What vehicle do you drive?

Lightning Lord Rule

Il_Duce Lightning Lord Rule

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Cad said:
I agree but if you do that it won't be cheap. It'll just be a durable work vehicle that costs just as much and people still won't buy it.
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Well, I wouldn't do a 1 to 1 gadgets to quality conversion. Just put like 25-50% of the savings into quality materials and you'll be WAAAY ahead on the quality front in comparison to the competition. Hell, just getting rid of the 'planned obsolescence' items sprinkled throughout modern cars would be a huge step up. Little landmines like plastic ancillary engine parts that should be metal that will grenade a whole engine after 80K miles that I've been reading about for example.

A LOT of hay could be made with a marketing campaign that highlights these kinds of things and emphasizes stuff like "our company looks out for you, while these guys treat you like sheep!" in their advertising.


I agree that this isn't a big market right now, but I bet it could be expanded upon. People are so tire of being taken advantage of, I think this is a bigger niche than you might think.
 
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Sledge

Sledge

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Sludig said:
That thing is great but doesn't pass all kinds of regulations here
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Roll back regulations to about 25yrs ago. Vehicles were just fine back then with safety features. Or market them as a commercial truck that might not need all the government garbage. Or maybe allow people to sign waivers that they're buying a vehicle that doesn't meet certain regulations. I had Isuzu cabovers from the early 2000's with no power windows, no airbags, no bucket seats, no sound proofing, and very flimsy crappy doors. I didn't care because it had great guts, priced right, and allowed me to make money in my business.

If Toyota came out with that cheap small truck for under $20k, I'd buy one with a flat bad and one with a enclosed box on the back. Those things would sell like crazy.
 
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Cad

Cad

scientia potentia est
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Lightning Lord Rule said:
Well, I wouldn't do a 1 to 1 gadgets to quality conversion. Just put like 25-50% of the savings into quality materials and you'll be WAAAY ahead on the quality front in comparison to the competition. Hell, just getting rid of the 'planned obsolescence' items sprinkled throughout modern cars would be a huge step up. Little landmines like plastic ancillary engine parts that should be metal that will grenade a whole engine after 80K miles that I've been reading about for example.

A LOT of hay could be made with a marketing campaign that highlights these kinds of things and emphasizes stuff like "our company looks out for you, while these guys treat you like sheep!" in their advertising.


I agree that this isn't a big market right now, but I bet it could be expanded upon. People are so tire of being taken advantage of, I think this is a bigger niche than you might think.
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I hope you're right, I wouldn't mind a vehicle like that.
 
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Siliconemelons

Siliconemelons

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I agree on all the thing about The Slate, and if its vaportruck, its vaportruck... /shrug - what can I say.

But... BUT *just like the Rivian r2/r3 * IF they can get it out and into market and actually hit their initial price point - I will be happy to get one. A 150mile range round the town truck, electric, charge at home - 18k, yeah lets go. Thing will eat up getting to work, getting to Lowes and all that jazz. And that is what it is meant for, just like Maverick, Santa Cruze or whatever and other "not real trucks" - they are not meant to be F-150s
 
Haus

Haus

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Sludig said:
Was excited until i saw 150 mile range which is likely optimistic perfect circumstance.
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Apparently that's the base battery, and there's a "long range" battery option for around 240 mile range.
If you're puttering around town that's fine. Living in Texas I wouldn't want it as a truck if I had to regularly make runs around the golden triangle (Dallas/Houston/San Antonio(Austin).)
 
Sludig

Sludig

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Im still sad the Elio fizzled, that would have been fun and great commute if not much safer than a motorcycle
 
Axiel

Axiel

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Sledge said:
Roll back regulations to about 25yrs ago. Vehicles were just fine back then with safety features. Or market them as a commercial truck that might not need all the government garbage. Or maybe allow people to sign waivers that they're buying a vehicle that doesn't meet certain regulations. I had Isuzu cabovers from the early 2000's with no power windows, no airbags, no bucket seats, no sound proofing, and very flimsy crappy doors. I didn't care because it had great guts, priced right, and allowed me to make money in my business.

If Toyota came out with that cheap small truck for under $20k, I'd buy one with a flat bad and one with a enclosed box on the back. Those things would sell like crazy.
Click to expand...

Toyota still sells small trucks under 20k, just not here thanks to those faggot regulations.

These regs have forced vehicles to be larger, burn oil early, fall apart faster, and be way more expensive. Compare the cost and durability of 90s ford ranger to day, then subtract tech improvements and manufacturing automation. That's the net effect.

Hell the Honda Fit was effectively banned to sell new because it can't reach the Cafe required 66 mpg for ultra small cars that was pushed by Biden.
 
