Telo wants to build an electric truck the size of a Mini

Article content

Telo Trucks is the latest entrant – you could even say “yet another” – in the growing electric pickup segment, though the California-based EV startup first prospective offering, its MT1, offers something none of its rivals has yet to—a subcompact footprint. Even more, the manufacturer’s dished out some bold claims to accompany the electric pickup. According to Telo, the MT1 will be the world’s most efficient electric truck, with the capabilities of a mid-size pickup.

Article content

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Telo wants to build an electric truck the size of a Mini Back to video

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Telo’s MT1 joins a market already populated by EV trucks like Ford’s F-150 Lightning, Rivian’s R1T, and GMC’s Hummer EV. However, these mostly target the full-size segment, and so create an opportunity for a small, efficient truck platform for urban environments, which Telo Trucks intends to exploit.

The Telo MT1 pickup stretches only 152 inches (12.7 feet) long, about the same length as a two-door Mini Cooper SE. Despite this, the truck’s design still allows it to sit five adults while incorporating a 5-foot bed that’s 18 inches deep. It’s an impressive feat, especially considering the fact that one of the most popular trucks on the market, the mid-size Toyota Tacoma, features a 5-foot bed as standard. 

Article content

With the midgate folded, the Telo MT1 can swallow large items like four-by-eight-foot plywood sheets; a nine-foot surfboard; and other similarly-sized long objects. They can slide right up against the front seat, allowing you to transport such cargo safely, with the tailgate up. The key to the Telo’s practicability is the EV’s skateboard chassis, which allowed the designers to slide the cabin all the way forward, eliminating the frontal area of a more traditional vehicle. 

A front trunk (or “frunk”) usually takes up that space in other EVs, but is not necessarily in a vehicle like the Telo. “[A frunk] doesn’t help you drive; it doesn’t help with safety; it doesn’t help with anything really,” is how Forrest North, Telo’s co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, puts it. He made the remarks during an interview with Green Car Reports while previewing the Telo truck.

Article content

The Telo MT1 may be small in size, but it is certainly not short on power. It’s built on a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain that generates a peak output of 500 hp. That’s enough for a zero-to-96-km/h sprint of about 4.0 seconds, pretty decent for a pickup. The manufacturer also claims a payload capacity of 1,600 pounds; and a max tow rating of 6,600 pounds.

Using a DC fast-charger, the 106-kwh battery needs only 20 minutes to charge from 20 per cent to 80 per cent. Fully charged, Telo expects the MT1 truck to deliver an EPA-rated range of about 350 miles (560 km).

There’s no word yet on when the Telo MT1 will be available for sale. However, you can expect a price tag in the region of US$50,000. Pre-order books are open, and a build slot can be secured with an initial deposit of US$152—yes, the same figure as its length in inches.