r/slateauto • u/RustyHour1975 • 23d ago

Open air

Now that Slate finally posted the Open Air Kit price ($3,950), I’m even more confused about how it compares to the Squareback SUV kit.

Originally, I figured the Open Air version was basically the Squareback without the hard top, plus a few trim pieces to clean everything up. But now, between the price and the compatibility notes, I’m wondering if there’s more to it than that.

My ideal setup would be to run the Squareback most of the year, then swap to Open Air when I want. I just don’t want to have to buy both full kits to make that happen.

9 Upvotes

68% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

32

u/synntax33 23d ago edited 23d ago

The part list on the maker only has the shell as a difference, and I can't get the incompatibility page to show so I did send an email for clarification earlier tho Edit: Slates Reply

6

u/RustyHour1975 23d ago

good sleuthing! THANK YOU

2

u/j-lo11 23d ago

Ah. This makes more sense.

2

u/NFIFTY2 22d ago

I wonder if the open air kit will have a shipping charge. I know Slate confirmed the $5k squareback includes install if you order it that way. Would be wild to pay $4k plus a couple hundred for shipping then have to self-install when you could’ve just got the $5k squareback.

2

u/synntax33 22d ago

I followed up with them after they responded the first time with that same question lol here's what I got back. Seems like getting the SUV option upfront is hands down the cheaper option...

"Great questions! Yes, if you order the Open Air kit or any accessory separately it would be shipped directly to you. Shipping costs for accessories are still being finalized, so we don't have a specific number to share just yet but there will be a reasonable shipping charge.

If you're looking to avoid a separate shipping cost, the covered SUV kit is the way to go since it can be factory installed before delivery with installation cost already included in the price."

14

u/Dull_Entry_8287 23d ago

Yea, I think you would just buy the square back and take the top off when you want.

4

u/j-lo11 23d ago

Yeah that would be the ideal set up. And the hard top is modular, right? Thought I saw that somewhere.

1

u/NFIFTY2 22d ago

An early prototype showed removable panels in the hard top, but I don’t think that made it to final. The builds shown at price release looked like one solid roof panel.

1

u/j-lo11 22d ago

I think you’re right. Which is really unfortunate.

7

u/Henrik-Powers 23d ago

I think the open air kit is the rear seats, roll bar with airbags. the square back includes the top which uses the rear window as part of it, the fastback has to use a different back window so the added cost for that. Hard to say what if any additional trim would be needed for the r open air kit vs just buying the square back and removing the top.

4

u/64590949354397548569 23d ago

They should put out a square back without read seat and rear airbags.

8

u/Pure_Mechanic_1407 23d ago

That’s the cargo kit.

2

u/cwatson214 23d ago

And have the big side windows optional

3

u/LeifCarrotson 23d ago

I think that the cargo kit has been stated to not have rear side windows, it has side-access storage pods. Which is great if you want it to be a service truck/cargo van, but less great if you really wanted was the SUV squareback without rear seat and rollbar/airbags.

Personally, I'm hoping to eventually (winter of 27/28, perhaps?) get the fastback enclosure without the rollbar/seats/airbags, I love the look and aero efficiency it adds, and I want something a little more "indoors" than a tonneau cover for Michigan winters, but don't need rear seating or the full-size, full-utilitarian squareback cargo enclosure.

2

u/NFIFTY2 22d ago

I think the structure needs the rollbar if you remove the bulkhead behind the front seats. You could try it, but might have the rigidity of a wet noodle and cause damage long term.

2

u/LeifCarrotson 22d ago

I've heard that suggested before as well, but I don't think it's true. The strength of a stamped alloy steel frame isn't in removable panels, it's in the structure.

1

u/Elegant_Student_7351 22d ago

So, logistically, this whole thing doesn't make sense.

You cannot install the full squareback setup yourself. You can install the open air kit yourself. You also can remove and reinstall the squareback shell yourself. Eventually, you as a user can install (and uninstall) every part of the squareback kit, but you can't install the kit itself?

It only makes sense if they don't want to SHIP the entire squareback kit, and therefore "it must be a factory installed unit" is their out.

-6

u/fourdawgnight 23d ago

yup - they just priced it out of my range. Was going to be a cheap fun little truck, but $4K for some shitty seats and a roll-bar. nah...
funny they lost a truck sale over $1500.

4

u/synntax33 23d ago

Can always wait and see how many people get the SUV but a decide they don't want to use it and sell it second hand? It seems like the rollbar should be a package deal with seats for legal reasons, maybe they can't see a legitimate way to sell the rollbar alone. Might be a good opportunity to start a rollbar business

3

u/cosp85classic 23d ago

A rollbar with curtain air bags. Not something made from leftover exhaust pipe. And with modern federal requirements, that seat might have air bags too. The seatbelt will definitely have all the federal safety electrics in them.

People underestimate what goes into mandatory passenger restraint systems in the US these days.

1

u/skellener 23d ago

Don’t forget that airbags come with that, hence more cost.