Plus AWD tends to be more effective at capturing kinetic energy from regenerative braking, and recharging the battery while slowing down, because the motors on all 4 wheels also serve as generators connected to all 4 wheels.

I too would love a 4x4 option, or at least all-wheel drive.

Though having driven rear-wheel trucks in the winter, the Slate should be less terrible. The location of the battery and motor add weight over the drive tires. I expect it to not slide around as much as a rear-wheel truck with engine in the front.

Rear wheel drive is fine in snow in a vehicle with proper weight distribution. It's not a stupid ICE pickup with all the weight over the non drive wheels.

They are not considering a full 4WD option for a utility pickup? How is that going together? People on the countryside are not going to use it much. It'll be a city banger only.

You all had great opinions, but I live in the mountains and have to deal with lot more snow than the average bear. If I were just driving flat I'd buy it no issue since as most of you pointed out, the weight distribution is going to be way better.

I'm not sure how the drivetrain is built on this thing but I feel like if my diesel pickup would let me to lock the rear diff without switching to 4LO first I could probably get by without 4WD for the most part. Now because of the differential, when one rear wheel slips the other does nothing effecitively making it 1 wheel drive. Not that it changes the core argument though - I'd never buy a truck without 4WD.