market, while also avoiding one of the most heavily regulated parts of vehicle manufacturing.
Slate is telling customers that they can name the car whatever they want, offering the ability to purchase an embossed wrap for the tailgate. Otherwise, the truck is just referred to as the "Blank Slate...." It's billing the add-ons as "easy DIY" that "non-gearheads" can tackle, and says it will launch a suite of how-to resources under the billing of Slate University... The early library of customizations on Slate's website range from functional to cosmetic. Buyers can add infotainment screens, speakers, roof racks, light covers, and much more.... All that said, Slate's truck comes standard with some federally mandated safety features such as automatic emergency braking, airbags, and a backup camera.
"The specs show a maximum range of 150 miles on a single charge, with the option for a longer-range battery pack that could offer up to 240 miles," reports NBC News (adding that the vehicles "aren't expected to be delivered to customers until late 2026, but can be reserved for a refundable $50 fee.") Earlier this month, TechCrunch broke the news that Bezos, along with the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Mark Walter; and a third investor, Thomas Tull, had helped Slate raise $111 million for the project. A document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission listed Melinda Lewison, the head of Bezos' family office, as a Slate Auto director.
Thanks to Slashdot reader fjo3 for sharing the news.
Selling in America for just $20,000 (after federal incentives), the new electric truck is "affordable, deeply customizable, and very analog," says TechCrunch. "It has manual windows and it doesn't come with a main infotainment screen. Heck, it isn't even painted..." Slate Auto is instead playing up the idea of wrapping its vehicles, something executives said they will sell in kits. Buyers can either have Slate do that work for them, or put the wraps on themselves. This not only adds to the idea of a buyer being able to personalize their vehicle, but it also cuts out a huge cost center for the company. It means Slate won't need a paint shop at its factory, allowing it to spend less to get to market, while also avoiding one of the most heavily regulated parts of vehicle manufacturing.
Slate is telling customers that they can name the car whatever they want, offering the ability to purchase an embossed wrap for the tailgate. Otherwise, the truck is just referred to as the "Blank Slate...." It's billing the add-ons as "easy DIY" that "non-gearheads" can tackle, and says it will launch a suite of how-to resources under the billing of Slate University... The early library of customizations on Slate's website range from functional to cosmetic. Buyers can add infotainment screens, speakers, roof racks, light covers, and much more.... All that said, Slate's truck comes standard with some federally mandated safety features such as automatic emergency braking, airbags, and a backup camera.
"The specs show a maximum range of 150 miles on a single charge, with the option for a longer-range battery pack that could offer up to 240 miles," reports NBC News (adding that the vehicles "aren't expected to be delivered to customers until late 2026, but can be reserved for a refundable $50 fee.") Earlier this month, TechCrunch broke the news that Bezos, along with the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Mark Walter; and a third investor, Thomas Tull, had helped Slate raise $111 million for the project. A document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission listed Melinda Lewison, the head of Bezos' family office, as a Slate Auto director.
Thanks to Slashdot reader fjo3 for sharing the news.
Repairable? (Score:4, Insightful)
What matters a lot is how repairable cars are. If it's highly modular and uses easy to produce parts thereby enabling easy repairs then it's a big win. However, the auto-industry has moved away from this in order to sell more vehicles. So, how repairable it is makes a large difference on how "transforming" this truck will be.
Re:Repairable? (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
"You shouldn't have to do any maintenance. Outside of tire replacements and rotations, this should be good for 500,000 miles."
I was like... what? The entire thing is managed on a touch screen. There's sensors all over the dang thing. 500,000 miles, divided by the average commute of 12,000 miles per year, is around 30+ years of driving. I have never once seen electronics last 30+ ye
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Repairable? (Score:4, Interesting)
EV motors are pretty reliable, from what I know. There are far fewer moving parts than an ICE engine. The battery, depending on chemistry and maintainability is what can be the make or break on this vehicle.
IMHO, the Slate is what the US needs right now. The jobs that allowed people to buy the tricked-out, high end SUVs are gone for the most part, and it looks like inflation may be becoming a major issue. Plus, it may make an entire ecosystem of upgrades and third party accessory makers, rivaling Wrangler stuff. Everything from body panels to custom UIs to range extenders.
