Slate Truck is a $20,000 American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, and no touchscreen
https://www.theverge.com/electric-cars/655527/slate-electric-truck-price-paint-radio-bezosOpen linkView original on lemmy.world715
Comments383https://www.theverge.com/electric-cars/655527/slate-electric-truck-price-paint-radio-bezosOpen linkView original on lemmy.world
"No touchscreen" is a really great selling point imo
Every smart feature a vehicle *doesn't *have is a selling point for me. I want my car to be dumb as a boot.
Yep, the more software it has, the less I want it. And I’m saying that as a software engineer.
Nothing made me want to distance myself from technology more than going back to school for computer science.
...well that and all the fascism espoused by tech CEOs.
Well, I want smart boots
I fucking hate the touchscreen in my vehicle.
I dont mind a secondary 8" screen for things like navigation as long as there is no control over functionality of the vehicle on said touch screen.
My 2016 Veloster has a perfect balance
After reading the article and the website, I can't find anything that explicitly says there is no network connection built into the vehicle.
The instrument panel is a screen, and will be used to display the backup camera video. There is some computer capable of handling video processing and displaying the instrument graphics - so more than just low-level electronics to handle the battery and drive control. It could have built-in GPS, it could have 5G, it could still be collecting and sharing data on driving habits &etc, it could be subsidized by that on the backend. Just because those functions aren't displayed to the end user doesn't mean they aren't in the system.
Oh yes I was not commenting on any of that. Data privacy and the reliability of computer hardware and software over time are separate issues.
I was just speaking from the basic-level user experience of operating a vehicle- touch screens are terrible. Pretty much everything you want to do in a car should have 3 requirements:
Keep your eyes on the road. Controls need to be in consistent locations and have some other way of communicating what they are and what their status is non-visually. Dials, knobs, buttons that lock in-or-out, switches, levers, sliders. Anything close together needs to be differentiated- buttons with different textures, shapes, or resistance for example. This is very difficult and almost antithetical to touchscreens. The strength of the touchscreens is their flexibility- they can have deep menus that re-use a small amount of space efficiently, but the trade-off is that they need the user's vision to work.
Non-visual feedback to the user for their activation. Touch screens CAN do this with haptics and sounds. And there are physical inputs where this can be a problem, like regular buttons or knobs with uniform shapes. Levers, sliders, switches, and dials have this as inherent properties
Response time. Touch screens on vehicles are usually underpowered and seem to take seconds to register an input, then apply it. If the music changes and is suddenly way too loud, it's annoying to be subjected to that for 5 seconds while navigating the touch screen and waiting for it to work, in contrast to a regular old volume potentiometer that operates basically instantly. Really any music or audio controls can get really annoying with delay, though I'll admit those are a luxury. Things like the lights are not.
Not a requirement, but cars should be judged on whether these things FEEL good. Touch screens have improved slightly over time with better materials and haptics, but that only applies to higher-end ones and still isn't great. Cheap physical inputs can suck too, though they are usually still better than touch screens.
Everything you describe could be handled by a single ESP 32 module but they probably do have much more computing power than that.
Other articles seem to indicate that it would need you to use your phone to perform updates on the onboard computer.
I guess this doesn't preclude the possibility of other types of embedded surveillance.
Hoping it doesn't have tracking 🤞
If they also make a 4wd version in the future then this would basically be the first new car I'd consider buying.
Edit: I emailed them and they said it doesn't have any data collection at all.
The vehicle will absolutely collect data, but likely won't be transmitting or collecting personal data (which is mostly done within vehicle infotainment units). It'll be stored within the hardware which is much more preferred but I'd still consider that "data collection".
Most vehicles have an Event Data Recorder (EDR) which records and stores vehicle data in the event of a collision/abnormal operation above a certain threshold. They're mandated in many countries. You can connect to these systems, some easier than others, and get vehicle data such as vehicle speed, accelerator pedal position, brake activation, changes in velocity, yaw rate, steering wheel angle, steering wheel angle rate of change, ABS/TC activation, number of ignition cycles, odometer readings, etc. Newer vehicles with enhanced safety systems (of which this vehicle doesn't sound like it's intended to have) can provide even more data including but not limited to proximity to a target object and camera images.
It's not data in the sense of personal or tracking data, but it's still data.
Fucking FINALLY.
I've been waiting for a small pickup like the old 90s 4-banger Toyota. And this is electric, simple for function, and actually affordable?
Capitalists must be seething. If it doesnt have leather interior, 19 speaker surround sound, and cost 80k, get it out of our country! /s
Small gas-powered trucks are effectively illegal in the US.
It's regulation made in response to automakers calling everything a "light truck" to get around fuel economy and emissions standards in the 90s and 2000s.The straw that broke the camel's back was the PT Cruiser being classified as a truck by Chrysler.
So, starting in model year 2012, vehicle fuel economy standards started being based on vehicle footprint. The side effect was that small, powerful vehicles designed for moving cargo more efficiently or in tighter spaces than large trucks were impacted. It's why 2011 was the last year model of the old Rangers, S10s, Dakota, etc.
That's why the new Rangers are larger than the old F150s. They have to make them bigger to meet CAFE standards.
Same issue hit the small cargo vans in 2021/22. As the CAFE standards went up, it became impossible to meet fuel economy standards for the NV200, Ford Transit Connect, and Ram ProMaster City compact cargo vans, so they were all discontinued.
New York City was changing its whole Taxi fleet to NV200s due to their flexibility and accessibility options, and now can't buy new ones because a Toyota Camry has less-strict fuel economy requirements.
