We lately wrote concerning the shortcomings of EV off-roaders and Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson’s feedback about how EV vehicles simply gained’t be inexpensive and not using a gasoline motor. Each of those males are loads smarter than I, so I learn the articles and instantly agreed with them. However final evening, I went to the launch occasion for the Telo MT1 — a tiny electrical pickup truck promising 350 miles of vary, 0-60 in 4 seconds, 2000 pound of payload, 8-passenger seating, and a sub-$50K asking worth — and gotta admit, I’m a fan.
Syling is very debatable, and I truthfully flip flop on it. In some methods, the TELO jogs my memory numerous the designs The Bishop drew of a UTV/golf cart mashup. The quick entrance finish with tires that seem like they’re simply barely extending previous the entrance bumper could be very harking back to the UTV/golf cart world, however its entrance finish can also be a little bit of VW ID. Buzz due to its spherical, virtually cab-over design.
From it’s cabin to the again of the truck, I believe it’s the spitting picture of a Rivian; see for your self:
Perhaps I’m simply seeing issues and refuse to distinguish EV vehicles from one another, or perhaps it’s the truth that they each have a storage tunnel within the mattress. Regardless, there are worse vehicles to be in comparison with than an R1T.
The cab-over look makes it look an honest bit like a Japanese Kei-truck (or some other cab-over truck for that matter), and I believe that’s what’ll maintain you up on the styling right here, however when you can swallow that tablet, I believe you’ll love every thing else this truck has to supply. “And what issues does it have to supply, Griffin?!” Quite a bit!
In the event you get the upper finish mannequin with twin motors, you’re getting your self a truck that guarantees 500 HP, 0-60 in 4 seconds, 350 miles of vary, 20-minute 20-80% quick charging of the 106 kWh battery, and a 2,000 pound payload. This model of the truck will run you $49,999 earlier than tax incentives, and if that’s too wealthy on your blood, take a look at the one motor , rear-wheel drive choice! It’s good for 300 hp, 4.5 second 0-60, 260 miles vary, and 1,700 pound payload.
By the best way, these payload figures are absurd. Take a look at this Ford F-150 payload score chart:
One in all TELO’s engineers instructed me that the corporate constructed its configurator to default to the one motor choice as a result of it’s cheaper at $41,520, however they discovered nearly all of preorders had been for the twin motor choice regardless of the eight grand worth distinction. His concept as to why is as a result of at $50,000, you’re nonetheless undercutting the $60,000 common worth of the gasoline guzzling options, and that’s all earlier than you get the EV incentives, too.
And since we’re evaluating it to the large conventional vehicles bought within the US, let’s have a look about how its dimension compares to a Tacoma:
The picture actually says all of it right here, doesn’t it? You’re getting the identical quantity of mattress in a dramatically decreased footprint and in a extra economical car. It’s virtually prefer it’s higher to match this factor to a smaller financial system commuter given it’s cute little dimension. What’s that? The corporate already made that comparability for us on its web site? Properly let’s see it then:
Yeah pinch me, I’m dreaming. A truck with the footprint of a frickin MINI. Okay, however these press images are one factor, let’s see the way it seemed on the precise occasion, simply hear me out right here: the occasion was packed as hell so I didn’t get as a lot private time with it as I might’ve favored, however it’s nonetheless value displaying. Test it:
these first couple of images, you’ll see that the automotive is small in stature. I’m 6’2 (bragging) and was completely towering over it, as had been many individuals in attendance. The mattress of the truck additionally comes with tie down notches alongside its base and sides, so you may actually use this factor as a piece truck and safe your hundreds everytime you’re hauling. Additionally: these taillights are simply actually frickin cool.
Its inside is made out of sustainable supplies, largely cork and ocean plastics. The corporate was additionally actually pleased with the best way it redesigned the idea of a automotive seat, opting to have a middle publish versus the standard two rails on the seat’s base. The profit there’s that passengers within the rear get to completely lengthen their legs beneath the seat in entrance of them, making the inside really feel that a lot roomier for them. And when you wanna make the experience even roomier:
TELO plans on providing a camper shell sort attachment that may flip the truck right into a van with non-obligatory seats, turning this 5 seater into an eight seater as soon as arrange. However even when you don’t wanna make this factor a individuals hauler, that mattress of the truck can do the almighty:
You possibly can drop the rear seats and make it a midgate prefer it’s nothing, now changing into eight toes lengthy (with the tailgate up).
You most likely marvel how small this factor feels whenever you’re in it; take a look at this video by our pals at The Quick Lane Truck:
(And right here’s a have a look at a prototype tube-frame chassis, and right here is a stripped down proto off-roading).
You could be questioning: Who even is TELO?
Properly, the corporate’s web site has a bio of the three founders, Yves Béhar, Forrest North, and Jason Marks. Right here’s somewhat blurb from the positioning:
Jason led the Autonomous Autos and Driver Help Methods check packages at Nationwide Devices (NI), the place he was a Chief Enterprise Improvement Supervisor.
(…)
Forrest was on the early Tesla crew the place he developed the battery pack on the Roadster that’s on its solution to Mars.
(…)
Yves based Fuseproject in 1999, an award-winning, worldwide multidisciplinary design studio.
It appears like the corporate received $5.4 million in VC funding by NEO final March, plus there was some seed capital. The corporate additionally seemingly hopes to acquire funding from the $152 preorder ask, together with the publicity from final evening’s launch (which may deliver in additional traders). TELO says it plans to ship automobiles in 2026, utilizing contract manufacturing.
Clearly, that is only a prototype, and whether or not it’ll really come to market is anybody’s guess. Nonetheless, the extra I seemed on the TELO MT1, the extra I fell in love with it. What do y’all assume?
