The Clean Slate could have a curb weight of three,600 kilos, with a payload capability of 1,430 kilos. Rated towing capability is listed at 1,000 kilos—considerably lower than the 4,000-pound most towing capability within the new 2025 Ford Maverick Hybrid AWD, which has a smaller cargo mattress however 4 doorways for the bigger cab.
Visually, the Slate follows the upright, horizontal, square-edged profile of the basic two-seat American pickup truck—although rendered in miniature when in comparison with the full-size US pickups from Ford, GM, and Ram that collectively promote virtually 3 million models per yr. It seems to be one thing like a retro Ford Ranger from the Nineteen Eighties, versus the extra car-like styling of the Hyundai Santa Fe, the one different small pickup provided within the US moreover the Ford Maverick.
Dimensionally, the Slate is smaller than the Maverick: It’s 175 inches lengthy, 71 inches large (not together with the mirrors), and 69 inches tall. That compares to the Maverick’s 200-inch size, 73-inch width (once more with out mirrors), and 68- or 69-inch top. Slate affords a full 60-inch (5-foot) mattress, versus the Maverick’s 54 inches. (Each measurements are with the tailgate raised.) Whereas the Maverick has no entrance trunk (it has an engine as an alternative), the Slate’s entrance trunk affords 7 cubic ft of storage on high of the 37 cubic ft within the cargo mattress (or 34 cubic ft within the SUV’s load bay).
Buyer Satisfaction
Barman mentioned Slate will goal retail consumers to determine the model and get as many personalised vans on the street as attainable to spice up public consciousness. Slate’s EVs may also be bought to company prospects buying the autos for fleets, Barman says, although she declined to supply a breakdown of what percentages of gross sales Slate estimates will go to these two sectors.
We additionally didn’t speak about this, but it surely’s value mentioning: Slate vans could conceivably even be bought to Amazon. The connection is sensible, since Slate Auto emerged from a startup lab partially funded by Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos. The web retailer already deploys tens of 1000’s of Rivian EV supply vans, however a smaller EV may serve its functions for particular makes use of as nicely.
Echoes of the Previous
As Mark Twain as soon as quipped, maybe apocryphally: Historical past doesn’t repeat itself, but it surely typically rhymes. Anybody who’s been following the auto enterprise for about 20 years could have learn Slate’s information and sensed a faint echo, a distant and long-forgotten reminiscence tugging on the corners of their minds.