What are the Maverick and Santa Cruz classified as? I think they fit the small or light truck category, if they are categorized as trucks at all.
A Maverick is a light truck in much the same way a 737 is a small plane. Sure there are bigger ones, but it's a 4 door truck with a 4 foot bed that's high enough to make loading and unloading harder than it needs to be. It's twice the weight and almost twice the size of a 70s/80s Toyota Pickup, which is a light truck.
A Nissan Hardbody is one of the small trucks people keep complaining aren't made anymore.
Dimensions of the 4 doors variant: length 5.1m, width 1.8m, height 1.7m
Maverick dimensions (biggest model just to prove the point): length 5.1m, width 1.84m, height 1.76m
It's the same thing with all trucks, compared to the equivalent model (i.e. not comparing a 2 doors with a crew cab like the anti truck crowd loves to do) modern trucks look much bigger but it's a design and height thing more than anything, their length and width hasn't increased that much, especially if you compare with cars of the same model over the same period (1985 Civic sedan vs 2025 Civic sedan for example).
If you think a 2nd and 8th gen Toyota Hilux are the same dimensions it might be time to visit an optometrist.
I'm saying the difference isn't a big as what some people pretend when you're comparing the same versions.
Short box regular cab vs long box crew cab, that's what people usually use as a comparison to prove their point even though it makes no sense to do so.
It does make sense, as regular cabs cannot be bought on new trucks. All of them are crew cabs, decreasing their utility and increasing their weight and size.
As far as the general argument. Look at the headlight and start height of a Ford ranger in 2002 vs today.
Twice the size how? Like, crew cab versus single cab? Not sure that's a fair comparison
I own two mavericks, it’s a fair comparison. They only look small because of the size of today’s vehicles… in the 1980’s you’d see most of today’s lifted trucks in a monster truck rally.
Oh yes, that part is obvious. I was more curious where "twice the size" came from, especially if comparing a four-door truck to a two-door single cab which I'd argue isn't a fair comparison. Although, they don't make the maverick in a single cab do they?
Hybrids meet CAFE.
But their towing and carrying capacity versus the old Rangers and S-10s is pitiful.
Light trucks, which means less CAFE regulation. Same classification as crossovers (why crossovers are so popular).
That's not accurate. "Light Truck" also includes a crew cab F150 with an extended bed that requires a Sherpa to enter. The Maverick and an F150 have the same standards, but weighted based on vehicle footprint.
But the Maverick standard model is a hybrid, so it meets CAFE standards.
If you're comparing a crewcab Ranger to a 2-door F150, sure, but that's not really a valid comparison.
Comparing equivalent configs tells a different story: every crewcab F150 is taller, longer, and wider than a new crewcab Ranger. The 10th gen and earlier (pre-2004) F150s, which are shorter than 11th gen+ F150s, are still bigger when compared to the Ranger in equivalent configurations.
People can't seem to figure that out, to them a truck is a truck is a truck even though they're the vehicles with the most variations in size for a same model built the same year.
Don't get too excited about seething capitalists. Bezos is a major investor.
Article said it caught his interest, which to me means he took notice and will likely try to own it and enshitify it soon, not that he is currently behind it.
He's one of 16 investors. Source:
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a64564869/2027-slate-truck-revealed/
With all that user upgradability it's basically free real-estate for enshittification. Surley, the users don't know what they want.
Bezzzos
Relatively affordable. It is 20k after the federal discounts and kick backs. Meanwhile, the Chinese EV market has been making cars as low as 4k. https://greenspeedx.com/cheap-electric-cars-available-in-china/
I'm not a pro China person (because one time in Ark, a Chinese team kept destroying my thatch base), but they seem to have the things. Apparently Mexico is aiming to compete in the EV market as well.
If by "the things" you mean underpaid labor, then yes.
And state subsidies.
Oh, the US has state subsidies too. They just get pocketed by execs.
America used to have the things as well but then there was a civil war and it got banned.
semi-banned, under conditions*
Even Europe has a tariff for EVs from China due to government subsidies. So it’s probably not 4K, but it’s also probably less than 25
You might ask yourself what it is that allows them to produce and sell a brand new vehicle for $4k, basically the same price as a high-end PC or a couple of high-end smartphones.
I dunno. Isn’t that what we need? Gov subsidy to increase the adoption of ev?
We might hit the Jevons paradox pretty hard though.
Mostly automation and sensible regulations. Also direct to consumer sales with third party dealerships not really existing for new cars. Also generally a lower cost of living allowing for lower wages and thus lower labor costs for the non automated parts.
Why is it that China is the only country on the planet able to sell new vehicles for this cheap? Surely other countries have automation and sensible regulations too.
They genuinely aren't, Muerza in South Africa and a variety of other local brands across Africa and Asia have cheap cars.
China cuts it down further by completely subsidizing education and opening vocational schools near factories that specialize in what those factory owners need, allowing hyper specialization. When you have an entire neighborhood able to produce all the parts of a car, instead of importing parts from across the world and assembling it like us car manufacturers do, you're able to massively cut costs.
All manufacturing in china takes this approach of having almost enclaves of specialized knowledge and factories, and is genuinely an engineers wet dream to work in since you can get any part you could possibly want the same day, even if you just designed the part yesterday.
Microraptors
So "chickens" basically?
Chickens that dismount you and knock you out
Yeah, I'm pretty hype for this. It's got just the basics of what's needed, and if you want to mod it with upgrades you can.
I only wish there was a way to make it AWD/4WD, and if there was a way for it to tow a little more weight, then it'd be perfect.
