Slate Auto opens first ever test drive and experience center in Chicago
https://electrek.co/2026/10/15/slate-opens-first-ever-test-drive-and-experience-center-in-chicago/Open linkView original on piefed.caSyndicated from the fediverse. Read and engage on the original instance.
View original on piefed.cahttps://electrek.co/2026/10/15/slate-opens-first-ever-test-drive-and-experience-center-in-chicago/Open linkView original on piefed.ca
17 replies
To my knowledge this is still the only EV pickup with just two seats yet it still only has the same size bed as a full-size pickup with crew cab. Apparently not even the new Hilux EV is available with a short cab and a 180cm (6ft) bed which is insane. I get that most people buy these as family vehicles and the demand for an actual work truck is lower but come on, it's a pickup truck for crying out loud.
Its the same size as a fifth gen hilux with a short bed option. Slate likely will make a long bed option in the future, but a short bed is hardly a deal breaker for a compact truck.
It can be converted to a small SUV with an extra kit from the factory, so it can accommodate more passengers if needed.
But it can't be converted to have a 6ft bed which is what I need.
Ah my bad, misread your original comment.
The bed is only 5’. Any truck that actually gets used as a truck will be 6’ (which will be 8’ with the tailgate down) or 8’.
Amusing. Clearly you've never driven in the Midwest where you'll see a ranger stacked over the cab with scrap metal crawling down the highway on a daily basis.
Luckily I am not American.
Oh so maybe not everyone needs a brodozer to get the job done, go figure.
I am very tempted to order one. I want to wait for the initial reviews, though.
The major criticism I have right off the bat is the body isn't actually painted and as a result their "optional" wraps actually aren't optional if you don't want to risk having to replace the whole damn body in a few years.
You can also get a UV coating applied every year or so, I believe, just be aware that in order to save themselves a little bit of sticker price and to sell their wraps they've locked you into a significant ongoing maintenance cost in either coatings or wrap replacements.
So of course now your "environmentally friendly" EV is shedding its plastic skin every three years. From Slate's quoting on the wrap price the wrap replacement does seem fairly affordable though (assuming that's not early incentive pricing), just be aware the lifetime maintenance is going to be higher than you're used to.
There's a very large part of me that wonders if the entire goal of this is to solve the EV manufacturing dilemma of not having as much recurring revenue from replacement engine parts.
With how diy it is, I'd be tempted to just roll some paint on. I saw someone do it on an old car and it didn't look half bad. Since you can take the panels off it might be pretty easy.
Edit: I tried to find a video I saw about it many many years ago, it might have been the first guy to document it, because I seem to recall it being a wild idea at the time. But apparently the rustoleum roller paint job is super popular now, I had no idea! There's a million videos on YouTube about it, seems like.
Spreading on Plastidip is the way to go over roller painting a car. If I got a Slate it's what I would do.
The body is... plastic. Its the same material used by Saturn which is still holding up today.
Crazy how the paint on the truck makes the header photo look like a 3d render!
I really hope they make a barebones sedan next. Not too safe to keep a dog in the passenger seat
It's because it's a vinyl wrap, not paint.
Well, no. It may be a vinyl wrap but it looks fake because it's matte. A glossy wrap wouldn't have the same illusion