Comment on Slate, a no-nonsense EV pickup for $20k

simplejack@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

• tal@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

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

  caranddriver.com/…/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 vehicle is like in real life, of course, but…

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  • MaggiWuerze@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    because the Slate lacks speakers,

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

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    • dmention7@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      Honestly, as long as it’s easily DIY upgradable (accessible speaker mounting locations, standard DIN panels, etc) I am all for this. Most OEM audio systems are stupidly overpriced and suck complete donkey balls compared to what you can get for a few hundred bucks at Crutchfield and install in an afternoon.

      For the last 20 years or so, most factory audio systems are so integrated into the rest of the electronics that they can be an absolute nightmare to upgrade unless you are a pro–which means you get the worst of both worlds.

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      • anomnom@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

        I agree, and everyone basically want Apple/Android CarPlay units anyway. The hard part will be getting a wiring harness installed, unless there is sompace provided in the dash (putting speakers or anything else in a door is really annoying for the experienced, and too tall an order for the beginner.

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    • captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      Didn’t some Scions come with no radio? The idea being they were targeted at younger folks who were more likely to customize their stereo, so “no stereo, but all the speaker grilles and mount points for one” is a bit like the “no operating system -$211” option on a Laptop. Happy Linux user noises.

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    • jonne@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      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.

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      • applemao@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ 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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      • MaggiWuerze@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        You spent hours in that thing and phone speakers are not made to be louder than traffic and drive noises, especially not for so long. Also a radio offers traffic and accident news from local stations. And if they cheap out on speakers I am quite sure they also don’t offer USB ports to charge the phone you run in lieu of a build in system

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    • FenderStratocaster@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

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

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  • Hubi@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    I don’t think that it has a cell modem, either

    So it’s not coming to Europe then.

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    • ramble81@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      Is there a requirement for big brother data tracking over there?

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      • barsoap@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        Cars must be able to autonomously call emergency services. You don’t need a SIM for that, or for that matter have the modem switched on all the time.

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      • Hubi@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        No but the emergency assistant system is required, and for that you need a cell modem.

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  • applemao@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ 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

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• Mac@mander.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  No, the catch is that it isn’t real.

  @ me when it rolling off the production line.
  Until then…

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  • FenderStratocaster@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    I love this truck. I want one. It’s just that it’s a VC pump and dump.

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  • altima_neo@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Yeah they said they’re hoping to be producing them by 2026. So likely won’t be available till 2027/28

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• Tagger@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Standard Range (52.7 kWh) (est.): 150 miles

  seems like but manageable for most people

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  • ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    That’s not 150 miles of actual driving range, it’s more like 75-100miles of actual range.

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    • tal@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      They do say that they also offer a larger battery pack with a 240 mi range, but yeah, even so, it’s not gonna be a great vehicle for long-distance highway travel compared to a current ICE vehicle. Fine for a commuter, though.

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      • ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        Don’t buy a truck if you’re just a daily commuter, that’s just plain dumb. Get a BEV with much better efficiency and a tow hitch for the occasional needs.

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      • captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

        I do have a concern about that; a lot of pickup truck missions are go-and-get-it. The best lumber yard in my area just happens to be about 75 miles away. Not a problem for my S10, right on the cusp of what this thing can do.

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      • Ulrich@feddit.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

        My car doesn’t even go >200mi but I’ve driven it on multi-thousand mile trips with no problem.

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      • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        I very much doubt their target market is people commuting to the office.

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    • gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨18⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

      A lot closer to 125 miles of real driving range on my 2018 leaf, and that’s an older car on older tech in not-quite-snow and on hills in the winter

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    • Ulrich@feddit.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      It’s 150 miles of rated range, presumably according to the EPA standard, just like every other EV is rated. The EPA standards have recently been updated to reflect more accurately.

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      • ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

        Yes, and yet it is still so very far from reality when it comes to BEVs. It’s fine when comparing cars because it’s a well defined standard, but it’s terrible at indicating actual range especially if you don’t live in dry warm climate.

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• sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  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.

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  • baggachipz@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    Good news, it’s range is 150 miles.

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• Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  well its less it doesnt have a touch screen, the touch screen is an optional purchase.

  the range iirc in some overview is 2 options, one was i think 150mi, the other was 240mi

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  • tal@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    From my other link, I don’t think that the touch screen is an optional purchase. I don’t think that they’re selling any entertainment computer to have a screen on. It says that they come standard with a smartphone mounting point or optionally with a tablet mounting point. But the car computer is bring-your-own, and not built into the car. Which…is what I’ve wanted, because computers age out a lot more quickly than cars do.

    I assume that there’ll be an OBD-II slot that one can hook up to to feed data about the car to the phone/tablet. There’s software that can make use of that. Dunno if there’s any other data typically exposed to car computers other than what that provides.

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    • jonne@infosec.pub ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      China is already making better cars for way less, but I guess the good thing for them is that they won’t sell to the US.

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  • Ulrich@feddit.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    No, there is no optional touch screen. The one featured in their media is a phone/iPad running the Slate app.

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• altima_neo@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  I mean Bezos backed Rivian too. Or Amazon did, anyway.

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• JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  It will need to have a screen to comply with safety standards. A back up camera is mandatory.

  The Citroen Ami is a “cycle car” under French law and doesn’t have to meet the same standards.

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  • caffinatedone@lemmy.world ⁨13⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

    Supposedly, there’s a display on the instrument cluster for the backup camera.

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