Here comes the electric pickup

[FriskyDingo]

Slate pricing update...

The Slate Truck’s real base price has finally been revealed
A few weeks ago, Slate Auto confirmed the base MSRP of its barebones electric pickup, but it held back an important piece of information: the mandatory destination and delivery charge. That information has now come to light thanks to InsideEVs, which says that Slate's head of public relations and communications, Jeff Jablansky, confirmed that the freight charge has been set at $1,450, which is the lowest destination fee of any pickup on sale in the U.S. Combined with the $24,950 starting price, and the least you'll pay for a new Slate truck is $26,400. At least, unless you find ways of getting the government to help.

Slate Truck's Pricing Swings Depending On Options And Rebates
While the starting MSRP has gone up considerably from the sub-$20k target set when the federal tax credit for EVs was still in place, numerous state incentives allow certain qualifying buyers to get rebates that can bring the overall cost back under $20,000. In California, bundled incentives can bring the price as low as $9,450 if this is your first EV purchase, your earnings are at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty line, and you scrap a running internal combustion vehicle. Other states offer less, and not everyone will qualify for all the rebates, but it's nice to know that affordable transportation can be a reality. For those with far healthier bank accounts, tacking on options can swing the price in the other direction, with a fully-loaded Slate truck costing almost $46,500. For a truck that prioritizes affordability and customization, this gulf in pricing is a pretty good advertisement. But Slate will have to make hay while the sun shines, because it won't have this corner of the market to itself for long.

Alternatives To Slate's Cheap Truck Are Coming

Slate's EV is expected to reach customers before the end of the year, and it will soon thereafter do battle with alternatives from both the old guard and the new on the way. Representing legacy automakers in the blue corner, Ford is working on a more practical four-door electric pickup that will cost under $30,000, while in the red corner, newcomer REO Industries says it will sell a small gas-powered truck called the Runabout, targeting a base MSRP of just $21,500 - no EV incentives necessary. Even after these debut, Slate's small electric truck won't have any direct rivals, but success depends on how many of the hordes of internet fans celebrating this truck's creation put their money where their mouths are and follow through on a purchase. For the sake of increased affordability and competition, we hope both buyers and alternatives grow with each passing year.

[boosten lebaron]

I've pretty much turned away from Slate and my preorders. Despite being a day one deposit holder the earliest I can get my truck would be June of next year. Social media stats are being used to send out the early trucks and I have zero social media presence. Not surprisingly social media stats were used when giving out demo rides. Big car review sites like TFL couldn't actually drive any demos but tik toc stars just down the street with zero car background were given free rein with the trucks. Even jay Leno wasnt allowed to take the truck on his own, he had an engineer with him when he drove it. I saw this sort of thing when I was going to the pop up sites they were doing. You couldn't even open the door to the truck unless you were big on social media.
They also aren't allowing the package I originally put a deposit on to be built either. I had originally wanted the slate cargo which was the base truck with the fast back and a cargo interior. Now to get that package I have to buy the rear seats and air bags and fast back then pull everything out when I get it home. It's an extra $5k for that stuff I'm essentially gonna toss.
Body panels still don't have a supplier either. The vinyl wraps they are pushing to individualize your slate only have a life span of 2 years.
I'm happy about the increased range but again, my original deposit was also for a range extending battery pack that could be removed when not needed. That is no longer an option.
Service centers are still an unknown. Long standing rumors are it's either Meineke or a Firestone tire type of place.

Right now I'm thinking a blow out clearanced polestar with a trailer hitch is the way to go. Or hedge my bets and wait for used lucids to hit $20s and toss a hitch on one of those and have an 800hp AWD 400 mile range beast to haul my dirty bike for less than the price of the slate.