this post was submitted on 05 Jun 2026
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Electric Vehicles

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If they actually follow through on making the Slate as privacy friendly as they claim in this article, and it doesn't have any major flaws, I'm gonna go ahead and say this is perhaps one of the best options for someone in need of a mini-truck/SUV hybrid.

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[–] Sunshine@piefed.ca 4 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Even if you don’t like Jeff Bezos, the fact of this existing opens the door for smaller competitors to enter the scene.

Canada is getting 3% more ev competition due the recent 49k chinese imports deal even if they’re banned from entering the USA, Americans will have an easier time checking out the models on their travels and then they will ask their-out of-touch politicians why they don’t also have similar options.

The future is EV!

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 2 points 6 hours ago

Renault is entering the CDN EV market in 2027.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 5 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Any chance this design is open source, so I can build my own?

Or is this just proprietary corporate trash?

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

if you really want to build your own, buy a kit car. they're cheaper.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 1 points 4 hours ago (2 children)

Any chance those kits are open source?

I mean it comes with a manual how to build it and the one I'm looking at is a 67 lotus. You tell me how that open sources because software is not my field

[–] ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

There have been a handful of open source car projects like the Tabby EVO, but most of them seem to have stalled out somewhat. The Tabby EVO website appears to be down, though you can see it through the wayback machine.

Kit cars based on common off-the-shelf parts may be an easier route for people wanting to build their own car from scratch.

[–] kibblebits@quokk.au 50 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

This is heavily backed by Jeff Bezos btw, so, don’t get too excited

[–] ReptilianCleric@lemmy.zip 24 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

(ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

[–] toiletobserver@lemmy.world 21 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

┬──┬ ノ( ゜-゜ノ) chill out bro

[–] ReptilianCleric@lemmy.zip 19 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (2 children)

Hey, I'll chuck Bezos's table over if I want!

(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

(I do love that new text face, though lol)

[–] toiletobserver@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

That's it...

(╯°□°)╯ /(.□. \)

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 8 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

┬──┬ ノ( ゜-゜ノ)

You think tables grow on trees?

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 3 points 7 hours ago

(ง'̀-'́)ง
hey i heard there was a table fight goin on y'all want any tables thrown

[–] MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net 11 points 16 hours ago

Some do. Indirectly.

[–] bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works 3 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah that sucks. Its the only new vehicle I'd ever consider.

[–] kibblebits@quokk.au 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

It’s still pretty neat. I love how it’s modular. I’m often wishing I had multiple types of vehicles for various occasions. Too much playing GTA 😅

Also, that customizable dash would be amazing with a 3d printer.

[–] bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works -1 points 9 hours ago

Agree!! Ah such a neat idea. I do with a 4WD version existed

[–] lemming741@lemmy.world -1 points 6 hours ago

645 words, and no mention of Jeff Bezos

[–] sychthys@lemmy.world 18 points 18 hours ago (3 children)

Not having an AWD version is a non-starter for me up here in the frozen North.

[–] altphoto@lemmy.today 8 points 18 hours ago

That's where you just need a diesel. Don't forget that blockheater! And a torch to reheat the fuel line and the gas tank or fuel pump.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 4 points 16 hours ago

Hopefully they'll add one later.

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[–] artyom@piefed.social 22 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

I ordered one day 1. There are a lot of drawbacks though. I don't care for trucks. This would be my first one. I appreciate the exclusion of a modem but...not even so much as wiring for an aftermarket audio system is dumb.

My largest concern remains the future of the company. As the article states, most consumers don't care about privacy. They expect connected everything. And I don't think a small truck is viable in the US market.

Further, the price is still too high. You can get a Chevy Bolt for the same price, with many more comfort and convenience features. This will be an unfortunate result of the company's small size and low volume.

Nevertheless I will vote with my wallet and hope I'm wrong.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 10 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

Who wants a big truck? I don't think you know what people who actually need work trucks want

[–] ptc075@lemmy.zip 2 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

I mean, I guess I do? I want a 2 door truck that's wide enough for a bench that will sit 3 people and a bed that's at least 6.5 foot long. So, 90's style F-150 or 1500. What they're offering is too small for me to be interested. But I'm actively hoping they make a bigger version in the future.

Alternately, I'm kind of hoping their stuff is modular enough that I could electrify an older gasoline truck. Doubt they're actively looking to sell kits to the hobbyist market, but that would be awesome.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 1 points 4 hours ago

That's ridiculous. You want a van.