For an urban runabout, this seems to be ideal.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I am hoping this turns out. It just might be a hit because of the amount of accessories available, especially when people start adding things like RV bodies so this turns into a small, self-container class "C" or even class "A" camper.
Re: (Score:2)
You went from one Tesla sales rep to the entire "EV world"? Perhaps you should widen your horizons.
Yes, we know there's an entire industry of Tesla sycophancy, but that's going out of business at this point.
Re: (Score:2)
500,000 miles, divided by the average commute of 12,000 miles per year
If you're driving as a part of your job, it's not unreasonable to do several times more than that. Or even if you're driving for fun. My 5-year old Tesla Model 3 has 150000 miles on the odometer.
I have never once seen electronics last 30+ years except my original GameBoy
Plenty of industrial electronics can last that long.
Re: (Score:2)
"If you're driving as a part of your job, it's not unreasonable to do several times more than that."
If you're driving LONG DISTANCE, it's not unreasonable. It would be unreasonable to expect this car to be suitable for that application, though.
" Or even if you're driving for fun. My 5-year old Tesla Model 3 has 150000 miles on the odometer."
That's 30K a year, not that unusual. It would take "several times" more than 17 years to drive the mileage that's not "unreasonable" as part of your job. That would be
Re: (Score:2)
If you're driving LONG DISTANCE, it's not unreasonable. It would be unreasonable to expect this car to be suitable for that application, though.
Why? There are plenty of people doing things like mail delivery on Teslas. They can rack up a lot of mileage pretty quickly.
That's 30K a year, not that unusual. It would take "several times" more than 17 years to drive the mileage that's not "unreasonable" as part of your job. That would be an unreasonable amount of time to expect a car to last.
The _average_ age of cars on the US roads is 13 years: https://www.spglobal.com/mobil... [spglobal.com] You are seriously underestimating how well the modern cars are made. Even Teslas.
Industrial electronics that would not be used in a car at this price point.
Car electronics are usually tougher than most industrial electronics. That's why they are so pricey.
Re: Repairable? (Score:2)
Unless those electronics are specced by Elon musk, who couldnâ(TM)t understand why a consumer grade 17â lcd couldnâ(TM)t be put on the dash of a car.
Until it started delaminating in the heat
Automotive temperature range is pretty high
https://www.renesas.com/en/sup... [renesas.com]
Re: Repairable? (Score:3)
You've never seen a Commodore 64 or 1960s oscilloscope?
Re: (Score:2)
Some things I wonder how you're supposed to add later in a practical way. Take air conditioning for example.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: Repairable? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
The standard MAGA attention to detail!
Re: (Score:2)
The standard MAGA attention to detail!
I'm sure you MAGAs are very proud of yourselves.
Re: (Score:2)
The body panels cant even rust, they are composite and removaled with a hex key.
Composite panels have been tried multiple times, and they are a bad idea. Affordable composites can't tolerate vibration, moisture, and temperature extremes. They fairly quickly become brittle and/or delaminate. Of course, carbon fiber composites exist, but then your car's price will approach that of a small airplane.
On the other hand, if you are comfortable with just dumping the car's body panels every couple of years, then it might be OK. But I'm personally not at all enthused with increasing amount of
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Any high end exterior material for house is composite, they handle extereme weather no issue.
Exterior materials typically don't really bear any mechanical loads, apart from occasional wind load. In places where they have to do that, plastic typically performs worse than alternatives. E.g. vinyl floor panels wear out faster than hardwood. Building materials are also far less weight-constrained compared to cars.
So I'm not at all optimistic about the composite panels. I like the rest of the design, though. I'd also add 48V electric system to make the truck more future-proof.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Go outside and look in any decent sized parking lot. By definition any Saturn you see there is at least 15 years old.
You know, the type of cars Slate is modeling their body panels after?
I live in a college town, so I consistently see kids in 25 year old Saturns looking no worse for wear.
Bodies failing is simply not what is sending those old cars to the crusher
Re: (Score:2)
Re: Repairable? (Score:2)
That are the mirrors and bumpers of all the other cars on the road made from?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
35 years of Saturns seem to have had none of those problems. Nor decades of minivans with composite lower body panels.
Other problems, oh yes. Body problems, not so much
Re: (Score:2)
no infotaiment - great! no speakers - bad!, at least have a cheapo amp with bluetooth and a build in phone holder and charger, this could cost $20.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Given that the average driver goes 500,000 miles between accidents, I think a cheap car that doesn't break down would be better than repairability. Let insurance take care of replacing the car when it does have an accident. If the car is cheap enough, it won't matter.
