Okay, we get it. You’re delighted by slate. We thought that the small slate truck is cool, however primarily based on the variety of clicks and feedback about our automotive with slate to date, you want to discover out extra. A lot of you’ve written with questions and various individuals have raised some doubts.
So, we needed to deal with as lots of them as doable. Right here is your distinctive store for slate responses primarily based in your questions-PLUS a few of us.
What are the complete specs of slate and evaluate to a Ford Maverick or F-50?
Slate is clearly a automobile constructed for on a regular basis utility, and whereas making a useful automotive for the transport of many issues, excessive tow and heavy items weren’t clearly a precedence. Listed below are the important thing specs, in comparison with the four-wheel Ford Maverick hybrid with a 2.5-liter engine and a Ford F-50 4×2 with a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6.
| Slate truck | Ford Maverick | Ford F-150 | |
| Horsepower (HP) | 201 | 191 | 325 |
| Weight of board (LBS) | three.602 | three.674 | four.171 |
| Most helpful process (LBS) | 1.433 | 1,500 | 1.775 |
| Most tow (LBS) | 1.000 | 2.000 | eight,400 |
| The size of the mattress (ft) | 5 | four.5 | 5.5, 6.5 or eight |
| The width of the mattress (max / min, in) | 50 / 54.9 | 42.6 / 53.three | 50.6 / 66.9 |
| Chairs | 2 | 5 | 5 |
It’s value noting that these Ford numbers differ drastically relying on the configuration. For instance, you may get a “4K towing pack” on Maverick that will increase the towing to four,000 LBs, and the F-50 has tons of of variations relying on the necessity. The utmost towing on a F-50 is 13,500 LBs. The above numbers signify the figures quoted by Ford for a primary automobile with out choices.
And a ultimate notice: Towing considerably reduces the effectivity of the tow automobile, because of the weight of the trailer and the extra aerodynamic traction. For an electrical automobile corresponding to slate, it’s going to actually result in a small vary, maybe half relying on the trailer.
The place will the automobile be manufactured?
Plateau confirmed that the manufacture will happen in a former Warsaw Catalog printing unit, Indiana, which has closed in 2023. Slate hopes to renovate the set up and ultimately rent 2,000 staff, with an annual manufacturing quantity of 150,000 automobiles. And the corporate requests tax reductions on the positioning of the manufacturing unit from the County Authorities to begin the development. Full particulars about this right here.
This home manufacturing ought to imply that the automobiles produced by Slate are eligible for the $ 7,500 federal low cost – if the credit score nonetheless exists subsequent yr, when the truck enters manufacturing.
Does the slate truck have a cell connection?
No, the slate truck has no constructed -in cell connectivity. LTE is an more and more frequent function in new automobiles, permitting automotive producers to do every kind of issues, together with good issues, corresponding to software program updates and a few issues will not be so good, corresponding to promoting driving knowledge.
For the primary, the O-the-air updates will proceed to be doable by the Slate smartphone software. The updates will likely be downloaded on the telephone after which pushed on the slate truck by way of USB cable. As for the latter, this leads us to our subsequent query.
Will slate harvest and promote my driving knowledge?
Not your driving knowledge, no, however you may load knowledge in your automobile’s well being JEFF Jablansky, the top of public relations and communications, has given us this instance:
“An” engine checking mild “lights up: if the driving force has his telephone related and opted to the info motion, the corporate will ship a notification within the slate software, in order that it may be conscious of the potential companies wants.”
Jablansky confirmed that no knowledge will likely be offered to 3rd events.
Can I train my slate truck?
One of many joys of holding a contemporary ev is simple precondition. No matter the place your automotive is parked, you may get the heated or cooled inside from only a few faucets in your smartphone, with out having to fret about filling the storage with carbon monoxide.
Are you able to do that within the slate zone? Could also be. The shortage of mobile connection implies that you won’t be able to attach wirelessly to your truck from nowhere, however Jablansky has not excluded it in full, saying, “It’s one thing we work in.”
Will slate make fashions obtainable for designing 3D printed equipment?
Are you able to obtain just a few STL/3MF information in the present day and begin designing your ultimate coupol? And we, however we must have little endurance. “The producers’ neighborhood is extremely essential to burn and we’re about to ship this dedication nearer to launch,” says Jablansky.
So preserve updated on that entrance. Jablansky says this will even embrace particulars about third -party accent suppliers and licenses.
Why did Slate didn’t use customary slots in to put in audio?
The Slot Din, often known as ISO 7736 or Deutsches Institut Für Norm 75490 slot, has been customary for audio audio. Then why are there no slate slots? Slate says it was to offer larger flexibility. “We needed to permit the consumer to decide on and select his equipment with out forcing mixtures of choices collectively in packages. This involves life in our audio technique to permit clients to decide on something from a Bluetooth speaker to a whole audio system,” says Jablansky.
So, unhealthy information is if you wish to use a regular receiver from, then you’ll have to broadcast an enclosure for it. The excellent news is in case you simply need to set up a Bluetooth sound bar, you then will not have to fret about filling any rectangular holes within the dashboard.
Picture: computerized slate
Is it an energetic energetic help system extra superior in works?
Not. “In accordance with our broader strategy, we centered our engineering to make a trumpery to drive,” says Jablansky.
Hold these arms on the steering wheel, good individuals.
Why select a truck to begin as a substitute of a sedan or compact SUV?
Price and ease, it seems. Jablansky says that “a two -door kind issue meant much less materials, much less complexity, decrease prices.” He provides that the lockable leaves means that there’s a safe warehouse just like your sedan to your issues, with the extra profit of a giant mattress. And, in fact, you may add on the SUV package in case you want extra locations or extra coated storage.
Will particular instruments be required for any of the DIY updates and dietary supplements?
On Jablansky, particular instruments will not be anticipated to be wanted.
This may actually promote for $ 20,000? However the charges? What occurs if the EV incentives will disappear?
It’s a dynamic world and a dynamic trade right now, however slate doesn’t return. “We employed ourselves with the anticipated value level of $ 20,000 after federal incentives,” says Jablansky, which entails an MSRP of about $ 27,500. “If the incentives disappear, slate will stay properly positioned within the US with a robust proposal of worth, security and personalization.”
Will these attributes be ample to take away individuals from a Ford Maverick, which begins simply over $ 28,000? We’ll have to attend and see.
Jablansky says that slate can be engaged with American manufacture, which ought to current most fears tariff and that the corporate remains to be about to begin in 2026.