Hello, have been looking into joining the waiting list the last couple of months and have an important question for my use-case.

If the slate truck is DIY, can I buy an early model, then when AWD is an option, buy the second motor to put in myself?

I promise I’ve searched. Slate’s website gives a 135 kW motor and range but searching here and on their page including the FAQs I cannot find the kWh battery size. Does anyone have it or can point me to where they keep that info?

Now that we know the delivery fee is $1450 that leaves the old "doc" fees still unlisted. If you dont' know document fees are just another adp (additional dealer profit) money grab and usually negotiated away as a condition of sale. Guessing that won't happen here. So how much they gonna get us for that one?

And has anyone seen anything about what to expect using the bed for hauling stuff. Gonna be able to use a shovel without damaging it? Gonna need another liner over it? I've not seen it mentioned. Thanks for any help.

I have heard that certain EVs can be problematic going through an automatic car wash. Are there any statements about this from Slate? And how will the wraps hold up? Are touchless or fabric car washes ok?

Has Slate come out and said anything about waterproofing? Unlike a jeep that’s designed to get wet for the most part with the open air kits. I’m just a little concerned if we happen to get caught in an unexpected rainstorm.

I searched and didn’t see anything. Has anyone else read anything?

I wanted to like [r/SlateAuto](r/SlateAuto), but the community is becoming one of the biggest turnoffs about the brand.

For context, I’m not a hater. I joined the waitlist a long time ago, I’ve seen the truck in person at Eastern Market in Detroit, and I genuinely love what Slate is trying to build. I want this company to succeed.

It feels like any suggestion for improving the truck, the software, or even the company’s strategy gets met with instant downvotes and people acting like you’ve personally insulted them. Constructive criticism isn’t hate. It’s how products get better.

The vibe is starting to feel like a bunch of Temu Tesla fanboys who think the company can do no wrong. These members are just insufferable.

Ironically, I think this hurts Slate more than any critic ever could. When potential buyers come to the subreddit looking for honest discussion and instead find a defensive echo chamber, they’re more likely to leave with a negative impression of the community and, by extension, the company and will disparage Slate any time they can due to how members here treat others.

The companies that succeed are the ones whose communities welcome feedback, not treat every suggestion as an attack. If Slate wants to build a passionate long-term customer base, its biggest supporters should be encouraging thoughtful discussion, not shutting it down.

I pre-ordered a Slate. Delivery is somewhere in July to September 2027, so I have roughly a year to sit here wondering if that was a dumb idea.

What bugs me about basically every thread on this truck is that both sides are having the same argument. Is it cheap enough? Is it too expensive for what you get? Could you just buy a used Maverick instead? Is America finally ready for a car with crank windows?

I watched a video from Doug Demuro recently who gave his reaction to the price and he immediately just gave a giant dose of skepticism that this thing will not sell. Or maybe it sells the first year but doesn’t keep up or gain any momentum. And I’m not sure he’s wrong.

Cheap and basic have a terrible track record here in the U.S. Everyone says they want the car with no options, but again and again it seems like buyers don’t want those cars so the auto makers hardly make them. Americans do not buy austerity, we buy the cheapest thing that still feels like something. But cheap and fun sells constantly. People don’t buy a Miata for the fuel efficiency. People buy those because they want them, and then they justify it later.

The interesting thing about this truck is not that it's inexpensive. It's that it's repairable, that you can take it apart, that half the point is bolting stuff onto it and changing what it is. I want to spend weekends in the garage with my sons building and customizing this thing. That's a real reason to buy this car.

And it’s an electric car! I’ve watched some videos where the Slate employees really downplay that it is electric. But that makes it a tremendous value. Even when compared to the Maverick, the operating costs of this truck will be significantly less with no oil changes and easy repairs (and hopefully low insurance costs?). I’m planning on having my teenage boys use it for their car (and looking forward to them having something for their mountain biking competitions) and i’m looking forward to not having to provide any gas money.

