A $20k electric truck with manual windows and no screens? Meet Slate Auto

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Screens, Cameras, and Parking

  • Strong split on screens: many like backup cameras but dislike menu-driven touch UIs replacing physical buttons.
  • Several argue cameras make backing safer and easier, especially for large pickups and aligning to docks/ramps.
  • Others prefer mirrors and direct visibility, saying distraction from screens introduces new risks.
  • Debate over backing into spaces: some emphasize safety, visibility, and liability; others say most drivers back poorly, slowing everyone down, though this is contested.

Range, Use Cases, and Charging

  • One camp insists anything under ~300 miles is impractical, especially for highway trips, hills, cold weather, towing, or multiple job sites.
  • Another camp wants exactly a cheap, ~150-mile “city/work” EV, pointing out typical daily mileage is far lower and that fleets (e.g., local nonprofits, habitat restoration crews) rarely exceed short daily ranges.
  • Detailed discussion notes that, on long trips, fast charging speed can matter more than raw range, assuming chargers are spaced reasonably.

Price, Tax Credits, and Market Position

  • “Under $20k” is seen as contingent on federal tax credits, implying ~$27.5k MSRP.
  • Compared with current electric pickups (~$70–80k mentioned), that’s seen as disruptive; others point out many non-truck EVs are already in the $20–35k effective range after incentives.
  • Some say slightly used gas trucks or used Teslas are cheaper, but others counter that this doesn’t help buyers who explicitly want an EV truck.

Simplicity, Manual Features, and Reliability

  • Enthusiasm from people who like crank windows and minimal electronics: faster operation, less to fail, cheaper warranties.
  • Counterpoint: older manual mechanisms were complex and failure-prone; modern power windows are reliable and often cheaper to build.
  • Concern that “options” like power windows could be heavily marked up in a modular, à-la-carte model.

Telemetry, OTA, and Privacy Concerns

  • High interest in an EV with no telemetry, forced apps, or remote surveillance.
  • Discovery of a “FOTA Validation Engineer” job listing suggests OTA updates are planned, disappointing privacy-focused buyers.
  • Some hope OTA might be phone-mediated and avoidable by simply not connecting a device, but this is speculative.

Regulation, Safety, and Form Factor

  • Clarification that US rules effectively require a rearview camera; reports say Slate will use a small gauge-cluster display for this, maintaining the “no big screen” idea.
  • Broader argument over safety standards: one side resents being blocked from cheap, minimalist trucks by “nanny state” rules; the other emphasizes collective safety for pedestrians and other drivers.
  • The truck’s small, non-aggressive profile is praised as less dangerous than oversized US pickups, but its short bed is criticized as limiting utility for some buyers.

Demand and Feasibility Questions

  • Doubts about whether enough buyers will actually choose fewer screens and manual features when confronted with real options.
  • Skepticism that a new company can deliver a compliant, configurable, cheap EV truck profitably, citing other unprofitable EV startups.
  • Others welcome Slate (and similar efforts like Telo) simply as long-overdue alternatives to large, expensive EV trucks and screen-heavy vehicles.