[–] artyom@piefed.social -1 points 7 hours ago (3 children)

Everyone wants big trucks. That's why they buy them by the boatload. They're the top selling vehicles in America by a wide margin, and have been for a long time. And it's why no one even makes small ones anymore.

[–] sparkyshocks@lemmy.zip 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

It's not purely a demand side thing. It's also a regulatory change. The CAFE standards were updated in 2010 to require a sliding scale of fuel economy standards where larger vehicles were permitted to have less efficient fuel economy ratings. Small trucks sat in an unviable zone of too small to be allowed to be fuel inefficient, and too big to actually be fuel efficient, so they were phased out right around 2010.

Now, fully recognizing that small trucks are in demand, and that EVs don't have worry about fuel economy standards, several manufacturers have made plans to occupy that niche with EVs.

[–] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 5 hours ago

And how many people are buying EVs in general? It's a very small amount % wise. And with the tax credits disappearing it seems the EV market is just about being abandoned entirely. Ford made an electric version of the best-selling vehicle in America, and it was fantastic, and almost no one bought it, and they discontinued it a couple years later. Same story for Tesla's and GM's trucks. Americans don't want EVs in general, much less pickup truck EVs, and much less than that, tiny 2-door electric trucks.

Again, I very much hope I'm wrong, but that's the impression I get from my observations of the market.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 0 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Those people have no need for a truck. They are in the market for a penis replacement.

I'm talking about people who need trucks for work. They want smaller 4x4 trucks.

[–] artyom@piefed.social 2 points 4 hours ago

I didn't mention any specific group of people. I said "everyone".

What type of truck they need for work is entirely dependent on what type of work they're doing. Going bigger instead of smaller is often a safe bet.

[–] sexhaver87@sh.itjust.works 2 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Conveniently ignores the decades of politics, corruption, and outright fraud that took place to create this situation

[–] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 7 hours ago

Let's assume that's true. Did the politics, corruption and fraud end at some point?

[–] scytale@piefed.zip 4 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

not even so much as wiring for an aftermarket audio system is dumb.

Not having power windows too. I get the point of simplicity, but you gotta have at least some basic conveniences.

And I don't think a small truck is viable in the US market.

Isn’t the Maverick super popular?

[–] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 7 hours ago

The Maverick has 4 doors

[–] burble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 8 hours ago

I mean, you can get power windows with it, I just wonder what that add-on will cost.

I recently drove a Uhaul with manual windows and definitely don't need that in my life again, lol.

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 0 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (3 children)
  1. Does every EV startup in US have to make a pickup? Such a stupid country.

  2. EU just made driver facing cameras mandatory for all new cars so I guess Europe is not much smart either.

[–] JillyB@beehaw.org 1 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Just to be clear, this "truck" is absolutely tiny. It's several inches shorter than a Toyota Corolla. I think it's pretty great for a city dweller that occasionally has a need for a bit more carrying capacity.

Edit: with the one big caveat that a lot of city dwellers don't have access to charging at home.

[–] Sunshine@piefed.ca 1 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Do you have a source for the second claim?

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 1 points 8 hours ago (1 children)
[–] GamingChairModel@lemmy.world -2 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Driver facing camera systems can be consistent with privacy, as long as they don't record or transmit any data other than a single dimensional metric of how distracted or drowsy a driver is (or even discrete binary state of yes/no) and timestamps when that state was detected.

A closed loop system that merely keeps that data for the current drive and maintains it solely in the vehicle's own systems can be consistent with privacy principles that nobody else should know anything about how a car is being used, except what can be observed from the outside.

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 4 points 7 hours ago

Yes, it's all true.

Too bad those systems are closed sources and we can't verify they do any of those things.

My biggest issue with them is not even the privacy. I think at some point we sadly will have to accept that driving is not a private activity anymore. I mean you can still try driving a very old car and try to avoid traffic cameras but it will be harder and harder.

For me the biggest issue that those systems are extremely annoying. In my experience they fail to accurately recognize the speed limits so will beep at you constantly even when you drive below the speed limit. People say they also struggle with sunglasses and many normal activities. I expect driving those new cars to be constant struggle with alerts about nothing.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca -1 points 6 hours ago

Because all you idiots buy are pickups?

[–] gedfromgont@piefed.ca 3 points 16 hours ago

"Making it privacy-friendly"... I really really don't like the language here. There is absolutely 0 need to make anything privacy-invading, out of all products cars probably the least. So it isn't really hard to do this at all, just that companies like that free consumer data.

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