American EV truck/SUV under $20k

pfarber said:
LOL NO. If you use that new math then you can strap a 12ft sheet to the roof and it 'fits'.

My Grand Caravan and hold 4x8s with the rear gate closed.

The definition on 'truck' has lost all meaning w/r/t utility. To lower the price they had to use 5.5 and 6.5 beds... most 8ft beds are special order.

As for the Slate not even having power windows or a radio.... that's complete BS. A window motor is a few dollars. At the OEM level if two power windows costs more than $30 total I would not believe it. Since there is no pricing (I didn't create an account) on the web site, only options, how can anyone make and informed decision about the value of the vehicle.

If anything this looks like a VC pump and dump.
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The 5.5' and 6.5' beds had nothing to do with "lowering the price". They were a product of overall truck length and the shift towards larger crew cabs rather than single cabs and SuperCabs. Crew cab got a 5.5' std, 6.5' optional, Regular cab or Super Cab got a 6.5' std, 8' optional. Most truck owners were trying to fit the truck into a garage, so there was no way to make that happen with a a crew cab and an 8' bed. They are trying to stay at roughly 19' in total length to fit in a std garage (commonly 20' deep). Even seeing a 1980s truck with a crew cab and an 8' was pretty rare and only existed on the trucks like Ford F-350/GM 3500. There just isn't much reason for an 8' bed for most people, especially when you can drop the tailgate and haul 4x8 sheets without a problem. If you need an 8' bed on the regular, you probably need/have a SuperDuty/HD truck anyway.
 
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asicer said:
Isn't that what the frunk is for? (ok, the pet is a solid "maybe")
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Possibly, but I don't think you're getting my wife's typical grocery order in a frunk of that size, lol. The pet/small child situation gets a bit more dicey in the frunk, lol.
 
pfarber said:
wait if you need extended cab to hold the critters and the food what's the point of the actual bed on the truck? Just buy an SUV and stop lying to yourself. A $200 hitch and an $800 trailer solves everything a truck can for $49,000 less
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Some places in this country are getting more contentious about pets being put in the bed. They REALLY don't like it when it's humans riding back there. While I have tossed a bag or two of groceries in the bed of a truck on occasion, they often end up scattered across the bed by the time I get home. If it's raining, the pets/humans/paper grocery sacks have a less-fun time in the bed. It's okay, you don't have to gatekeep truck designs. It's acceptable to have a back seat in a truck, it'll still be a truck.
 
pfarber said:
wait if you need extended cab to hold the critters and the food what's the point of the actual bed on the truck? Just buy an SUV and stop lying to yourself. A $200 hitch and an $800 trailer solves everything a truck can for $49,000 less
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Well based on that argument you’d never have a need for a truck over an SUV. I personally don’t need the capability but I understand those that require a bed to load things that either can’t fit, or is something you don’t want to load internally.
 
SoonerAviator said:
I like the concept, but I don't think it would make much of a dent in the American truck market. First, very few people want a regular cab anymore. It needs to be more of an extended cab design so you can at least toss some groceries/tools/pets in the back on a trip into town. Second, 1,000lbs towing is absurdly low. Need to at least double it, but 3,000 would be a better spec. At least be able to tow a double jet-ski trailer or a typical 5x8 trailer with a 2K load. Finally, I can appreciate a minimum spec build, but most people will at least want power windows/locks and a simple AM/FM stereo that does CarPlay/Android Auto. Right now, a Ford Maverick or Ford Ranger hits that low-mid-$30K price point and has infinitely more utility and value/quality.
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I see a lot of basic work trucks which is just a bench seat cab around the Boston area. Very popular with handman, electricians, plumbers, HVAC, lawn care....
I look at Slate and see they have a concept, no idea on practice, which is designed to meet the requirements of the "light trucks" used in most of the rest of the world; but also be customized to meet what the American Consumer wants and would add to it.


Tim
 
tspear said:
I see a lot of basic work trucks which is just a bench seat cab around the Boston area. Very popular with handman, electricians, plumbers, HVAC, lawn care....
I look at Slate and see they have a concept, no idea on practice, which is designed to meet the requirements of the "light trucks" used in most of the rest of the world; but also be customized to meet what the American Consumer wants and would add to it.


Tim
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I see them as well, but they're very rarely small/mid-size trucks around me. Most of the tradesman like plumbers/electricians/etc are using vans for security of their supplies/tools. If the work is primarily being done on new construction you start to see more trucks, for whatever reason.
 
SoonerAviator said:
I see them as well, but they're very rarely small/mid-size trucks around me. Most of the tradesman like plumbers/electricians/etc are using vans for security of their supplies/tools. If the work is primarily being done on new construction you start to see more trucks, for whatever reason.
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No idea, but I wonder if there is a regional preference kind of thing. e.g. I see a lot of landscaping companies offer snow plowing and other services that seem to be more common with pickups than vans. Same thing for towing trailers.