Cost of repair isn't an issue if the product lasts long and is cheap.
Re: (Score:2)
Given that the average driver goes 500,000 miles between accidents
If you think that's the only reason a car would need repair then you're an idiot.
Finally (Score:5, Insightful)
Finally, an electric vehicle with some common sense behind it. The base 150 mile version would fill my needs just fine. The small pickup market used to be huge. Many people prefer these to the mini semis put out today.
Re: (Score:3)
I would be all-in but for the lack of all wheel drive.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
LOL as if driving school were required. This car has traction control and ABS, plus the battery makes for desirable weight distribution. There is no need for AWD for this class of product, nor is there anything special needed to drive it.
Re: (Score:2)
Tell us you're an a$$hole without telling us you're an a$$hole.
Re: Finally (Score:2)
Look up road deaths. The 70s were the worse in history, both in total numbers and in deaths per population.
Now, no matter how good you think you drive, if someone else fucks up and crashes into you, youâ(TM)re much less likely to die.
Regardless, chances are the dunning-Kruger effect is strong with you, and you donâ(TM)t know enough to know how bad you are
Re: (Score:2)
Look up road deaths. The 70s were the worse in history, both in total numbers and in deaths per population.
You mean in the days before disc brakes, radial tires, safety glass, collapsible steering columns, crumple zones, standard height bumpers, energy absorbing bumpers, three point belts, auto retracting belts, and about a dozen more safety features they didn't mandate until the mid-70s or later?
Also most of the highways were still not divided, the Interstate wasn't fully finished yet most places. Don't forget airbags and ABS and everything else that is mandatory now.
-
So yes, chicken little, I suppose all those
Re: (Score:2)
You mentioned ABS in both posts.
Re: (Score:2)
All wheel drive doesn't help you stop or maintain control. It helps you go. Handy in places where it snows when there are absolutely situations where no amount of skill will get you unstuck, unless it's skill with a shovel.
Lots of people think it helps you stop though. If you're one of them you're better off without it.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, even with an EV with longer range I'd get range anxiety if relying on finding a charger along a longer trip... Until charging becomes quicker, and chargers more ubiquitous, it seems the best case for EVs is something that range-wise is good enough for your daily usage and can then be charged overnight at home.
Too bad the base model is a pickup vs "SUV" with second row of seats, but it seems a pretty decent spec for the price point for a US model (although I'd prefer a $25K BYD if it was available here
Re:Finally (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Nobody don't want no range-anxiety because your vehicle is running low on electrons.
I'm confused. Are ICE cars perpetual motion machines?
Re: (Score:2)
The metro area that we live in is geographically massive as it's nearly all suburbs. 150 miles is my minimum acceptable range. Having a family this wouldn't suit my needs, but before the kiddo was born this would have done the job for me.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Correct, the 2 seater is a pickup, the SUV has 5 seats.
Well, informed as usual, eh MAGA?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
If someone could make a range extender for it, perhaps using an engine designed to run at a specific RPM like a turbine engine, that might be a usable option. The engine wouldn't have to be big to keep the battery bank topped off. Heck, BMW did well with the i3 and that range extender, which was a three-banger, so moving to a Wankel or other more efficient IC engine design for the generator part would only make things better.
Re: (Score:2)
This is an urban/suburban utility wagon. Its use case is not long range travel.
My wife puts maybe 40 miles a day on her EV, plugs in at night, its full the next day. That's its job, it suits the majority of commuters needs.
If you use something for cross country travel, simply use a different vehicle.
-
My parents have an EV even though they do sometimes road trip.
In 3 years they have rented a car twice to go cross country, and a truck to move things once, at a cost savings of thousands over insuring and maint
Re:Finally (Score:5, Interesting)
I had three Nissan Hardbody 4x2 trucks over the years, a regular cab short (6') bed, and a pair of king cabs, all bought very, VERY used. The regular cab was stolen, the first king-cab was already in incredibly lousy shape when I bought it for $750, and the second king-cab was in bodily good shape but the motor was suspect and I bought it for $450, figuring I'd swap the motor from the other king-cab in if it was bad. It wasn't bad and I drove that truck for many, many years before the family grew and I needed something that could accommodate a child's carseat plus a second adult.
