Slate Auto Tests Electric Pickup Across Eight Cities
A pre-production electric pickup completed a two-week tour from Indiana to California, handling diverse tasks and rough terrain.
Key points
- Slate Auto conducted a two-week, eight-city tour to test its electric pickup's real-world utility.
- The vehicle handled diverse tasks including urban deliveries, student moves, and ranch work.
- The trip revealed practical limitations such as flat tires and the need for roadside repairs.
Slate Auto sent a pre-production electric pickup on a two-week journey covering eight cities from Indiana to California. The company framed the trip as a practical road test rather than a promotional event, allowing followers to request specific tasks via social media. The crew accepted these challenges without a fixed script, loading the truck and driving to the next location as soon as they arrived.
The vehicle began its journey in Warsaw, Indiana, at the factory where it is being assembled. While engineers continued refining the truck on the test track, the touring unit served as a real-world utility vehicle. The route included tight city maneuvers, rough rural roads, and heavy hauling duties, providing immediate feedback on the vehicle's capabilities in various conditions.
Urban versatility meets practical hauling
In Chicago, the pickup demonstrated its value in tight urban environments by transporting commercial items like bowling pins and slushy machines for a local business. The compact size proved more useful than raw power for navigating city lanes. Earlier in Indiana, the truck helped a student move her belongings back to school, covering 103 miles in approximately two hours while using its backup camera to assist in tight parking spots.
According to reports from techeblog.com, the vehicle also faced scrutiny from prospective buyers who wanted to see its handling capabilities. One owner tested the turning radius at an empty intersection, while another inspected the vehicle’s durability after minor contact with obstacles. These interactions highlighted the truck’s role as a practical tool for everyday use rather than just a high-performance machine.
Rural challenges test durability and range
As the trip progressed to Tulsa and Sulfur, Oklahoma, the conditions became more demanding. The vehicle encountered a flat tire after accumulating over 1,000 miles, which the crew repaired on the roadside using basic tools. In Sulfur, the truck assisted a rancher in moving bison across a water crossing and transporting hay and mineral blocks, proving its utility in agricultural settings.
The silent electric motors appeared to have little impact on the herd, with the animals showing curiosity rather than distress. The truck’s midgate hooks and straps securely held heavy loads, including furniture and medical equipment for a family in need. This segment of the tour emphasized the vehicle’s ability to perform labor-intensive tasks without the noise and vibration associated with traditional combustion engines.
Trade-offs in real-world application
While the tour showcased the truck’s versatility, it also revealed the trade-offs of using a pre-production model in the field. The need for roadside repairs and the reliance on specific towing configurations highlight areas where the vehicle still requires refinement. The experience provides valuable data for engineers, balancing the promise of electric utility against the harsh realities of rural and urban infrastructure.