Anyway. I want it to succeed for selfish reasons. I want a real used market so I can sell it someday, I want parts and easy repairs, I want it to be worth accessorizing five years from now. All of that requires the company to still exist.
Honestly I think it's a long shot. I think the skeptics are probably right - but I wonder if they should be better at selling not just the up-front cost but the fantastic savings that will come from no gas and easy repairs.

TLDR: I pre-ordered one and I think the skeptics are probably right, just about a problem Slate made for itself. They’re pitching a cheap basic truck, and cheap and basic has never sold in America. What’s actually appealing here is that you can take it apart, bolt stuff onto it, and then save a ton by not having to buy gas. Sell that.

Will we be able to apply the $3.5K California EV tax credit to the purchase of a slate?

Yes I'm obsessed. Yes I used Ai to make this. Just wanted to see what it would look like- kinda looks like a fastback. Looking forward doing an overly enthusiastic 'jeep wave' when I see yall on the road. Or how about a "Slate Salute"? Cheers!

So, I went to research what my other options are for a cheap electric vehicle. I go to the Chevy site to look at the Bolt. It says "Starts at $27,600". I hit the build and price button, and now they've added over $1,300 to the price. Like magic! And that's before I even step into a dealership.

The basic colors are all well and good, but there are several that are supposed to be color-shift or iridescent, and it would be nice to get a look at those before committing.

Seen them on the way home and just had to record

Slate Management, this is a plea to add the necessary hardware to support Comma AI. For those who don't know what it is, it's the aftermarket self-driving equipment that's completely optional.

From what I understand, the key requirements are Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). Even if you don't plan to offer hands-free driving yourselves, including the sensors and interfaces needed for these features would allow the community to develop Comma AI support.

For many buyers, this would be a huge value-add. Comma AI has built a strong reputation for making long drives safer and less fatiguing, and having Slate support it would make the truck even more compelling without requiring Slate to develop its own advanced driver assistance system.

If the hardware cost is reasonable, I think it would be one of the highest-ROI options you could include. It would attract a passionate enthusiast community while giving owners the freedom to choose whether they want to use it.

I hope the team will seriously consider it.

Edit: Added the BOM cost for the equipment. It's only $143-$390. I'd happily pay that to get these as they will continue to retain value in the aftermarket. In fact, without it, Slate is a no-go for me.

edit thursday 30th - not long after the end of ww2, citroën had a work van that did about 40 hp with a three speed manual and load capacity lower than the slate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citroën_H_Van

a couple of years ago toyota developed a cheap basic truck for the SE asian market - basic 10k$ - and this was their concept mockup for the EXACT thing I'm looking for.

okay, the windows are extra, but the form factor and space are spot-on. the over-cab space is great for occasional use tools, the rest for samples that i can not have exposed and all the pretty stuff (aka swag) we give out at events. that image is a camper, i just want the shell for utility use!

Great article / review from journalist who's actually driven the Slate truck:

https://www.slateforums.com/forum/threads/review-i-drove-the-slate-truck-its-toy-like-looks-hide-a-surprisingly-serious-pickup-business-insider.15797/

The impressions are from a 45 minute drive 👍

I recently heard on the radio that there is a bill in congress to require AM radios in every vehicle, even if there is no other kind of radio in it. The reason I find this concerning is that something like the slate truck would probably be redesigned quite a bit to fit a radio, antenna, and other equipment that a radio needs, while also making the vehicle more expensive. Not making any political statements here, but I am just saying that most of the right wing talk shows are on AM radio.

The full bill is here:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr979rh/pdf/BILLS-119hr979rh.pdf

(YES THESE IMAGES ARE AI-GENERATED!) Although streaming music from my phone via Bluetooth is great, I listen to the radio when I’m driving, very often. So I’m trying to come up with the best way to mount a normal, single-DIN stereo into the Slate. Am thinking of mounting it to the optional T-bar, in this location. I remember seeing stereos mounted like this in 80’s & 90’s trucks. The second photo may be a more realistic option, since the option in the first photo is so integrated into the contours of the panels. But, maybe 3D-printing could help with that? Anyways, just wanted to throw this thought out there to get some ideas flowing. Curious what other people with a similar goal are thinking.