Abstract
- The Slate Truck promised to be an reasonably priced, customizable, and fundamental electrical pickup for underneath $20,000, however the EV tax incentive expires in September.
- Regardless of being bare-bones, the Slate comes with important security options and the choice to customise with add-ons akin to a bigger battery or SUV package.
- The Slate faces competitors from the Ford Maverick, which gives a small hybrid truck with extra options, capacities, and practicality for the same worth.
There was some pleasure in April when the Slate Truck was introduced. This bare-bones electrical pickup truck would are available underneath $20,000 after the EV tax incentive was taken under consideration. This is able to have made it not solely the most cost effective EV by far, however one of many least expensive autos within the US.
The title Slate referred to the clean slate you’re going to get at that worth. The clean Slate meant you bought an unpainted two-seater pickup, with roll-up home windows, no sound system, no display screen, no radio. You can drive it as is, which appealed to many, or modify it as you need — even flip it right into a five-seat SUV do you have to select. You were not compelled to pay for options you didn’t notably want, however for those who added simply this and that, may have a cool electrical truck for, say, $23K. Lots of people like that concept very a lot.
However now the tax break will fall away on the finish of September, leaving this pickup as a way more costly clean Slate. At $27,000, the Slate will begin butting heads with the $28,145 Ford Maverick, additionally a small pickup, however with a really environment friendly hybrid engine, 5 seats, and all of the options you didn’t need to pay for within the Slate thrown in.
Associated
Meet Slate’s $20,000 electrical truck that may morph into an SUV
Slate, a brand new American EV startup, has revealed its reasonably priced compact electrical pickup truck.
Slate overview
Some details, loads of conjecture
It is tough to check the Slate and the Ford Maverick. They’re each small pickups with related entry-level pricing. That’s the sum whole of what they’ve in widespread. The Slate is just on account of launch in 2027, though you may reserve one now for $50.
The essential Slate
It is a very fundamental two-seat pickup with a 47 kWh battery and a 201 hp motor driving the rear wheels. The battery vary is estimated at 150 miles. It comes with NACS and DC quick charging.
Regardless that the Slate Truck is severely fundamental, it does include fairly respectable security options, together with:
- Traction management
- Digital stability management
- Automated emergency braking
- Good entrance and aspect airbags
- Backup digital camera
- Pedestrian ID
- Ahead collision warning
- Auto excessive beam
As a substitute of an infotainment display screen and audio system, the Slate has a mount that may maintain a telephone or pill and house to suit a Bluetooth speaker. Apparently, heating and air-con are commonplace although.
Add-ons
One of many major promoting factors of the Slate is that you just purchase the essential truck after which add what you need. You possibly can wrap it in any coloration you need, flip it into an SUV with seats within the again, add fancy rims, an even bigger battery for an extended vary, and so forth.
The larger battery is a sensible possibility, and the SUV conversion will probably be a preferred selection, however these will add to the value that is already underneath strain. The one possibility with a preliminary worth is the wrapping, beginning at $500.
The larger 75 kWh battery gives you a variety of 240 miles, however will add about 300 lbs to the load of the truck, making it slower. However the largest value in an EV is the battery, and this and the price of the SUV package may push the Slate into pricing territory the place it is going to compete head-on with fairly critical EVs just like the Chevy Equinox.
Associated
This finances pickup hauls, hustles, and is definitely reasonably priced
US drivers love pickup vehicles, however they are usually costly. In the event you want a truck for work or play, on a finances, right here is your finest guess.
Maverick overview
The one small hybrid truck
The Ford Maverick is a small pickup with a crew cab that seats 5. It is out there in a variety of trims, with engine choices of FWD or AWD. The XL is the essential mannequin that competes with the Slate in worth and comes commonplace with a hybrid powertrain and FWD. The one different small pickup in the marketplace is the Hyundai Santa Cruz, however that’s solely out there with an ICE.
Maverick XL
The Maverick XL is a fundamental work truck in comparison with the costlier trims. It has a 2.5L inline 4 and an electrical motor that makes a mixed 191 hp. The transmission is a CVT and drives the entrance wheels. It would get 42 MPG within the metropolis and a variety of 520 miles, in comparison with 22 MPG and a 412-mile vary for the extra highly effective turbo-gas Maverick possibility, making the hybrid a no brainer for on a regular basis driving. The Slate doesn’t but give MPEe estimates, however it might be manner past the ballpark of any hybrid car.
XL Options
Regardless of being extra of a piece truck, the XL trim has a telescopic and height-adjustable steering wheel with audio controls, keyless entry just like the Slate, and adjustable lumbar assist for the entrance seats. The crew cab has a again seat and rear doorways, though the house within the again is a bit cosy.
The XL comes commonplace with a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot. Non-obligatory extras embody SiriusXM radio and a B&O Play sound system. The Maverick has all the usual security options, in addition to good driver help options that embody:
- Automated emergency braking
- Lane departure warning and lane maintaining
- Adaptive cruise management
Pickup skills
We purchase vehicles for work or life-style, or a little bit of each. While you select a pickup, moderately than a crossover, there are just a few truck-specific issues to contemplate.
| Slate | Maverick | |
| Load mattress size | 5 toes | 4.5 toes |
| Payload | 1,400 lbs | 1,500 lbs |
| Towing capability | 1,000 lbs | 2000 lbs/4,000 lbs with package |
The Slate has a 7-cu-ft frunk, which the Maverick doesn’t. The Maverick can at all times carry 5 individuals and cargo within the load mattress, whereas the Slate can carry two plus load mattress, or 5 with no load mattress.
Associated
Why Ford’s CEO drove a Chinese language EV for six months
Ford’s CEO loves driving a Chinese language EV. Here’s a have a look at why these EVs aren’t within the US, why they need to be, and the way this could occur.
Selecting a truck in a time of change
Loads can occur in a few years
Slate
The Slate was deliberate to launch on the finish of 2026 or starting of 2027. When it was conceived, the designers intentionally selected the costlier nickel manganese cobalt batteries (NMC), as a substitute of the extra reasonably priced LIthium Iron Phosphate (LFP) kind turning into the norm with EVs. The rationale was that NMC batteries had been made within the US and had been important in qualifying for the tax rebate.
Now free of that constraint, Slate may rejig their design to chop prices there. Each LG and Samsung are planning to supply LFP batteries within the US, and there are stories of different main gamers producing LFP batteries underneath license utilizing Chinese language battery chief CATL‘s expertise.
By the point Slate hits the market, these native suppliers and the overall world fall in battery costs may properly make this pickup extra competitively priced. One other issue is that the Maverick is made in Mexico, and no person is aware of if or how tariffs will have an effect on its worth. But when low cost EV batteries turn into available, there will probably be nothing stopping Ford from making an EV Maverick both.