All of these were simple no-frills trucks, about as simple as could be safely achieved given the years they were built. All were manual-crank windows, stick shifts, four cylinder engines. They did have power brakes and the two king-cabs had power-mirrors (does make it easier to adjust admittedly) but the regular cab didn't even have power steering. Basic AM/FM radios only.
This 'Slate' truck sounds like a mix of these Hardbody trucks, the construction techniques of the original Land Rover (ie everything bolted together) but with an electric powertrain instead of petroleum. This could be a good combination for people that could get away with an electric platform (ie aren't going off into the boonies so 4wd isn't helpful anyway), don't need massive payload, and don't need to bring both cargo + family.
And if it's cheap, I could see a lot of people who don't have a lot of money going for this if it meets their basic needs as a runabout, provided that they can make charging it up work for them. This could be a challenge in apartment complexes but if there are enough public charging stations then it might still work anyway.
Re: (Score:3)
Exactly. My current daily driver is a 1996 Honda Civic, with just over 200k miles on it. I bought it in 1996, and it has never let me down. That being the case, after 30 years of being run hard and put up wet it is getting pretty worn down. I have other vehicles that I use for long trips, and for transporting larger groups of people. What I need is an economical and reliable runabout.
When I was in Peru last year I even took a look at the inexpensive BYD electric cars that are available there. If I c
Re:Finally -- Challenging US auto wisdom (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Finally, an electric vehicle with some common sense behind it.
There is such a thing as being too utilitarian, though. This thing is so stripped down in its stock configuration that by the time you add all the bells and whistles that most people expect to have (remember how the internet peanut gallery lost their shit when GM announced they were dropping support for Android Auto and CarPlay, in favor of their home-grown UI? Well, this truck has no infotainment at all!), it'll no longer be cheap.
Plus, I think the EV aspect will put off a lot of people who would be perf
Re: (Score:2)
90+% of people won't even know, though. If the owner is one of them, they win (a few people snickering behind their back, but the owner has no idea what the issue is, or that there even is a problem at all).
And if the owner does happen to know it has tribal connotations, they still have what, maybe a 15-30% chance of guessing which tribe? So they'll notice that some people hate them, and they'll correctly attribute it to the truck, bu
Re: (Score:2)
An option for an extended bed to 6.5 ft and it would definitely work for me.
Something like this might work too.
https://www.discountramps.com/... [discountramps.com]
I wouldn't want to add counter weights to the front bumper though.
The fact the truck can officially tow a fishing boat is point in its favor too.
No self-driving? (Score:2)
No self-driving? Good! That's a $4,000 option I don't care to pay for.
Nice (Score:2)
Its a ways off (Score:3)
From their website; "Reservation holders will get an exclusive first chance to sit in a Slate. Beginning in 2026, we’ll have vehicles available for demonstration drives. "
Reservation costs $50 and is "fully refundable". "As Slate approaches the start of production, you will be invited to place an order for your Truck based upon reservation date and a number of other factors. "
I'm guessing it won't ship to customers until 2027. Cool idea though and I am very interested in it.
Announced by Jeff Bezos (Score:2)
We'll call it a Jeeb...
Re: (Score:2)
Refreshing return to basics (Score:4, Insightful)
Decepticons (Score:2)
And just as I was getting my toaster [imgflip.com] under control.
Why so classic pickup? (Score:2)
Are american consumers so boxed that it had to be a classic looking pickup? Why not supersized Kei truck? Much more usable cargo in the same outline.
Re: (Score:2)
Kei trucks always appeared to me as delivery and industrial complex vehicles. While they have their place they also have their limitations. For one, you can only purchase a used one that is 25 years or older to drive in the States because of their lack of current regulatory standards. In my opinion the classic pickup truck design suits US driving needs better than the Kei design that is most likely used for shorter distances between stops.
Re: (Score:2)
How about id.buzz type of shape? Or (granted ugly) Honda N-Box?
Also I mean just a shape type - they'd have to supersize it for US market. I just think the front where there used to be ICE is not necessary anymore in an ev
Original Kei definitely suits (old) city as it's tiny. Maybe yr right that we have too many highways and big city sprawls.
