What went wrong is that 1) Tesla never made a low-end vehicle, despite announcements, and 2) all the other US manufacturers treated electric as a premium product, resulting in the overpowered electric Hummer 2 and F-150 pickups with high price tags. The only US electric vehicle with comparable prices in electric and gasoline versions is the Ford Transit.

BYD says that their strategy for now is to dominate in every country that does not have its own auto industry. Worry about the left-behind countries later.

BYD did it by 1) getting lithium-iron batteries to be cheaper, safer, and faster-charging, although heavier than lithium-ion, 2) integrating rear wheels, differential, axle, and motor into an "e-axle" unit that's the entire mechanical part of the power train, and 3) building really big auto plants in China.

Next step is to get solid state batteries into volume production, and build a new factory bigger than San Francisco.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_BYD_Auto_vehicles

1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_average_fuel_economy...

For a case in point, consider that headlights that turn on and off automatically in response to darkness (or rain) are not a standard feature on many cars, yet they include a manual switch that costs more than a photosensor only because of the trim-level upgrades.

Cars could include a slot for a tablet but instead come with overpriced car stereos and infotainment systems that are always light years worse than the most amateurish apps on any mobile app store.

As should be very clear by now after the 2008 US auto industry bailouts and the 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs, the US auto industry is heavily protected and faces virtually no competition, which is why a common sense vehicle like the one in the article sounds revolutionary, though I imagine BYD could deliver something a lot more impressive for $10K if allowed to compete in the US without tariffs.

Here is what could be potential deal-breakers:

- Lack of a mobile app. Minimalist design is great, but I still want an app to manage charging and be alerted to any vehicle issues.

- Lack of good charge management and battery conditioning. Either that, or a cheap and easy to replace battery pack. I'd really like both!

- Comparable hauling and towing capacity to the 1998 Ford Ranger. Those numbers aren't exactly impressive, but I do use the truck as a truck, and I occasionally need the hauling capacity (weight).

- Bucket seats. I need a bench seat so I can take my wife and dog. Think weekend glamping trips. Picture 8 shows a bucket seat. It doesn't look like that would work.

If anyone from Slate is reading this, this is how I'm looking at this truck. FYI, I'll be comparing this to the Ford Maverick.

[1] We were profitable from day one because we didn’t buy a $80,000 pickup on day one the way everybody else does.

I hope that the noise isolation and intended speaker mounting locations are good!

There are $20k cars with infotainment, bodypaint and probably a lot more creature comforts than this thing. Also this thing has a 150 mile range (less probably IRL), which is not practical.

Looking at the basic shape, the drag looks horrible, and probably the efficiencys bad too, considering they only manage 150k with an 52kWh battery.

Euros have already tried this, they put out abominable shitboxes where they tried to save money everywhere but the battery and charger, and the result were poverty cars which barely cost less than a Model 3.

Once you spend the money on a 400 mile battery and a fast enough charger to be practical, you're most of the way in terms of BOM to a 300HP electric upmarket road monster. Tesla understood this, and are dominating the market.

BYD also knows this, and there's a reason their C-segment EVs cost more than their D-segment plug-ins, despite the latter having tons of electric range.

Also doesn't cost $20k from the factory, it costs $20k with tax credit.

(That said, I'd love a stereo - even if it was just a built in bluetooth speaker/aux-in, which feels like a perfect compromise!)

That SL2 went from California to Maine, down to Georgia and back to California. It never had any dings and had only a few scratches in the paint. My Civics seem to get dinged if you look at them wrong.

I wish I could have said the same about the Saturn's stickshift, though. That actually fractured when I was in Gilroy. I mean, the shaft literally snapped.

I'm hoping that they go with a lot of "off-the-shelf" electronics and mechanical parts. Standards are a blessing.

It feels like they're going with a different business model to traditional car manufacturers. AFAIK most manufacturers make a lot of their money via servicing. I'd love to take a look at what their long-term business strategy is.

Although electric can't be 100% analog, I miss the old days when a car has no software updates, no telemetry, no privacy issues, no mandatory subscription for features.

However I wonder about the overlap between people that need a truck and this particular truck. I have only owned trucks when I needed to go out in the middle of bumfuck nowhere with a payload, in places with poor access to electricity. If I need to go in bumfuck nowhere without payload then there is no need for the truck, and if I need a payload in the city it's just way way cheaper to have it delivered when you factor in depreciation of even a cheap truck.

Would really love to see something like this with a simple 4 cylinder motor. Like the old s-10 / ranger. Until then the solution I have found is to just tag a trailer on small passenger vehicle, since it is now impossible to find a compact gas truck.

>“Seventy percent of repeat warranty claims are based on infotainment currently because there’s so much tech in the car that it’s created a very unstable environment in the vehicle,” Snyder says.

I'm totally cool with them not having an infotainment screen or even a stereo itself. But speaker management might be a pain.

I really hope they decide to either include speakers to which you connect to your own infotainment system or at the very least, have the space or brackets where you can bring your own speakers and install them without cutting.

Having a bluetooth speaker take care of all the sound is just too bulky and cumbersome for those of us who need to live with constant music in the car. Plus, I don't want to leave a $150 bluetooth speaker in my car all the time and encourage break-ins.

Can you actually build an EV like that, conforming to all regulations, with significant cost reduction? VW is currently trying to build a 20k EV, which seem extremely difficult in Europe and US labor costs are probably higher. The Dacia EVs (which seem closest in concept to a pickup) suffer from many downsides, to make low prices happen.

Do people actually want less screens or do they just say that?

Is customization a road to profitability? VWs ID.1 concept has a similar idea to lower entry price, by making several upgrades user installable, so they can be bought over time.

This is obviously a US only car and the US is very lacking in EV adoption. Will this sell in significant numbers?

Can you actually make it cheaply? Rivian is notoriously unprofitable and making cheap cars is, far, far harder than making expensive cars.

Not really the point of the article, but, does it? This[0] says the bed is 60 inches long and 43 wide, and plywood is 96x48 inches. Is it like, any vehicle fits plywood if you cut it to the size of the truck or stack it on top?

[0] https://www.thedrive.com/news/the-slate-truck-is-two-feet-sh...

I recently visited America after a couple of years away, and spent a couple of weeks in California, driving from SF to LA. The thing which I found the most striking was the sheer insanity of the pickup trucks that were absolutely everywhere. These things were true Idiocracy-class monster trucks, which are clearly lethal to operate in any environment which includes pedestrians. In some cases, my five-year-old's head barely reached the bumper, and my wife's head didn't clear the hood. And these were highly-polished, un-dented behemoths that had clearly never seen a dirt road in their lives. The whole thing is clearly all about aesthetics and identity politics. Absolutely revolting.

(If you haven't visited the US recently, I think it's almost impossible to appreciate how obscene the phenomena is. 10 years ago, trucks were far more restrained, but could still do everything they needed to do. 30 years ago, trucks were fully half the size, but could still carry the same-size loads and do honest work. There's honestly no possible justification for their corpulent growth.)

Anyhow, this thing looks like it can do honest work without killing everyone who crosses its path. I really appreciate that. I hope it starts a trend.

https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/personal-informa...

I get that it's a bargain price, so that's the tradeoff. But a pretty bad one.

This might well go the same way.

The real cost savings came a tiny, 150 mile battery. It could easily be <100 miles loaded up after a few years of use, which means there are very few use cases for this truck, and it certainly doesn’t make sense without the tax credit. Cool idea, but there’s no getting around the price of batteries

Makes me wonder if, once "normal" features are added, cost and reliability will be a problem?

In contrast, I could see this really helping the dealer model work because dealers could compete with different customizations.

That being said: At least when it comes to the battery, efficiencies come from a single large battery instead of a modular battery. I suspect they'll need to offer a larger battery at the factory.

Definitely something I would consider if they can make it happen.

I do see this being great for short utility trips (think running errands, picking something up, etc), and as a utility vehicle (would be nice to be able to have an 8ft bed).

It would be really interesting to me to see a fleet of vehicles like this that are ultra-rentable; think a Bird/Lime scooter, but a utility truck.

It's a cool concept... looks good to my eye, small trucks are neat, etc. But, I'd want push-button windows, up-to-date charge controller/battery tech, and the normal EV integrated app. Maybe if it was really a $20k truck (they're advertising the price after incentives, many of which are either going away or vanish for higher income earners).

I'd be very interested in buying one of these as my first EV.

Something tells me though, that if such a company got successful, it wouldn't be long before the features started creeping back in, to justify an increase in price.

[1] https://www.gemcar.com/gem-el-xd/

[2] https://electriccarsalesandservice.com/products/2024-gem-el-...

Charge $1k for paint. Even if 95% of people don’t do that, 5% of orders just increased their revenue by 5%. Paint doesn’t take engineering time.. just spend $500 and let some other company do it. This is why trims exist, having a single low price point means people who want to spend more either produce lower revenue than possible, or are disappointed.

IMO this one trim, one price is almost certainly a prelaunch marketing gimmick as from a business perspective there is literally no benefit.

Even a very aerodynamic Model 3 loses half of range at highway speeds.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/vkz0SOnR45Gved9B-q9n...

I do think they should keep in mind that people will want to do this and at least design the dash to easily accept a tablet mount (vesa standard), amp mount (plug and play Pyle 120v?), speaker wire, and speakers (6x9 or 6.5”). That’s an easy hour install if everything is standardized, accessible, and doesn’t require drilling.

Would also love seating for 5.

Why not make a physical connection (power/network) and define a form factor for entertainment system with or without screen and speakers and let other companies design something to fit the space available. I don't understand why no one does this instead of selling cars full of crappy software that can't be upgraded.

If it were 4x4 it would be literally exactly what I want.

Also, when is the last time an economy car/truck looked this good? The slate is beautiful.

I think it has a real shot if it arrives as promised, but we know how these things go.

I hope they sell millions.

This could be very popular with companies that need small fleets of pickup trucks. The ones that have company logos on the side.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVeYjxQPdz4

"We moved all the complicated parts outside the factory"

What does that really mean? You can paint it yourself, well ok, people may like that. Making it easy to service is great.

If I want electric windows is that adaptable? (It may come with electric windows) When I want to put in a stereo A navigation system? AC? (Might come with it)

It would be cool if the car was a abit "framework" so it has an open well thought out way to add and integrate features a person may want.

THe compnay and 3rd parties could offer up all sorts of cool stuff.

An EV that's designed to be user-serviceable, has modular upgrades, and isn't full of surveillance technology? This checks all the boxes for me. Can't wait to play with it.

Then it isn't < $20000. It is a pitch.

Does it have air conditioning?

Will folks revealed preference continue to be big and expensive?

Sad to say but if the thing was made in Mexico and was priced at $15,000 it would be a huge hit. By the time you accounted for the $7500 federal tax credit it would be priced at around a quarter the price of a gas 4 cylinder powered pickup. An entire industry of add-ons and wraps would spring up around it.

I see a ton of discussion on social media from people who want to buy simpler vehicles with less features at a better price point (e.g. the Japanese Kei trucks). I'm not convinced Americans will actually buy such a vehicle because we are used to our modern conveniences in new vehicles. You can even see that trend in this thread where people are asking for more features, or things that were phased out decades ago due to safety (e.g. bench seats). Perhaps Slate has figured that out with their options packaging? I'm rooting for them regardless.

And if it does and I'm completely wrong, this concept is probably doomed anyways, as it is swinging far too far to the other side away from fancy tech and right into uselessly bare. I'm sure a few people are excited by this, but realistically it will have a tiny real market. Nearly no one wants manual windows and leaving them out isn't saving huge amount of money.

Make it comparable to a decent conventional vehicle, but electric, and you may do well. This though is more useless and non-functional than my old Jeep, which has a trip computer and bluetooth as the biggest "tech features".

The bed being plastic doesn’t give me much confidence either. The payload may be similar to a mini truck, but a mini truck’s metal bed will take a significant beating over plastic.

This is very, very close to what I want, but I worry that those two things may prevent me from actually pulling the trigger. While all of the modular features are cool and neat, I don’t really consider them very useful for what I would actually use this truck for.

The purpose of this seems to be a fleet or Personal utility truck, but I still feel like I would be leaning towards a used old Ford Ranger or similar.

She's not wrong, though I'm not at a point where I want THIS much minimalism (or lack of range). What a great product though.

Now, the Ineos Grenadier? That thing speaks right to my soul.

Not this one. It's the premiumization that drove me away from every EV product out there.

Plus, load up the back with more batteries and you've got great range!

However, with the SUV package and lift kit, this is actually useful. It's basically the same size (and payload and towing capacity) of the 2nd gen Scion xB. A boxy, roomy, small, cheap car. Absolutely useful and great. (Unlike a tiny truck.)

I've thought about importing a Kei, but I don't think it's for me. When I think "American kei truck" I at least think something in the ballpark range cost of a Kei, which is quite a bit less, at least half as expensive for the best options like 4WD, even less if you can compromise. It also has charm unlike this. The range is just ridiculous, too. My little ranger isn't exactly great, I don't push it much more than 300 miles on a tank, but having half that (new! let alone after a few years) is such a deal breaker. Last time I took my truck camping it was around 60 miles each way, and that was a nearby spot.

> Unlike most vehicles sold in the United States, the Slate Truck is not expected to have any Internet connectivity

Well that's certainly a sentence. It wasn't true just 20 years ago. It makes me wonder about the world we've grown into with deeply intertwined apps becoming not only the norm but expected.

The idea is there but I'm wondering about the execution. Here's hoping it takes off.

[1] https://www.slate.auto/en/personalization

It’s the anti-cybertruck but aimed at people who actually could get by with a nice trailer.

2. No guarantee of delivery date

3. No right to purchase

4. No guarantee of purchase price

5. No assignment of purchase to other parties

I've got some lunar real estate to sell you if you think this product will ever exist

[0]: https://www.thelightphone.com/

Reminds me of Bollinger prototypes. Whatever happened to those?

Also, though I think using tablets and detachable speakers is cost effective, it may promote car break-ins?

> Rather than relying on a built-in infotainment system, you'll use your phone plugged into a USB outlet or a dedicated tablet inside the cabin for your entertainment and navigation needs.

How is a "dedicated tablet" different than an infotainment system, other than not having vehicle telematics and controls? Also, a regular tablet UX would be dangerous while driving, and typically they don't have their own mobile data connections.

1. https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/04/amazon-backed-startup-w...

I know you don't believe me but it's true.

Automotive sales numbers are public information. Every single time a VIN is stamped into some metal, that record is public. The gradual decline in the sale of small, simple, cheap trucks is well documented.

People want full-sized trucks.

People say they love manual transmissions, too. They walk right past the manual Tacomas and Jeeps and buy an automatic.

People say they love station wagons. Then they go to the Volvo dealership and walk right past the V60 and buy an XC60.

People say they want a cheap car. Then they walk right past the base model Corolla and throw down $50k on a Rav4 Limited.

Only enthusiasts and weirdos like me will buy one of these.

A company whose audience is enthusiasts and weirdos must charge a shit-ton to stay in business. $20k isn't a shit-ton and if their strategy is to make up the difference on upgrades, they're not selling cheap trucks anymore.

I know what Americans, in aggregate, want. They want a big-ass SUV with heated and cooled seats with a screen that stretches across the entire god damned dash, 360 degree cameras, RGB mood lighting, 47 speakers, and second-row captain's chairs that make getting to the third row easy.

I own 3 cars, a Fiat 124 (MANUAL) Spider, a Volvo V70, and an Alfa Romeo Giulia.

But I am a weirdo, and because of this those companies are about to go extinct (in the US, at least).

I'm the guy that ran OS/2 and BeOS until the bitter end. I prefer writing software in Ada. I had a Saab.

I am literally and actually a subject matter expert on this shit.

I know what normal people want, and this ain't it. I know this because I want it.

https://carnewschina.com/2025/03/25/byd-sealion-05-ev-launhe...

It’s like if you could buy an old Nokia for $200, or a new Android smartphone for $160. The old Nokia certainly has nostalgic qualities and some concrete practical benefits like all-week battery life, but overall it’s not a great deal.

And this is why you have >100% tariffs on Chinese cars — American manufacturers know they can’t compete.

Buried the lede, didn't we?

TFW just want cheap Hilux Champ.

And it's a pickup truck that is an actual pickup truck.

Who will be buying all of these pickup trucks?

but, MMW, i think they will sell every single unit made

basic truck + freedom of customization will be very popular in the USA

> $20,000

Seriously, who wants to be in a modern car without music, and who wants to travel without Google maps.

No mention of crash testing or crash-worthiness/safety. Airbags? ABS braking? Collision avoidance (brakes engage based on distance and speed to cars or objects ahead), etc.

Before the hounds say "it is refreshing..." remember that lots of safety features are there because so many people died before they were instituted.

How safe is this plastic body from lateral impact by an F150 or SUV?

One of the reasons for which I do not like or buy old vehicles is the lack of safety features that are common today. All it takes is to land a loved one in the hospital (or worse) to quickly regret the choice to buy a cheap car or an old unsafe car. Years ago my father was t-boned by a full size SUV at a neighborhood intersection, launching his car diagonally across the intersection and onto the front yard of the corner house...through a couple of trees. He walked away from that one because the safety engineering of the vehicle he was driving save his life.

Another note: To me, while this is interesting, it is also a sad commentary on the state of manufacturing in the US. The ONLY WAY to make a $20K car in the US is to strip it down to bare metal...err...not even use metal...or paint...or electronics...or comfortable seats...and have HALF the range of other EV's...and even take out the speakers, etc. And then, you sell not having all those things as a FEATURE! Yup. Brilliant. What's the least we can do to build a car and get away with it?

My prediction is that this thing will die a pretty rapid death or they will have to pivot into making real cars for this market. There's a reason nearly three million conventional trucks were sold in the US last year. Plastic bodies, 150 mile range and barren interiors did not fit the description of a single one of them.

https://www.cars.com/articles/here-are-the-10-cheapest-new-c...

If they deliver i would absolutely buy one for when my oldest starts driving in 3 years.

I assume there's still a lot of vaporware here, but if they can make it reliable and avoid the teething issues of new cars, I'd probably impulse-purchase one. I would also love to see options for AWD and a full-length bed.

https://www.fordpro.com/en-us/fleet-vehicles/f150-lightning/

The Ford comes standard with the same range as the upgraded Slate, though. The slate can tow 1000lbs, and hold 1,433 lbs, vs the Ford's standard 5000 / 2235, respectively (you can upgrade the range and towing capacity on the ford):

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a64564869/2027-slate-truck...

Not including a bluetooth capable am/fm radio / speakerphone on a fleet vehicle seems dumb. This cut what, $100?

I can easily see Ford cutting $10K off the cost of the Pro. It looks like it has power windows, and it definitely has an infotainment system. Also, the two row cab adds lots of weight + cost and makes the bed smaller.

Anyway, competition is good. Hopefully slate will make something with an upgraded suspension / power train for $10K more, and maybe eventually a larger one with ford-compatible conversion mounts (for custom work trucks, etc.)

But no stereo at all is not something that anyone wants. A simple radio is as much a basic expectation as "windows that go down".

Aside, why a pickup body? Aren't sedans wildly more popular?

I'm talking specifically about the no stereo/screen

No, it's not. This American consumer says bring on the simplicity. Also like that this is not some monster sized thing.

Deal breaker. Plastic gets brittle with age.

But once it starts selling like hotcakes they'll jack up the price to "Whatever the Market will Bear" relative to how many they're able to produce.

With most people struggling to get by nowadays (economically) we'll love the "less gadgetry" option because all that advanced technology stuff (and I do mean even power windows!) is, as my father always said, "Just something else that's going to eventually break, and was designed so it must be replaced not repaired."

https://youtu.be/iVeYjxQPdz4?si=RU4gWmJk5WJHiac5

> Got a road trip planned? These trips are all doable on a single charge of our standard battery. If you want to go even farther, our extended range battery increases the range to a projected 240 miles from a projected 150 miles. [0]

[0] - https://www.slate.auto/en/charging

[1] - https://www.axios.com/2024/03/24/average-commute-distance-us...

Edit: The average pickup truck purchaser's has a household income of around $110,000 and 75% live outside cities [0]. When they are purchasing a pickup, it is meant to be both a daily driver and an errand vehicle.

Spending $20,000 on a 2 seater bench pickup with 150mi range is ludicrous when you can buy a used 5 seater Honda Fit or Toyota Tacoma for $0-7k more.

This is most likely targeted at fleet usecases like a factory or local deliveries, but this won't make a dent in the primary demographic that purchases pickups, and being overly defensive is doing no favors in thinking about HOW to build a true killer app EV for the American market.

This will be real when you can go to some place, pay $20k and drive out with such thing.

If you're into car CGI, this is a much more enjoyable resource [1]!

1: https://www.behance.net/search/projects/Car%20Render

a used car for 10k does more, costs less, and has a lower carbon footprint.