As it is now, it's still a very compelling concept that I might get into as outside of towing, it solves all the things I need a truck for.
Capitalists funded this, that's one the benefits of capitalism, if the market is only offering pricey crappy products that people don't enjoy buying, theres an opening in the market that can be filled with a company selling people exactly what they want and need.
framework truck😭
This is 100% it.
All I want is a modular car system. Everything modular. Dashboard. Body panels. Whatever. I want 3+ cars possible on one frame, and to not need anything more than basic tools to swap parts around.
You wanna drive a FOSS OmniMech and so do I
I do. I really do.
Gm said they'd build a sled drivetrain that they could just plop bodies on top of but that never happened sadly.
Wonder why? Seems to me like a money printing machine for them, the factory and non- factory repair shops and the aftermarket.
Unless it's seen as a way to hide your car from illegal activities, which well now that I think about it is probably the reason they didn't follow through with the idea.
Probably a balance between it would make it cheap for them to produce, but also bring down the barrier to entry for third party manufacturers to compete with them.
If only that money wouldn't be partially going into the pockets of Bezos, it would be amazing.
And while easily replacable panels and such are a good thing. Having the mounting screws exposed like that is a horrendus idea. Because I suspect I know what much younger and very drunk people would do, based on the Mercedes hood ornaments I have in a box somewhere.
I don't really see a downside to this, so why not line Bezos pockets if he is providing¡g a sane alternative?
As an FYI, (In the United States) all modern cars will have to have some kind of screen (whether built in the mirror, on the dash, or as part of the gauge system) as all cars are required to have backup cameras as of 2018.
Starting in 2029 all cars will be required to have automatic braking technology as well.
We're never going to be able to purchase new cars that are completely dumbed down ever again, but with how many lives it will save I'd say it's worth it.
I'm glad that there are some companies that are willing to offer cars with the bare minimum of features at least. I personally would prefer having automatic windows over crank, but if someone wants to save money more power(har har) to them!
EDIT: weather vs whether Braking vs breaking
Way over-thinking it.
Europe and Japan 10-15 years ago all had radios with 4x6 inch no-touch displays for pre-loaded GPS with no internet connection. They switch to backup cameras when in reverse.
America doesn't need to invent anything here, this is old technology widely used by large parts of the rest is the world.
Can we get another edit for braking instead of breaking, please? Surely all this fancy new-fangled tech never breaks? 😉
Dammit! Lol
As an FYI, they mention both of these in the article
It has airbags..
They aren't mentioned in this article, but it does evidently have airbags. Where are you getting this info?
I'd be surprised if people couldn't put in a simple and cheap aftermarket deck and a couple speakers, which would only be around a couple hundo. If these things are easy to work on so you can install it yourself, even better.
I had a truck without a working stereo so I just used some Bluetooth speakers
They absolutely are intending to provide aftermarket parts
Hopefully they've provided cutouts for speakers and a head unit so that they don't look like my old squarebody with 6x9's cut into the doors.
Standard DIN stereo slot, heat, and AC, and id buy it in a heartbeat.
You don’t even need a stereo. Bluetooth amp and a phone/tablet holder.
Id prefer to at least have the slot for one as an option. I grew up with professional aftermarket sound systems in cars (thanks for the tinnitus, dad) so it just wouldn't feel right to me.
That and android auto. There's nice options for head units with screens last i looked.
Seems built In speakers will be optional
I have a stereo in mine. Has BT. I still usually just roll with ear buds. Lol.
I don't care at all I almost prefer that. I have a Bluetooth headset I wear 90 percent of the time anyways.
You should not be wearing anything in or on your ears while driving.
The rise of headphones that allow you to hear the outside world while wearing them is gunna make that law obsolete
it's really not though. it's way easier to just not put on headphones than it is to put on headphones and prove you had them in pass through sound mode
I think they meant open ear style headphones / earbuds, not closed ear ones with pass-through function.
Personally, despite having a pair of those, and they are great, I still prefer using the car's speakers while driving, but that's me.
then i'm confused because those aren't new. those are the oldest designs on the market
You're right, but those old ones kinda suck. Recently, they figured how to make them sound good. Example: Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, but every major brand has some
You make it seem like someone would put on their headphones just for the ride. They would have them on already before hand. And they would keep them on afterwards.
Especially in a vehicle that doesn't have a radio
why would we make driving rules surrounding that exactly one vehicle doesn't have speakers and some headphones have passthrough?
Yes, cause we know for the rest of history this will be the ONLY car that does this. Technology never follows through with removing stuff like other have.
On a side note, how's your headphone jack doing on your phone?
Make sure you say that to the cop while he writes your ticket
You know whats crazy? I've been practicing a lot recently, and I can take off my headphones in less than a minute. I know that's absolutely insane and kinda unbelievable, but it's true. Maybe one day it'll even be so easy it only takes a fraction of a second to take them out.
One can only hope!!
Relax I use aftershocks bone conducting headsets.
Motorcycle riders wear ear protection for wind noise.
completely different scenario. real apples to cats comparison
Understood, it kind of popped in my mind and I missed overall context.
Riders can hear better than people in cars even with earpro though.
There is also the Telo Truck. It's advertised as being as capable as a Toyota Tacoma, but the footprint of a Mini Cooper.
It's asthetic is more akin to the small trucks in Japan, though.
Edit: it does seem like it has more tech-forward features, but it is otherwise a relatively simple truck in a very manageable size.
