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Comment by everdrive | Hacker News Reader

And if people would make one that wasn't an iPad on wheels I'd be in line to buy.

This is my exact same sentiment. I’m cautiously excited about the upcoming Slate Pickup[1] - I can see it being my go-to if I leave NYC, but it still won’t hit like the XJ Cherokee I drove before I gave up cars for the city.

1: https://www.slate.auto/

Looks interesting, I wonder to what extent they really want to make cars DIY-able again (as they state). On the one hand, they mention servicing is "easy" — just turn to their partner repair shop chain! On the other hand, there's Slate University and mention of repairability. I haven't followed development of this at all, so I'm genuinely curious. Hope it's not just "you can swap in and out our proprietary modules".

I really want to like the slate but their speakers and tablet holder concept actually are awful. Just a super basic off the shelf din rail hole and aux in and slap the most basic touch screen with physical control stereo you can find in there that does air play and car play works for me.

also stereo speakers in the glove box is...what

Who cares. Literally every discussion of vehicles someone has to bring up infotainment systems. You know that getting your dopamine drip is not what a vehicle is for, right?

If I have to drive 2 hours or more every day or 12+ hours for work a few times a month (not in a long time anymore for either), it better be fucking enjoyable.

I like the idea of a slate but the truck bed just makes no sense at that size. I don’t understand why it’s not defaulted to another row of seats or hatchback, with the option to convert to truck. 5 ft bed without extension is kind of pointless as a bed, but huge as a trunk.

That's effectively what it is, but reverse. You buy it as a truck, and can buy seats & cap and turn it into an SUV. I see it as the closest thing you can get to a kei truck in the US without importing. Relatively cheap, good payload capacity, (better than a lot of trucks out there) effectively unable to tow, 5-foot bed, which is the same or larger than most mid-size trucks, and a tiny form factor.

It's certainly a niche vehicle, but it looks exciting if it can fill you niche.

I worry about the Slate truck being DOA with expiration of incentives for EVs. Someone please tell me I'm wrong, because if they do deliver as promised, I'll be excited to buy one.

For me, I'm hoping it fills the mid-90s Isuzu Pup sized hole in my heart.

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