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.
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 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