this post was submitted on 25 Apr 2025
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Range

  • Small battery range: 240km
  • Big battery range: 385km

Motor

  • Motor: Single motor, rear wheel drive
  • Power: 150kW
  • Torque: 264Nm
  • 0-100km: 8s
  • Top speed: 145km/h

Dimensions

  • Bed length: 1.5m
  • Vehicle length: 4.4m
  • Vehicle height: 1.8m
  • Vehicle width: 1.8m

Comparison

  • 2025 Kia Niro length: 4.4m
  • 2025 Ford Maverick length: 5.1m
  • 1985 Toyota Pickup/Hilux length: 4.7m

Weights

  • Curb weight 1634kg
  • Max payload 650kg
  • Max towing 454kg

Charging

  • Port: NACS
  • Onboard charger: 11kW
  • Level 1 AC, 3.6kw, 20-100%: 11h
  • Level 2 AC, 11kW, 20-100%: under 5h
  • Level 3 DC, 120kW, 20-80%: under 30m

Safety

  • Traction Control
  • Electronic Stability Control
  • Forward Collision Warning
  • Automatic Emergency Braking
  • 2-stage Driver/Passenger Airbags
  • Full Length Side Curtain Airbags (Truck 2) (SUV 4)
  • Seat Side Airbags (2)
  • Backup Camera
  • Pedestrian Identification
  • Auto High Beam

More info

(page 2) 50 comments
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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 day ago

Tbh, I'm super into this. Especially if the range could be extended slightly or if the truck is somewhat hackable.

But then... Bezos. Ugh.

[–] [email protected] 129 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (34 children)

Aside from being backed by Bezos, this seems like Lemmy the car. Under 20K, an EV, no stupid touch screen, designed to be repaired and modded, and even crank windows.

I bet the catch, aside from Bezos, is the range or charge speed.

[–] [email protected] 100 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (10 children)

I don't think that it has a cell modem, either, because it sounds like it eschews a baked-in entertainment computer:

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a64564869/2027-slate-truck-revealed/

Roll-down windows come standard, as do manually adjustable rearview mirrors. An audio or infotainment system is noticeably missing, too. Instead, your cellphone or tablet serves these functions, with a dock for the former included and one for the latter available as an optional accessory. Better like the sound coming out from your phone or tablet's speakers, too, because the Slate lacks speakers, though the brand's accessory division will gladly hook you up with a set.

Honestly, if you took my last year of comments complaining about privacy-infringing cars and those complaining about changes to what a truck is, this does kind of look to be addressing both. Gotta see what the actual production vehicle is like in real life, of course, but...

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/advice/mini-truckin-returns-slate-unveils-old-school-style-affordable-electric-pickup

When I say the truck is small, I mean it. At 174.6 inches, it’s about 2 feet shorter in overall length than the 2025 Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. And to use the Wayback Machine to a time when compact pickups were actually compact, it’s roughly the same size as the compact pickups of 1980: the Toyota truck, Chevy LUV and Ford Courier. Notably, no other automakers have offered trucks of this size in America since the mid 1990s.

Yeah, like the "inexpensive, no-frills utility vehicle" that pickups originally were.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 22 hours ago

100% in agreement with all your points. Simplicity and modular! Look how well the original mustang did, because you could actually get what you wanted. That has disappeared completely now

[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 day ago (5 children)

because the Slate lacks speakers,

I mean, I get they need to cut costs, but come on.... a damn radio wouldnt have killed them

[–] [email protected] 1 points 14 hours ago

You can get them, but I kind of like the idea of just a Bluetooth third-party speaker

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 day ago (7 children)

The Citroen AMI doesn't have speakers either, it comes with a Bluetooth speaker instead, which you can use outside the car. It makes sense if you just think of the entertainment stuff as something that shouldn't be part of the car and can easily be upgraded/replaced down the line.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 22 hours ago

Agreed. It's a car. I have an entertainment system at home and great speakers for listening. Cars suck for actual listening quality anyways.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

As long as it gets 50+ miles range reliably in winter, it's perfect as a commuter/weekend project truck. I generally look for 150 miles range for this, since winter can cut effective range in half. I don't care about charge speed since I'll just plug it in at night.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Good news, its range is 150 miles.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 23 hours ago

This is actually pretty cool and makes sense. Can’t wait to see what the 3D printer community does with this if the dash can be customized with accessories. Anyone know when a test drive would be covered?

[–] [email protected] 53 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Please keep in mind that this is after tax incentives. So let's just assume the tax incentives are zero and call it 27,000 just to be on the safe side.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 23 hours ago (3 children)

One thing that makes me nervous is that there are so many screws exposed. It seems like it would be really easy for thieves to just walk up with a hex key and steal your bumper or panels.... 🤔

[–] [email protected] 7 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

The panels are plastic, so while this is a concern, they probably wouldn't get much for them. Bumper I'm less sure about.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 20 hours ago

I've heard this song before. Lordstown Motors, for example.

If they can get some trucks rolling out the door, I'll get interested real quick.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago (12 children)

Car dependency is a dead end for humanity regardless of what shit-boxes they manufacture.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Some of us live in spread out communities or rural areas. You don't expect all humans to live in a 2x2 ft cube in a 30 story tall building do you? Also, I guarantee not everyone else wants to live right next to other humans. I try to get as far as possible so I can do anything I want (be loud, be outside at any time, have parties etc). There is actually enough livable land on the planet for every single human to have 2 acres worth. Now, should people have children when there is already billions of us, that's another question.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Sounds like the consumer version of the DHL StreetScooter Work (L), with those even the passenger seat is an optional extra. Trouble was that while it's the perfect vehicle for last-mile distribution routes most companies doing that kind of thing (like bakeries) don't have the finances to back up an actual car producer, and DHL didn't want to become a car producer. Taking over the company to get their hands on the trucks, yes, but bringing it to scale so they wouldn't have to subsidise it? Not their business. And German car manufactures don't want to build it because small bare-bones vehicles don't have margin, anything smaller and less fancy than an actual van doesn't make sense to them given the fixed cost of their production lines. Don't worry, though, the inventor got the rights back, production is moving to Thailand, new vehicle is in the pipeline, with the core components (chassis etc.) designed for a 50 year lifetime. I'm sure DHL will figure out how to deliver delivery vans.

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