Re: (Score:2)
The issue, as I see it in my opinion, is that such a front forward cab design does not allow for very good crumple zones. Without them (or very little room for them) it would be very hard to pass crash safety tests. I agree that the design can haul more. When I was in the Marine Corps back in the 80's we used electric carts that looked much like the Kei trucks but were about half the size. Even at that smaller size you could haul as much as a standard small pickup. Those carts though rarely left the aircraf
Re: (Score:2)
Yup, high speed collisions on highway, esp with US-sized SUVs and tracks, would be dangerous. Keis are for most part not register-able here for that reason, but vw id.buzz is.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
The Japanese "can design trucks anyway they want", too, including designing large trucks for the American market. Your comment says nothing, at least nothing good.
And does this truck look good? And are the wheels pushed as far as "it can" to the corners? And how about not putting the driver seat square in the middle? It doesn't seem like good packaging to me, and packaging is important, even to "Americans".
The argument here is not how great the design is from a function standpoint, it's the incredible v
Re: (Score:2)
It looks a lot like Bronco.
Re: (Score:2)
Are american consumers so boxed that it had to be a classic looking pickup? Why not supersized Kei truck? Much more usable cargo in the same outline.
Also probably the only thing that could have a worse drag coefficient.
Awful experience (Score:3)
I took one for a test drive and got shot at by Decepticons.
Not well enough funded to succeed (Score:3)
$111M is couch change if you're trying to design and manufacture a new EV from scratch. That's probably not enough to even complete the design, let alone build the factory, the tooling, etc.
Poor cargo capacity (Score:2)
Exportable (Score:2)
Truck⦠(Score:2)
How do you tow anything with a max rating of 1000lb? By the time you add the trailer weight you wonâ(TM)t have any capacity left.
And 1400lb load rating? You need to count everything you put in it, including people, and the tow ball down load if youâ(TM)re towing.
Itâ(TM)s cute
Re: (Score:2)
How much does the SUV kit weigh? (Score:2)
3 more seats, more body panels, crash structures, air bags, doors. Does it include a suspension upgrade? Otherwise there wonâ(TM)t be much of that 1400lb left to put any people in those extra seats
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Add a trailer to, with the 1000lb tow rating
https://ultratrailers.co.nz/pr... [ultratrailers.co.nz]
Pretty standard single axle trailer a local hire company or gas station offers
That's 700lb of the 1000lb tow rating gone.
Terrible value, but US market is so isolated (Score:2)
I know they're making a virtue of necessity with all the stuff about analog and no power windows etc, but 20k for a vehicle that only does 150 miles and comes with absolutely no kit is just horrendous value (and that's assuming they can actually hit the price point for production). If the US vehicle market had to cope with meaningful overseas competition and weren't protected by tariffs, a vehicle like this would compare exceptionally poorly with other choices on the market. But of course, we don't live in
Backed by Bezos? (Score:2)
The problem is the (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
He wants to plug it in also. I have a 2019 Honda Insight that's essentially the same as that 2024 civic, but neither can be plugged in. The only model Honda use to make was the Clarity, which was basically a civic hybrid that could also be plugged in. I wish I could get one of those.
A 50 mile range battery for a PHEV would be perfect and is what Prius Prime has. Just wish other vendors (honda..) had this choice.
Re: (Score:2)
Like these:
https://www.scmp.com/business/... [scmp.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Citation please.
Re: (Score:2)
But, it would be really sad if Muskâ(TM)s rightwing bs caused SpaceX to implode.
It won't. Because people that handle government contracting aren't emotional little snowflakes. And because Lockheed and Boeing make Musk look like a dyed in the wool liberal by comparison.
Re: (Score:2)
The government might be a bit more emotional than you think. Morale is rock-bottom right now, and people in government have *very* long memories. It's not the same as industry, where a CEO can claim some sort of "crisis", shake the entire tree to get rid of half the monkeys err I mean employees, and 3 years later eve
Re: (Score:2)
Lockheed and Boeing have stayed out of politics.
No, they haven't. They're just smart enough to realize that their sort of manipulation has to be kept out of the public eye. Musk was naive. He figured that since it was something that Obama started, people would be OK with it.
And the civil service will remember for decades.
Sounds like a threat. They can pack up their desks and be frog-marched out the door. Civil servants are here to provide a service. And if their supervision decides it is no longer needed, or there's a better way to do it, they can either step up and get with the new program. Or be sho
Re: (Score:3)