I think the Slate compares well to my 1986 Toyota Truck. The one thing the Slate lacks is a long bed option. 7 feet versus 5 feet is a big difference in utility for a work truck. I completely understand why that is a much more difficult option than adding a top or a back seat.
One of the reviews I saw specifically looked at the front suspension with AWD/4WD in mind and concluded it will likely be a future option. The design appears to allow room for a future motor and axles. Perhaps a second motor will arrive in a few years, along with a four door version.
It appears to me that they are emphasizing add-ons and upgrades that can installed at some point after the vehicle has been purchased. Am I wrong to suppose that switching from RWD to AWD would not be an after-purchase sort of modification? In other words, factory options are really not part of their strategy.
That’s the thing that makes me wonder how successful the Slate will be. Lots of people say they want an inexpensive, no-frills vehicle. But then in order to hit that price point they have to leave out features people have come to expect nowadays. Maybe 30-40 years ago car companies could get away with omitting power windows, air conditioning, a stereo, etc. on a base model (I’m not sure if the Slate has these or not; I haven’t looked at the specs. This is just a generic example). But I doubt many people would want a car like that today.
And oftentimes low end cars end up getting a stigma as “cheap cars for poor people”, to the point where people who are car shopping on a budget end up choosing a used car over a basic new car. That was why the Tata Nano wasn’t successful in India.
But EVs, even trucks, are generally not light in the rear. Their batteries are usually placed so the center of mass is in the middle of the vehicle, not the front end.