In either case, the slate with the covered back option, could potentially be a great solution depending on the price.

Tim
 
I like the concept, lack of AWD/4WD is a bit of a deal-breaker for me though. One thing I wish they'd do- actually something I wish all car manufacturers would do is just put a standard single or double-din hole so you can easily install an aftermarket stereo. There are plenty of carplay/android audio units available for around $300 or less... much less for some of the no-name ones on amazon. That way you don't have to worry about not being able to get a replacement if it fails or being stuck with something obsolete and unable to upgrade easily in the future.
 
I will never own a truck that doesn't have an 8' bed. Anything less is useless to me as I actually use it for work. I don't want to strap down 8' long steel bar grating. Actually picked that up today.
 
pfarber said:
wait if you need extended cab to hold the critters and the food what's the point of the actual bed on the truck? Just buy an SUV and stop lying to yourself. A $200 hitch and an $800 trailer solves everything a truck can for $49,000 less
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for the dirty bags of mulch or whatever, or that slightly oversized item such as a new dryer or BBQ grille.
I've contimplated your point though about a trailer instead quite a bit. The biggest issue I've seen is that a trailer is a separate item to maintain and license...and many folks don't have a place to store it..HOA rules, etc...

I've always been a truck guy, all trucks except for three times with a car. My very first vehicle was a car when I was 16. A decade or so later I got another car to be more "civilized" on dates and such, but most of the time I had that car I also had an old truck too. More lately, I traded in my last truck for an Audi E-tron. Thay call it an SUV but I say that it's ore like a small station wagon. It's served me well enough for a few years now. There have been a few times I've wanted a truck, but not many. It tows so I've always thought about getting a small trailer if I ever need one, and while I could hide it in my backyard, technically per the HOA I'm not supposed to. So far I've gotten by without it though
and to your point,I'm dreaming about my next car now, and most likely it'll be a large SUV because I find that the extra seating and interior space is more useful for me.
 
I find the debate about electric windows to be a great analogy of the "option" concept.

Some of you view electric windows as a must-have, some as an option.

I'm reminded of what I figured out back in the day.... when I had small trucks such as that Chevy Luv or the little Nissan that I also had, single cab and small.... it was easy enough to reach across and crank the passenger side window up if it started to rain, or down if I wanted more ventilation. I'ts when the cab gets wider, or when you get into vehicle with a second row that electric windows are really nice.
Count me as one that totally agrees that crank windows are fine! (in the right application)

I've been saying for a while now that I wish manufacturers would make more options a la cart. There are tons of features I'd like in a car but also lots that I really do not want. With the package model of options that makers sell now it makes it impossible to get what I really want. For example, I would pay extra to NOT have a sunroof, but in at least most cases you can't get other things that I really do want without getting a package that also includes a sunroof. Aggravating.

And the infotainment thing. One of the biggest complaints I have about my Audi is the infotainment system. I like the idea of a built-in screen, but it should be set up to just simply and reliably work with Android Auto or Apple Carplay, and do not much else....I find my wife's Nissan system to be frustrating too.....so the idea of just cutting it out entirely and defualting to an iPad or phone mount doesn't scare me away much, especially for a simple knock around truck.
 
Racerx said:
I will never own a truck that doesn't have an 8' bed. Anything less is useless to me as I actually use it for work. I don't want to strap down 8' long steel bar grating. Actually picked that up today.
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Sometimes even the 8' bed comes up short ...

FB_IMG_1742919163317.jpgIMG_20171010_140350085.jpgIMG_20250102_102933053~2.jpg

I often carry these skid mounted fuel tanks, which leaves me with about 4' for stuff.

IMG_20221104_111047611_HDR~3.jpg

Crew cab 8' bed is hard to find, and I'll admit, sucks in parking lots. Regardless, I absolutely love it, especially in the fall when the back is full of the fuel tanks and grates for the combine, and I can still load up myself, the cart driver, and two semi drivers to go home at night.

Relevant to the thread: the vast majority of the "real" work trucks i see are single cab, white, 8' bed. I don't think a 6' bed gets that market. Also, those trucks aren't much more money than this thing.

I like the idea, but if cheap basic trucks sold, the manufacturers would build them. Pickups took over when fuel economy rules killed the full sized car. Before then, they were work tools, now they're luxury vehicles, which is frankly frustrating when you're trying to actually buy one for work.
 
I go through a lot of drive throughs and gates so manual windows would be a pain. Venting the car on a hot day. Say you’re trying to talk to someone outside the car on pax side and you can’t get the window down. Non electric would be a no go for me.
 
Brad W said:
I've been saying for a while now that I wish manufacturers would make more options a la cart. There are tons of features I'd like in a car but also lots that I really do not want. With the package model of options that makers sell now it makes it impossible to get what I really want. For example, I would pay extra to NOT have a sunroof, but in at least most cases you can't get other things that I really do want without getting a package that also includes a sunroof. Aggravating.
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We went through this last year buying the wife a new SUV. Her old one had a sunroof we almost never used, when we did it would break, and I was constantly have to blow out the drain line to keep it from flooding the interior. She did not want another one.

