Abstract
- The Slate Truck promised to be an reasonably priced, customizable, and primary 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 reminiscent of a bigger battery or SUV equipment.
- The Slate faces competitors from the Ford Maverick, which affords 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 might have made it not solely the most affordable EV by far, however one of many least expensive autos within the US.
The identify Slate referred to the clean slate you’ll 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, no radio. You possibly can drive it as is, which appealed to many, or modify it as you need — even flip it right into a five-seat SUV must you select. You were not pressured to pay for options you didn’t notably want, however when you 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.
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Slate overview
Some info, loads of conjecture
It is tough to match the Slate and the Ford Maverick. They’re each small pickups with related entry-level pricing. That’s the sum complete of what they’ve in frequent. The Slate is just attributable to launch in 2027, though you possibly can reserve one now for $50.
The essential Slate
It is a very primary 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.
Although the Slate Truck is significantly primary, it does include fairly first rate security options, together with:
- Traction management
- Digital stability management
- Computerized emergency braking
- Good entrance and facet airbags
- Backup digital camera
- Pedestrian ID
- Ahead collision warning
- Auto excessive beam
As an alternative of an infotainment display 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 primary promoting factors of the Slate is that you simply purchase the fundamental truck after which add what you need. You’ll be able to wrap it in any colour 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 can be a preferred selection, however these will add to the worth that is already underneath stress. 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 burden of the truck, making it slower. However the greatest value in an EV is the battery, and this and the price of the SUV equipment may push the Slate into pricing territory the place it should compete head-on with fairly severe EVs just like the Chevy Equinox.
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Maverick overview
The one small hybrid truck
The Ford Maverick is a small pickup with a crew cab that seats 5. It is accessible in a variety of trims, with engine choices of FWD or AWD. The XL is the fundamental mannequin that competes with the Slate in worth and comes commonplace with a hybrid powertrain and FWD. The one different small pickup available on the market is the Hyundai Santa Cruz, however that’s solely accessible with an ICE.
Maverick XL
The Maverick XL is a primary 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 could be method 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 help 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 conserving
- Adaptive cruise management
Pickup skills
We purchase vans for work or way of life, or a little bit of each. If you select a pickup, somewhat than a crossover, there are a couple of truck-specific issues to think about.
|
Slate |
Maverick |
|
|
Load mattress size |
5 ft |
4.5 ft |
|
Payload |
1,400 lbs |
1,500 lbs |
|
Towing capability |
1,000 lbs |
2000 lbs/4,000 lbs with equipment |
The Slate has a 7-cu-ft frunk, which the Maverick doesn’t. The Maverick can all the time carry 5 folks and cargo within the load mattress, whereas the Slate can carry two plus load mattress, or 5 with no load mattress.
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Selecting a truck in a time of change
Rather a lot 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 experiences 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 final international 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 develop into available, there can be nothing stopping Ford from making an EV Maverick both.