Big bonus for Telo is that they support Right to Repair and are trying to use off-the-shelf parts where possible to enable end-user repairs. Oh and it isn't a unibody so, panels can be replaced if damaged.
Man that fucker is ugly
I love all the right to repair and simple features and small footprint, but God damn that is an ugly mother fucker. To the point I'd be a bit embarrassed to drive it
Lol same here dude. Having googly eyes and buck teeth on the front would be a visual improvement
"Ah it can't be as bad as all that"
Checks link
"Goddamn that is one fugly truck!"
It's honestly remarkable
I think my mother would've thrown away my childhood doodle if it looked like that
Remove the doors and roof and it MAY look better, this fucker would make a damn fine Dune buggy if it's able to roll bars installed.
Lmao please explain further
I’ve had a lowkey obsession with this truck for a few months now. Sure, the looks aren’t for everyone. But I would get one tomorrow if I could afford it.
I have an older Kia Soul EV that I absolutely love, but could use a truck bed from time to time. I also love kei trucks (I live in Hawai’i and they’re everywhere!). Small vehicles with clever use of space is my jam. And I will never go back from an EV unless I’m absolutely forced to. This Slate truck is kinda awesome as well. Gives old 80s pickup truck vibes and I’m here for it.
That glass roof is a hard sell for me. The truck I currently drive has a sunroof with no cover and I need to wear a hat just to drive comfortably on a sunny day. I never need to see straight up while driving.
I like the Telo, though it is about twice the price of the Slate.
They can advertise it as being as capable as a toyota tacoma as much as they want but it will never be true. The tacoma has been widely regarded as one of the most reliable trucks of all time and without getting exact numbers has way more cargo capacity than the telo. They should just market it and sell it for what it is. A much needed introduction to the world of micro trucks in urban spaces for north america.
I am excited, this is what my husband and I have been waiting for - a regular vehicle with no bells and whistles just to raise the price
I wonder how much petrol/diesel would cost if the government didn’t subsidise it. And if they were actually held liable for oil spills.
I'm at least glad it's not yet another bigger truck. I just want a vehicle to get from A to B that can actually fit things in the bed
Yup! And hopefully starts a new thing that other makers get behind!
:|
That's 25-27k for a new electric truck, that's not bad.
BRUH
It’s backed by Bezos. Wouldn’t even consider it for that reason alone.
The design is bad. The front trunk is a bad use of space, and the Japanese figured this out decades ago with the Kei truck. If you want to see real utility, look at this design.
Damn, an electric truck I might actually want. It's a shame it's made in America
My exact thought! I wish a Canadian startup did exactly that, I'd buy one immediately
Eddison? They aren't making a truck but hybrid kits to re fit into existing platforms. Using cummins 4 cylinder diesels. Plus they got topsy to hit the market soon.
Interesting thank you! Not yet the tiny no bells no whistles electric pickup I'm hoping for, but it's nice to see Canadian alternatives for things i didn't know we did!
Sign me THE FUCK up, have been looking at 90s danger rangers to sate my small truck fix but so many of them have a car-looking front end.
Agree. Elon... Err Doge will change regulatory rules until they run out of money.
Here is where Bezos makes sense. He is also evil, but he's actually smart, and can take on Elon. The last thing Elon needs right now is Bezos head on.
Why not?
I mean, those are all real problems, but you can say that about any company or product....
Weaponisation of venture capital?
I find this minimalism strangely appealing. Unfortunately, I do not live on a farm. I hope this thing is useful to those who do, though.
I hate that Bezos backed them
Features I look for in a car
How hard is this?
Kind of like what Steve Martin looks for in cars:
Legally, you need quite a few more features than this just to be able to sell it.
I would also include seats. And maybe doors. Also a windshield.
Overated
It has all of that except the radio x3
I thought I read that it has crank windows.
Please add the triangle windows.
Crazy how so many people have been begging for bare bones, affordable electric vehicles.
Then when one comes on the scene they do nothing but complain. Can't please anybody these days it seems.
Edit: sp
This is a truck I’d actually feel comfortable driving. Unlike those gender affirming, semi truck adjacent, embarrassing pavement princess trucks that you see everywhere now.
Definitely interested…
Please make a 4x4 model I will definitely buy one.
You know what... Give me an option for a bigger battery, and ensure that replacement batteries are going to be available for a while, and I'll definitely look into it.
The article says they will have a 240 mile battery upgrade available at some point, that can be done at some yet undisclosed service center (article assumes a car service chain).
Sweet. Hopefully those batteries will also be manufactured and sold for long enough for me to get at least one first party replacement, before having to deal with third party vendors.
The article mentions an upgradable battery
Plastic with no paint is not going to do well in places like the Southwest. But I’m sure that getting it painted or wrapped won’t be a huge deal.
Many vehicles have some sort of MIC paneling these days. It does fine in the SW.
You can paint it if you’d like.
It does fine for a few years, but eventually starts sun bleaching and looking terrible. Seen a lot of hacks to make it look better, but the plastic still gets brittle and dry. A coat of paint or spray on bed liner does wonders to fight that.
Seems like half the article is talking about paint.
I can't make 150 mile range work. That completely kills this one for me, personally.
Also, if it's 150 mile range, that means it's 100 miles with using the truck bed for light truck stuff, and probably a 75 mile range if it's cold out while doing truck stuff. Be great for a lot of people, but I have to get a 250 range for my viability.
Someone posted link to Telo trucks,
350 mile range according to the website, footprint is same as a minicooper
Can fit 8' sheets of plywlood or seating for 8 people depending on configuration of the midsection
Model is MT1 that states it.
If this thing is legit its a beast in a small package
Be legit right there. Ima go check it out.
*Edit: Holy shit that's an ugly looking truck. Lol
Still kinda bad ass, but the cool one will cost about $40,000
They have a larger battery available.
That's about good enough for my travels right there. They also going to sell a diy wrap kit for $500, but it seems they're not advertising the cost of the battery upgrade.
Sounds like a dream. Or public transport. It doesn't have touchscreen either.
Am I reading this right and it only offers 1000lb towing capacity? Isn't that kind of utterly useless?
Yep, furniture especially. A Queen-size bed is bad enough, but at least you can tie that onto the roof of most sedans. A table and some chairs? Some dressers? Doesn't matter how light they are, you run out of space real quick, and that's assuming you've got your Luggage Tetris skill maxed so you can cram everything in perfectly.
...or you could just set it all in the bed and put a net over it if you really wanna make sure it won't go anywhere. I know which one I prefer.
Fair enough, I guess I've been considering my own use case, which is moving lumber.
Wouldn't you put the lumber in the bed instead of on a trailer?
Lumbar can easily get longer than a truck bed.
If you need to tow something, sure. The vast majority of people who own a pickup don't tow jackshit. That goes for urban and rural areas.
Equivalent towing capacity of a Chevy Impala, so yes.
This is less of a truck and more of a truck-shaped go-kart.
I have an older Ranger. I don't do much truck stuff. The bulk cargo area is the draw, not the weight capacity. The heaviest load I carried was 800lbs of plywood, which was 15 sheets or something. I have a 4x8 trailer that can also help haul bulky household goods for moves, a motorcycle, lumber, or furniture. While the trailer is rated for 1700lbs payload and weighs 300lbs itself, I have never put more than 500lbs on it, despite filling the 4x8 floor stackef 4ft high. I made the trailer before getting the Ranger, so now they're redundant and never actually hauled together.
If you're already towing, this probably isnt the truck for you. If you aren't towing, it provides an option to tow something if you have to. The reason I chose the Ranger is because it's cheap, gets good fuel economy, and has the capacity to grab full lumber sheet goods on my commute home. While I could find a 30mpg car for the same price, I'm still in the mid 20s. Maybe I could spend 30k on a newer F150 V6 and get similar, but then it costs 10x what I paid. Bulk space and handling scratchy cargo is the main goal. I think of the Slate as being what the Ranger should've been now.
Fair enough
I don't need a truck, but this is perfect for people who want to take a bunch of mountain bikes out to the downhill mountain bike park. Throw 5-6 bikes in the back, take the riders in a separate car.
That said, I hope they come out with a smaller wagon or sedan with clearance (so a hitch can be installed for mountain bikes).
I didn't need a truck back when I bought an Isuzu pickup. But it was the cheapest new vehicle at the time and did come in handy. Didn't even have power steering or brakes.
Yeah, for towing that's basically useless unless you're only using it to tow around a wood splitter or something.
That said, my family has had a 1993 Ford ranger for many years. I'm pretty sure even with the 4-cylinder engine it still has a towing capacity several times that much, but we have never towed anything with it. We have gotten a lot of use out of it as a truck though, moving furniture, camping gear, small loads of firewood, trips to the hardware store, etc.
I can also potentially see this being big for certain fleet vehicles. Growing my dad worked on a military base as a civilian in their wastewater treatment plant. Part of his job involved driving around the base once a day or so to take water samples from a couple places. The public works department had a couple small trucks, Chevy S10 I think, that he'd use for that. They got used by other public works employees, never for anything particularly heavy duty but they did occasionally tote around some bulky tools, equipment, materials, but a significant amount of what they used them for could probably have used a golf cart. I'd be amazed if those trucks went 10 miles most days, they sat most of the time, kind of a perfect sort of situation for them to sit on a charger.
Ranger fam unite! 4cyl towing is only 3500 I think. Less than a car+trailer because that's what people always ask about in the ranger community. And that's with the proper frame hitch. The bumper is like class 2
It does only have the bumper, I've never looked into it because we've never needed to tow anything. We have the long bed so anything we've ever needed to haul fit in there just fine.
I love that truck. It has yet to hit 100k miles because until the last couple years my parents had 3 vehicles and especially now that they're retired they never really go anywhere anyway.
And for a 32 year old truck, it still gets pretty decent gas mileage, pretty damn close to 20mpg, the new rangers don't beat that by much.
It's not without its downsides, it's rwd so it's kind of shitty on anything but dry pavement unless you have some weight in the bed, and it's 0-60 time is probably best stated as "eventually," but it's done everything I've ever needed a truck to do.
If Ford came out with basically that exact truck with a modern engine to get better gas mileage but otherwise kept the performance the same, it would probably be my next vehicle. Wouldn't mind AWD/4wd too but I could live without.
I really like the maverick but the small bed is kind of a deal breaker. I've heard some rumors that they may add a midgate in a couple years to open the bed up into the back seat so if they do that I'm probably sold.
My 98 has the 2.5 Lima/Pinto, the slightly larger version of the 2.3 in your 90s Ranger, and consistently hits 21mpg on 50mph highway with traffic lights. My buddy with a 94 2.3 also gets about 20. However, I've read lots of good things about the 2.3 Duratech/Mazda L that started in 01. I just picked up a 2008 in much better condition but have yet to check the fuel economy. It'll be interesting going from a clapped out long bed to a short bed with a hard tonneau and a bedrug liner. But, realistically, I'm driving empty 95% of the time so I'll take the cover for a little extra aero.
I've looked at the maverick as well. The price (of any newer car) is the main reason I went with an old ranger. That's neat about the midgate, I hadn't heard about that. While the 4ft bed of course reduces cargo space, my main concern is about long lumber. With an adjustable tailgate angle and bed pockets for cross boards giving it 6ft of support, the community seems perfectly happy with it for 8ft goods. That'd be awesome if a midgate fit 4ft wide goods through it, almost containing 8ft from rear seats to tilted tailgate. And a 40mpg hybrid? I'm in... Except for the price right now.
Just as an FYI, aerodynamics can be a little complicated, it depends on the exact vehicle, the speeds you're going, etc. but there's a lot of cases where a tonneau cover will actually hurt your mpg.
Price is definitely the thing holding me back from a new vehicle as well, even though the maverick is one of the more affordable trucks out there it's still too rich for my blood. I have a friend who just got one though, so I plan on using him as a guinea pig for the next few years until a new car is hopefully in my budget.
my trailer weighs like 350lb total, that gives me 650lb to haul in it still
I will buy this immediately if it's even close to this price point.
Lost me at “American”.
they lost me at automatic high beams. we don't need more cars on the road with LED high beams blinding everybody within two kilometers
Automatic means they turn on and off automatically so it actually cuts down on the problem you’re describing
That's the theory and it sounded great in the adverts. But in my experience, "automatic" means on by default and most folks don't think about them, creating the problem- we're all blind because the damn things come on too much. To work properly, they'll have to know where the city limits are, not just trigger at "x" lumens level. And while we're temporarily blinded, "Fooly Automasted Slef Driving" will probably kill us before that happens...
I've never seen the sensors on mine miss, 2022 vehicle though. In fact my brights sometimes turn off for any red light along the road and reflective signs.
That said, the LED headlights without the brights on are bright enough and people constantly think the brights are on when they are not. I always think about the brights and am at the ready to manually disable them.
The headlights themselves are too bright, and there's no lower lumen off-white options it seems. Just full boar white. It used to be you weren't allowed to install headlights this bright, but then billionaires paid and lobbied for rules to allow a pass if the vehicles rolled off the lot with them, and 20 years later.. here we are. Not even sure the old rule still exists in any form.
that is very inaccurate
they often don't work until after they've already flashbanged you, and they don't recognize anything but vehicles
They don't work well enough to justify their legality
I hate to break it to you bud, but pretty much every single vehicle sold in the last 5 years or so are equipped with LED headlights.
and fuck every single one of them
I am physically unable to drive after sundown because those headlights fuck so hard with my light sensitivity. I can't see anything, it feels like someone slowly stabbing your eyes with a pencil.
Admittedly not the smartest thing to do, but I now keep a reflective umbrella in the car for when my partner is driving and one of those assholes decides to tailgate.
And no buyers
You know, I like the design. If I can take a wrench to it and customise it or repair broken stuff easily and for cheap, even better.
The range is kinda meh, but for working in remote sites, bringing a diesel generator is already par for the course, and that bed looks like it fits a lot of stuff.
No stereo sucks though.
I often drive long distances for work, and I NEVER listen to the radio. All my listening is through headphones off my phone. I even keep a spare pair charging at all times. Not only does it sound a million times better than any crappy car system, it's far easier to take phone calls. I hate holding my phone while driving. It's also easier to hear the map navigation lady.
This is unsafe at best. Illegal at worst.
Counterpoint: Deaf people are allowed to drive
I spend a lot of time in traffic, and this is very very common. Usually younger drivers, I have android auto so it doesn't interest me. Cops don't seem to care
Nonsense, how is it either?
Too loud? I'm a musician, I value my hearing, so I don't play anything too loud. I always use earbuds, so I can always hear emergency vehicles. Besides, I've heard plenty of car speaker systems that were loud enough to block out sirens easily.
Illegal? In what way? In states that have banned holding phones, they encourage hands-free phone calls. If speaking on the phone is considered a distraction, then why isn't speaking to another passenger, or listening to music? Both would be just as distracting as a hands free call. Modern cars all connect to a cell phone automatically, and take calls through the speaker system. If it's illegal, then why are car companies allowed to install them as standard equipment? I don't use that system only because I like the audio quality of my ear buds far more.
By your logic, sound systems and phones in cars should just be totally illegal.
Edit: Wow, I thought there were a lot of judgemental old ladies on Reddit, I expected less on Lemmy. Time to ban sound systems and passengers because we can't have anybody getting the slightest bit distracted. I don't know what the problem is anyway, in my city, the traffic is so bad at any tine of the day, that nobody can drive over 25 mph, even on the highway.
Only 6 states ban headphones in both ears.
I've driven hundreds of thousands of miles, and never had anyone question it. I'm not stopping now.
Its illegal to drive with headphones in most of Europe. You can use a one-ear headpiece to make calls, but not full blown headphones.
This, along a bunch of other rules that I'm sure you think are absolutely stupid, are probably why so many Americans die on road accidents when compared to the rest of the world.
In most states that don't have specific laws about them its considered distracted driving. I wouldn't wear them because it opens you up to legal scrutiny if you do fuck up while driving. Insurance will throw you under the bus the moment they can prove you had headphones on.
Headphones are considered like ear plugs. A tendency to block out surrounding noises like horns and sirens.
I use earbuds, not headphones, but use the terms interchangeably. I don't have any problems hearing emergency vehicles. If you are using them so loudly you can't hear sirems, then you are going to go deaf soon anyway, and by your logic, deaf people shouldn't be allowed to drive, right?
And whether you can hear properly or not, it's still not illegal.
Looks like it's illegal in 17 states, some with various exemptions for using a single earbud either for anything or for select purposes only.
Depending on the earbud/phone design, even if off they can really reduce your ability to hear the world. Sure playing an open stereo too loud can have a similar effect, but it's much easier to drown out things when your ear is stuffed or fully covered, without some sort of audio passthrough system.
What the fuck?! Why would you ever drive with headphones?
Driving with headphones is illegal in most, if of not all of Europe, for what I though were rather obvious reasons...
Your car just has a shitty sound system in it. That experience is in no way representative of most vehicles. I drive almost 200 miles a day.
I spent much of my career in the music business, with a significant portion in the audiophile audio business. ALL car stereo systems are a shitty compromise to real high quality audio.
I used to have a 2006 Dakota quad cab with a better sound system than most living rooms. There is a reason car audio is a giant market. I can't even take you seriously.
I'd build a mount for my DeWalt speaker that I'm already taking to my job sites who cares about a stereo
Hell yes, take my money. As long as it's not a limit and manages to keep its range and I can get parts fuck yes
Getting closer to what I want, which is a reasonably sized and priced EV truck built for actual utility. I'm ok with it leaving out all the extras that I don't need, and hopefully that means it isn't also going to be tracking people and harvesting their data.
My biggest objection to the truck itself is that it's still trying to look like an ICE truck. There's no engine in front, you could easily slide the cab forward a bit to make room for a larger bed. I would much rather have a tiny frunk and an 8 foot bed, even if it means making the whole thing slightly longer. It's shorter than a corrolla, so it's not like they couldn't add a little length to the design if necessary.
Bezos being involved is also a massive turn off, but than I'm not sure who is going to go into mass manufacturing EVs without some rich asshole funding it.
I love cab over trucks but the one thing I have experienced is the ride quality difference between an unloaded cab over and an unloaded pickup truck. The pickup wins every time due to physics. I think the other two reasons for them to pick an ICE truck look would be the limited space for covered/enclosed storage (not much of any in a cab over) and customers being used to that look. Look at the Canoo EV. That think checks all my boxes for design but is expensive and caked in features that I don’t care about.
This is a small truck. To meet safety standards without adding a lot more cost and weight, you need that front end space for a crumple zone.
How are they going to get around the backup camera requirement? I guess it could be done through your phone but that sounds like it might be a support nightmare.
It does say "no touchscreen", not "no screen". I'm betting it will have a small screen for the backup camera, with no touch elements.
It has a small screen in the speedometer.
Europe and Japan had backup cameras with no touchscreen on cars 10-15 years ago. The radio head unit just switches from a small 4x6 inch LCD display to back up camera when in reverse.
The article states it will display the backup camera feed on the dashboard screen
The rear view mirror has been used in The past as a mini screen and I liked it. And if you unhook the camera in my Ford it would flash the little screen blue for a moment then realize nothing was hooked up and would turn off. Though you could just unhook the mirror connector and it would be just a mirror as well if you want to disassemble the interior to unplug it.
The kei truck comparison seems apt. This seems like it's for people who need a runner for their ranch or farm, or local town handyman work.
One of my neighbors has a kei truck and I want one so bad.
Like, I love the functionality of a pickup, but they are wildly impractical for everyday use...not to mention the...implications....
Something cheap enough to be an auxiliary vehicle, that can carry 4x8 sheet goods and 12ft boards without much hassle would be awesome though.
As it is now, we have two cars (A VW Passat (sedan) and a Honda Odyssey (minivan)). The minivan can carry 4x8 goods and 12ft dimensional lumber, but it requires removing the middle row. Kind of a pain in the ass. It's rather uncommon to need both cars at the same time (but still comes in clutch, pardon the pun, when we do need it)...generally the sedan is for solo trips and the minivan is for family outings. I'd replace the Passat with a kei in a heartbeat.
No stereo is fine if it has ports for me to just buy my own car stereo kit and add it afterwards. I don't see the point of no paint, like don't you need it to protect the metal from the environment
Since incentives are being killed, it will probably be about $30k. Still looks like a good design
What I would love to see for a pickup like this is a rentable battery slab you could drop into the bed and temporarily boost the mileage for longer trips.
Perfect except for it being a truck. Why is North America allergic to small cars?
Wait. Why the hell wouldn't you paint it? Does it at least have a clear coat?
For those who don't feel like reading an article: solid plastic panels.
Is it a networked surveillance nightmare?
Frugal design. I love it.
Glad someone has the balls to produce a truck people actually want. Give me power windows, locks, radio, cruise and a cheap radio and I am fine. I guess I throw in 4x4 because I live in Colorado.
I would love to also see an ice or a hybrid version of this truck too. This is exactly want so many people are wanting right now. Very excited to see this EV when it hits the road
This is like the electric version of the bare-bones Toyota ICE pickup
The msrp of this truck is $28000. For having nothing in it that is absurd. Not to mention the rebates put it at 20k but you still have to pay upfront which deters most people from getting. Overall shit truck, shit design, shit price.
Reserved
I am really excited for this as a DIYer and Maker
Can't wait for the 3D printed mods.
Aftermarket stereo market here I come, haven't had to buy one of those in a long time.
So, zero safety features.
The tests I’m sure are less stringent across the board under this administration.
A bargain!
From caranddriver with no sign-in requirement.
Sounds nice. I do like highway lane following, but not essential.
I don't even want a truck or an electric car (at this point), but I would love to own this.