Once we selected her new vehicle, they had an option package that added a few bells and whistles that honestly we wanted. But selecting the box for the "Luxury Tech Package" also auto selected the $2,500 moonroof package in addition. There was no way to order a vehicle with Tech package without the moonroof.
 
The Slate might be a good replacement for my mid-90s Ford Ranger farm truck. The distance limit is not a problem, as long as it can tow a small trailer (large enough to pull a tractor/manlift/etc.).
 
Velocity173 said:
I go through a lot of drive throughs and gates so manual windows would be a pain. Venting the car on a hot day. Say you’re trying to talk to someone outside the car on pax side and you can’t get the window down. Non electric would be a no go for me.
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From a manufacturing/design standpoint, sometimes providing both options is more expensive and serves little purpose. Crank windows aren't likely any more simple for a manufacturer to install versus a power window and I doubt there's much of a cost savings in the components (especially these days when every window is power). As an auto manufacturer in the US, you also have to now stock replacement/repair parts for a long period so there is extra inventory cost of holding onto both power window components and manual crank window components, not to mention potentially different interior door panels. People get nostalgic over crank windows in their classic cars, but they also forget how many times something got hung up on that crank while getting in/out (ladies and their purses for one). I'll take auto up/down windows any day. I'll save the window cranking for the Sunday drives in the muscle cars.
 
Jim K said:
Sometimes even the 8' bed comes up short ...

View attachment 140617View attachment 140619View attachment 140620

I often carry these skid mounted fuel tanks, which leaves me with about 4' for stuff.

View attachment 140618

Crew cab 8' bed is hard to find, and I'll admit, sucks in parking lots. Regardless, I absolutely love it, especially in the fall when the back is full of the fuel tanks and grates for the combine, and I can still load up myself, the cart driver, and two semi drivers to go home at night.

Relevant to the thread: the vast majority of the "real" work trucks i see are single cab, white, 8' bed. I don't think a 6' bed gets that market. Also, those trucks aren't much more money than this thing.

I like the idea, but if cheap basic trucks sold, the manufacturers would build them. Pickups took over when fuel economy rules killed the full sized car. Before then, they were work tools, now they're luxury vehicles, which is frankly frustrating when you're trying to actually buy one for work.
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I don't need the crew cab. Dad bought a crew cab 8' bed and he loves it... Except for parking. But he doesn't care enough for other people for that to matter to him.

I drive a 2012 1500 extended cab 8' bed. I don't really need a 3/4 ton truck. But GM stopped offering the 1500 8' bed option for the 2013's. Frustrating. So I might relent and get a 2500 next fall. Trying to get all the good out of the Goodyear's.

Everyone I see that drives a truck never uses it for truck purposes. It's just a phallic symbol. So they get theses useless short beds. Then complain they can't get their dirt bike in the back without putting the gate down..
 
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Racerx said:
I don't need the crew cab. Dad bought a crew cab 8' bed and he loves it... Except for parking. But he doesn't care enough for other people for that to matter to him.
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That’s why I’m considering a single cab, but I’ve been spoiled by the leg room in an extended cab.
Racerx said:
Everyone I see that drives a truck never uses it for truck purposes. It's just a phallic symbol. So they get theses useless short beds. Then complain they can't get their dirt bike in the back without putting the gate down..
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I’ve been without a truck for about 8 years. When we were in the market for a vehicle last year, we bought my wife a truck….I’ll use it occasionally for truck stuff, but it’s Ranger with a 5.5-ft bed. I struggled to get both of our bicycles in it, but managed.

Once I’m retired-ish I’m going to figure out a truck for myself.
 
FastEddieB said:
We just put a $50 deposit down on one! It will be Karen’s - she says it reminds her of a Chevy Luv pickup she had back in the day!
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Along with several other announcements, the pre-order window opened up last week. Did you upgrade your reservation? Or is the idea cooling off in your household?
 
asicer said:
Along with several other announcements, the pre-order window opened up last week. Did you upgrade your reservation? Or is the idea cooling off in your household?
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For me, I had no interest previously, but have a small one now. Interested enough to try and see one in person.
 
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FastEddieB said:
We did! Estimated delivery April-June 2027.

Karen’s deciding if she want to order one of the SUV kits as well.
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I'd love to see your virtual build pic if you have one to share.
 
I just learned about the REO brand resurrection, promising a no-frills gas/manual pickup for under $25k. Might be worth the wait as long as its making actual progress beyond a website.

reotrucks.com

REO — Built Like It Used To Be

The Runabout. Gas, mechanical, body-on-frame — engineered for 500,000 miles. Starting at $21,500. Reserve yours for $25, fully refundable.
reotrucks.com reotrucks.com
 
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