Telo's tiny electric truck offers super-competitive range and power output

Tesla stirred the world with the reveal of the Cybertruck back in 2019, but the automaker has left a lot of room in the market after several years of delays. That gave Ford, GM, and others enough oxygen to deliver a growing number of electric trucks, and now there’s another company ready to jump into the fray. Telo, a California-based electric vehicle startup, recently announced its electric pickup, showing a futuristic vehicle with surprisingly compact dimensions and strong capability.

Telo hasn’t detailed future releases or upgrades for the truck, but the initial model will offer 500 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of four seconds. It weighs 4,400 pounds and can fast charge from 20-80 percent in 20 minutes. Pricing starts at $49,999, which the company notes does not include federal or local EV tax credits and incentives.

Amazingly, the Telo truck measures just 152 inches long. It’s also only 73 inches tall and 66 inches wide – not that much larger than some of America’s smallest models. Telo said the truck offers seating for five and a five-foot bed within that footprint and notes that the design makes it easily manufacturable.

Those dimensions should also make it highly maneuverable, which Telo said aligns with its goal of creating a truck for city dwellers who want an occasional adventure vehicle. The company promises a solid 350 miles of range between charges, side tunnels like a Rivian R1T, and an under-cabin bed extension space, the Telo truck should have no problem living up to that promise.

If a powerful electric truck with a footprint about the size of a two-door Mini Cooper sounds appealing, