Automotive
Jay Leno just gave viewers an early have a look at something that sounds almost too sensible for today’s EV market: the Slate Truck, a bare-bones electric pickup prototype aiming to begin around $25K and stay under $30K. Inbuilt Warsaw, Indiana, the entire pitch is about cutting the bloat out of recent vehicles and bringing the entry price back all the way down to earth, especially when the common new-car transaction price keeps hovering across the $50K mark.
As an alternative of chasing flashy screens and sophisticated trim walks, Slate’s team is leaning into what they call “design for manufacturing.” The truck is built around a modular approach where every unit starts off similar on a simplified assembly line, then owners can personalize it afterward. Within the video, meaning every thing from converting it into an SUV-style setup to going open-air, using flat-pack kits which might be designed to be installed at home. It’s a build-it-your-way concept that feels more just like the early days of tuner culture than a typical new-car launch.
What really grabs our attention is the right-to-repair angle. Slate describes the truck as “open source,” with an approach that encourages owners to handle their very own warranty repairs in the event that they want, or take the truck to one in every of roughly 4,000 independent shops as a substitute of being locked into expensive dealer service lanes. Pair that with a producing strategy that ditches the normal paint shop by leaning on tool-impregnated colours and wraps, and you’ll be able to see how they’re attempting to attack the associated fee problem from every direction.
On the sensible side, Slate talks about two battery options, with ranges targeting roughly 150 miles or 230 miles, plus liquid cooling and access to the North American Supercharger network. They’re also claiming the minimalist design doesn’t mean unsafe, with engineering targets aimed toward a 5-star crash rating and beta prototypes already in testing. Essentially the most surprising number is the claimed demand: over 150,000 reservations, which suggests there’s an actual appetite for a straightforward, reasonably priced electric pickup that doesn’t feel like a rolling tech subscription. If Slate can actually deliver the value and keep the ownership experience as straightforward because it looks here, this may very well be one in every of the more disruptive EV ideas we’ve seen shortly.
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Darryl Taylor Dowe is a seasoned automotive skilled with a proven track record of leading successful ventures and providing strategic consultation across the automotive industry. With years of hands-on experience in each business operations and market development, Darryl has played a key role in helping automotive brands grow and adapt in a rapidly evolving landscape. His insight and leadership have earned him recognition as a trusted expert, and his contributions to Automotive Addicts reflect his deep knowledge and fervour for the business side of the automobile world.
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