This is big time give it to me now.
See, tariffs work!
/s
Shut up and take my money!!!
No stereo is the only thing I would change
Goddamnit!
Now make it a panel van and I'll be interested
Make it 10k-12k and it would be a yes if parts and repair ability were guaranteed for 10 years.
I want one. The ONLY thing that would stop me is the rear-wheel drive. We get a lot of snow and rear-wheel and snow are not compatible.
Because a decafe old TN panel touchscreen and a lick of paint was what made cars 70k.
But does it break when water ?
Aight but does it have cruise control? If so it's still too much. But they're almost there.
Just the basic one or adaptive cruise control?
Yes, more of this please!
No idea why it has no stereo though. That feels like a pretty basic feature. Doesnt even need to be built in. Just iso standard head unit bay would do.
Reminds of the first VW Beetle under fucking Hitler. One color, black. I wish Toyota would introduce their Hilux Champ to the North American market.
The Hilux is a perfect example of why tariffs won't work the way Trump wants them to. The Hilux is not offered to the North American market because a retaliatory tariff applied over 60 years ago due to a trade dispute involving chicken (it is now known as "the chicken tax") the original reasons for which are largely forgotten to modern consumers, yet the tariff has remained in place ever since. Rather than incentivizing the makers of trucks like the Hilux to move production to the US to bypass the tariff, instead the market for such trucks simply vanished, and manufacturers never bothered investing any effort to bring it back, because... why would they? There's no profit in it for them.
The tariff hangs over the entire product category like a sword of damocles. Nobody will import them here, because they would need to be specially customized to meet domestic regulations and customers won't pay for the tariff on the imports nevermind the redesign, so all they would be left with is a bunch of unsellable prototypes . And since there's no way to test the viability of their products in the market, nobody can make a case to invest in building them here either, because the tariff could be gone tomorrow and they would instantly be put out of business by cheaper imports of the rich variety of light cargo vehicles used throughout the world. The tariff creates an insurmountable risk/reward mismatch that no sane company can ignore.
You can argue and nitpick about economics all you want, the proof is in the economy itself. If you think tariffs work, go ahead and buy a Toyota Hilux. I'll wait. Some people have been waiting 60 years. It still hasn't happened. And it's not going to.
This looks awesome.
No touchscreen, but you bet your ass it has a computer and a cell phone tracking you.
Paywalled.
Anyone got a battery range on this vehicle?
150 miles per charge
Thanks.
Good luck, independent car manufacturers usually get bankrupted out of business directly or indirectly by a market dominated by traditional car manufacturing lobbies designed to be replete with minefields that usually go up in difficulty just before it's supposed to reach mass production. There have been plenty of innovative EV designs that have died off because of this, and it's telling how much power those lobbies have when its the one thing countries will unite against to keep Chinese competition off of their borders.
Already tired of seeing this cool car and now I’m already seeing more “fuck car” articles and post; as well as countries wanting to limit cars on the road. Something is at foot
5ft bed and auto high beams, no thanks
Completely fabricated for the sake of fundraising.
But its made out of unsellable cybertruck bits?
Yes, please!
We need a wider range of vehicle prices on the market. I bet a lot of people would go for barebones models for cheap if they had the option.
What's with the American obsession with pickups? Hard to find a worst design when it comes to practicality. You carry extra people way more often then huge loads. If you do need to carry big loads just get a van, at lest your cargo is protected from the weather and people. If you don't carry extra people or cargo get a smaller car. Almost no one uses pickups in Europe and everyone is still getting their job done. Where I live most old farmers just use this:
I find a pickup to be quite practical in my line of work. Mine is regularly packed to the brim and I'm from Europe as well.
As long as it isn't a stupid big boat like the Americans.
You just don’t know how to use a pickup. Besides, what do you think SUVs are for? People+Crap
They do have an option to turn it into a 2 door 5 seat SUV style setup so that's something.
To start, yes many people get a truck that shouldn't, so no arguments there. But to think a van is just blanket superior undermines your point. They have different use cases really (I've never seen a welding van for example).
For example, as a truck owner who can only afford one vehicle, and who uses their vehicle for personal and work, a van would be no good for my needs. The vehicle needs to be able to haul both people when not in use for work (so crew cab is a must) and large/gross/messy stuff when it is. My tools need to be kept separate from the messy things, and those messy things don't need protection (and it'd be harder to load/unload them if covered like in a van anyways).
Plus, all the work vans I've seen in my area are bigger than my truck anyways so that's kinda funny.
Want!
This sounds like they are going to deliver a truck that everyone is going to want/need to upgrade at least something, and are depending on this post-production upsell to keep things going. Reminds me of the Apple tax of only bare minimum RAM and you can pay a premium to upgrade it to something usable. And for Slate this fits well with the "customer can service/upgrade everything outside of battery stuff" as this lowers their overhead, and then are making a deal with a chain to do the servicing as the only alternative (and depending on which chain that is, and if the one near you is run well, could make this wildly different experience).
Oh fuck. Where buy
They could have put a screen in it so I can hook up my phone to it!
That's like the one thing I care about in the car being able to use android auto!
Sure, but it's American, so it'll somehow shit out a connecting rod around 150,000 miles and will cost $8000 to repair.
Edit: some of you clearly missed the joke.
Do EVs have connecting rods? The article does go into right to repair, sounds like the company is pro DIY repair so that's promising at least.
No, EVs don't have any connecting rods, that was the joke.
The chances of this ever being sold Zero.
Explain yourself!
Gross. Cars are a dead end for humanity.