Automotive

Compact electric truck with full-size bed gets $41,500 starting price

Compact electric truck with full-size bed gets $41,500 starting price
The Telo Truck measures 152 x 73 x 66 inches yet still manages to offer a 5-ft-long truck bed
The Telo Truck measures 152 x 73 x 66 inches yet still manages to offer a 5-ft-long truck bed
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The Telo Truck measures 152 x 73 x 66 inches yet still manages to offer a 5-ft-long truck bed
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The Telo Truck measures 152 x 73 x 66 inches yet still manages to offer a 5-ft-long truck bed
The Telo Truck is now being offered in a cheaper single-motor/standard-battery configuration as well as a dual-motor, 4WD, long-range-battery version
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The Telo Truck is now being offered in a cheaper single-motor/standard-battery configuration as well as a dual-motor, 4WD, long-range-battery version
The Telo Truck's compact dimensions should help with inner-city parking and maneuverability
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The Telo Truck's compact dimensions should help with inner-city parking and maneuverability
The Telo Truck has the footprint of a Mini Cooper SE
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The Telo Truck has the footprint of a Mini Cooper SE
A configurable mid-partition allows for larger items to be hauled
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A configurable mid-partition allows for larger items to be hauled
A truck cap could be optioned in for more passengers or camping potential
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A truck cap could be optioned in for more passengers or camping potential
View gallery - 6 images

Last year, EV startup Telo launched a compact truck that has the same footprint as a Mini Cooper but boasts a cargo bed that challenges the big boys. At that time, the Telo Truck was listed at a buck under $50k, but the company has now revealed a much lower starting price.

At launch in June 2023, the Telo Truck – which was designed in collaboration with Yves Béhar and Fuseproject – grabbed headlines in the global motoring press by boasting "the storage capacity and power of a traditional truck" but in a much smaller package.

The vehicle measures just 152 inches (3.86 m) from nose to tail, yet its truck bed stretches 60 inches in length (1.52 m). If that's not enough to meet your hauling needs, a configurable mid-partition can extend its capabilities to accommodate 8x4 ply sheets or full-size surfboards. And the company cooked more storage in the side for adventure essentials or luggage.

A configurable mid-partition allows for larger items to be hauled
A configurable mid-partition allows for larger items to be hauled

Initially, the 4,400-lb (2,000-kg) electric truck was being offered with a 106-kWh battery pack reckoned good for up to 350 miles (550 km) on a single charge. But a newly launched configurator has now revealed a 260-mile (418-km) standard option, with the larger battery now listed as a long-range flavor. Both support fast charging.

There's also another motor configuration available. The 500-hp (373-kW) dual motor that enables four-wheel-drive is now joined by a 300-hp (223.8-kW) version for two-wheel-drive e-hauling. This essentially means that the dual-motor, long-range Telo Truck is still priced at US$49,999, but the single-motor, standard-range variant rolls in much cheaper at $41,520. Either way, that's before tax credits.

"Even if the federal tax credit goes away come January 20, Telo remains a better deal than a typical gas truck or an oversized electric truck," said the company in a LinkedIn post. "Like other EVs, Telo also has a lower cost of ownership – electricity is cheaper than gas, and electric vehicles need fewer repairs."

The Telo Truck's compact dimensions should help with inner-city parking and maneuverability
The Telo Truck's compact dimensions should help with inner-city parking and maneuverability

The new configurator also offers eight color options for the upcoming compact truck, but everything else looks pretty much the same as before. The late-2025 production window also looks to be unchanged – with the company reporting last week that its first hand-built chassis had been completed and handed over to the Aria Group to "drive the next production phase."

Mini e-truckers wanting to join the pre-order party can throw down $152 via the configurator (which is fully refundable).

Source: Telo Trucks

View gallery - 6 images
7 comments
7 comments
paul314
Ooh. Let's see someone built a camper shell on that.
The Alchemist
How's the front crash test on that thing? I like my knees.
vince
Looks dangerous in any head on collision with nothing up front to offer accordion like pancaking to prevent intruson into frontal seat area by the other vehicle much less the occupants vehicle.
Aermaco
@paul, Either custom build or just a mod, the fact rear wheels are at the end of the frame it gives a good CG for the camper and any overhanging loads.
jimbo92107
Looks like an amphibious vehicle.
Live4ktm
Vehicle weight, presence of airbags, belts and crumple zones ., etc. affect survivability in a crash. Head on is obviously different than a glancing blow. Regardless, chances of survival are less than 50% survive in current vehicles above 40kph and <10% above 80kph. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ Given those numbers and current govt. safety standards, it's hard to see why a highly engineered vehicle with a short nose is any less safe than grandpa's Cadillac.
veryken
This is almost exactly what I've always wanted. Just do away with the four doors. The segment is not about hauling a crew; instead, just solo DIYers.