In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- Is Slate for real?
- I need a small, cheap, used minivan ASAP!
There have been a ton of comments about the new Slate pickup truck automaker, and I’m here to answer a few.
Q: (Via: YouTube and AskNathan@TFL.com): A few summarized questions about Slate
Dear Nathan,
For years I have scratched my graying temples and pondered, “Why don’t automakers design vehicles with dent resistant, molded-in-color thermoplastic or composite body panels?”. Then Slate did their reveal last night and it triggered me.
So Nathan, why doesn’t my Ford Maverick (or a hundred other cars) have them?
Thanks
— Scott from Asheville
and…
Why do you believe Slate will not be vaporware like Canoo or other fly by night companies that over promise and under deliver? You seem sure they are real.
— Anonymous
and – one more…
Already went from $25,000 to $27,000 in five minutes! It will probably cost $35,000 when it comes out in five years!
— Alex OAD
A: Thanks for the questions. I’ll answer each one.
First, thanks for your longtime patronage Scott.
If you remember Saturn and the Smart Fortwo – they were known for its all-thermoplastic body panels. Older Toyota Sienna minivans used some of these panels too. Oh, and the Pontiac Fiero did as well, but (I believe) all of these vehicles used slightly different compounds. The SLATE setup is a bit different, as they are going for simplicity, and removing a very expensive process from their assembly – painting. Additionally, those flat panels appear to be stampings that are not as complicated as some.
Being the owner of a few Saturns in the past, I can attest that the panels are a cool idea – provided that you’re okay with gaps that noticeably expand and contract. It’s most noticeable when you are mixing steel and plastic panels on the same vehicle, as they react to heat differently. I think Slate has a grip on this phenomena as its design doesn’t seem to have the need for super tight seams. That’s just my opinion.
I want to include something: having the ability to convert a pickup truck into a five-person SUV, wagon, safari vehicle – or whatever, is cool on its own. Adding the cool factor of using these materials, along with steel construction (like roll-bars) adds to the cool factor. I can’t wait to see how the accessories are made and delivered. I wonder if they will use 3D printing to expedite deliveries, and/or lower the overhead.
The big question is long term durability. Some thermoplastic panels have been known to become brittle after being exposed to certain climatic conditions. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight plays a role as well. Additionally, some say that these panels are not as recyclable as steel or aluminum.
In my opinion: I think this is a cool idea, I’m sure it’s been improved over the years, and I’m glad to see it come back.
— N
I don’t think Slate is “vaporware”
You’re right – there are plenty of fly-by-night automakers that will have a hard time making it. We’ve seen firsthand some of these well-funded organizations start off with a few driving samples, look production-ready; only to fail a year later. Canoo is a fine example, and there will be others.
The thing about Slate is the funding, expertise and simply the level of beta-testing vehicles out there makes me think, “yeah, this one looks like the real deal.” That doesn’t mean they won’t struggle, or have a hard time living up to their late 2026 production date. After being in this trade for well over two decades, I think my judgement has just enough logic attached to see what is possible. Cutting through the BS of smoke and mirrors, I think that they have a solid enough foundation to build something special.
Jumping from $25,000 to $27,000?
If you watched the video, you’ll hear me state that the pricing is expected to be around $25,000 before tax credits and incentives. Then, by the end of the video, I am corrected by my friend Motoman that it’s actually $27,000, before incentives and whatnot. Initially, they were aiming for that $25,000-zone, but I was unaware that they had to bump it a bit based on recent increases on components, logistics and tariffs.
As for going even higher, I think they know that they need to keep their promises, or their first product will suffer public scorn. Additionally, they will still make tons of dough on the over 100 accessories offered. There are no packages, so you order each component you want, which works for both the consumer and the automaker. In time, we’ll see if they keep it far enough below $30,000 to call it a “bargain.”
— N
The last question comes from a fan who needs a small, affordable, used minivan that fits in his garage.
Q: (Via: NathanAdlen@Twitter/X) Need to find a minivan that fits in my garage and is super cheap!
Need a super cheap, used minivan. My daughter is going to have twins and she already has a kid. Now that she’s living with her parents again, she needs to ditch her old Civic and drive something that can hold more stuff and kids. We are cash poor but we have okay credit and there are a few minivans I was considering that should last a few years. Then I remembered that my garage is very small and I need space for my wife’s car.
Is there smaller minivans that still hold a lot of stuff? I have the 06 Civic trade in and $10,000 credit to finance something.
Sincerely,
— Herald 52
A: I might have an idea or two for you.
I don’t know about the area you’re in, but I’ve seen excellent, low-mile examples of the Mazda 5 minivan here and there. They run from $7,000 to about $13,000 depending on the year and mileage. Additionally, some of them were available with manual transmissions. They are basically Mazda 3s with seating for six.
I highly recommend these vans as I owned one for five years. My wife drove it (beating it mercilessly) and we put on over 150K before it had its first big issue: the AC died. It was solid, efficient and handled well. Our kids were comfortable, as long as we were creative where we put strollers, wagons and whatnot. It’s small, so cargo space is a bit of a compromise.
Another super cheap (but, hard to find) alternative is the Kia Rondo wagon. They were built back in 2008, and were available with either a four-cylinder or a V6. Despite the size, they had seating for up to seven. I’ve only driven the four-cylinder, and it was pretty slow, but it was very utilitarian. It has conventional doors, so they don’t slide like the Mazda 5, but it is a small vehicle. I’ve seen clean, low(ish) mileage examples for sale for less than $6,000 in California.
I hope this helps a bit!
— N