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sleevedraw

sleevedraw

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Haus said:
I can see the potential for this as an EV. Yes, I would like to see an ICE equivalent from somewhere, but for that we just have to get the US to loosen it's regulatory asshole enough to let those wonderfully cheap Toyota trucks in.

Not a huge fan of the Slate's limited cargo/towing capacity for a truck, but it's also not trying to offset/compete against full size fords and chevys. It's positioning for the traditional "Small to mid sized pick up" market.

If you want to tinker with their configurator...
www.slate.auto

SLATE

SLATE Auto | The Customizable EV That Works for You
www.slate.auto
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I'd be all over this if it was a sedan or hatch, but I don't want a pickup or SUV. I do hope they do well enough to make something compact-sized, though.
 
Haus

Haus

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sleevedraw said:
I'd be all over this if it was a sedan or hatch, but I don't want a pickup or SUV. I do hope they do well enough to make something compact-sized, though.
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If this is successful it wouldn't shock me to see a sedan/hatchback form factor. Although looking at the options, you can take one of these and put a drop kit on it (they offer lift or drop) options to get you closer to the ground and one of the SUV options is somewhat hatchback-y. (curved "fastback" on it). That and it's smaller size and it's not that far off already. Making me think the coupe/hatchback body option wouldn't be a huge stretch.
 
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Chanur

Chanur

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Putting this here since I'm not sure where else it would go. Please move if appropriate.

20k after EV rebates for an electric truck, all American made.

www.slate.auto

SLATE

SLATE Auto | The Customizable EV That Works for You
www.slate.auto

 
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Sludig

Sludig

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Chanur said:
Putting this here since I'm not sure where else it would go. Please move if appropriate.

20k after EV rebates for an electric truck, all American made.

www.slate.auto

SLATE

SLATE Auto | The Customizable EV That Works for You
www.slate.auto

Click to expand...

Thought it was posted already. I had said it was dead on arrival w/ 150 mile range, but theres supposed to be a 250 mile extended battery. Played with website configurator but it has nothing about the possible AWD option or extended battery, so like many other neat things, I'm calling vaporware for now. Or will do like Maverick, sell a few at cheap, then jack price up.

Kinda sad after 3-4 years we havn't seen the Toyota etc competitor to the Maverick.

This thing kinda neat for the suv kit etc. But I absolutely if stripped could keep it near that 20k as a commuter I can pick up farm feed/small errands. Save tow stuff for a old HD towpid, and of course the Jag when I'm feeling fancy. Think bed actually a hair bigger than maverick.
 
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Burren

Burren

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150 from the OEM means 120 real world. 250 estimate means 200 real works. Immediately take 20% the OEM estimates for range and you're there (except Tesla, who can hit 85-90% sometimes). Its pretty trash mileage unless you really only live, work, and commute in a small radius.

Same size/cost ICE would be so much more viable.
 
Sludig

Sludig

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Burren said:
150 from the OEM means 120 real world. 250 estimate means 200 real works. Immediately take 20% the OEM estimates for range and you're there (except Tesla, who can hit 85-90% sometimes). Its pretty trash mileage unless you really only live, work, and commute in a small radius.

Same size/cost ICE would be so much more viable.
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Right, that you get less than rosy perfect settings is a given. 250 though should still get me a 80 mile round trip and recharge off the wall overnight.

But that kind of thing is why I hasn't been too interested in electric except as possibly a tertiary utility role.

Depreciate by half, oh well 10k. Lot better than an 80k Lucid and watching that drop to 50 by year 2-3
 
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Lambourne

Lambourne

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They don't list the actual battery capacity which is annoying/suspect but I'm going on two years in a BMW i3 with around 120miles of real world highway speed range and it's really quite doable. As long as your typical day fits comfortably within that range you just go about your day, plug it in at night and it's ready to do it all again in the morning.

Having your own driveway and whether or not you are a one car household makes a lot more difference in when an EV is viable than just a bigger range number.
 
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ToeMissile

ToeMissile

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Lambourne said:
They don't list the actual battery capacity which is annoying/suspect but I'm going on two years in a BMW i3 with around 120miles of real world highway speed range and it's really quite doable. As long as your typical day fits comfortably within that range you just go about your day, plug it in at night and it's ready to do it all again in the morning.

Having your own driveway and whether or not you are a one car household makes a lot more difference in when an EV is viable than just a bigger range number.
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re battery capacity, fairly sure I heard in one of the preview vids that the large capacity is about the size of a base model 3. I think ~75kwh
 
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Siliconemelons

Siliconemelons

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When you do the deposit there is a “survey question” that asks if you would be interested in the SUV kit and one for extended range battery.
 
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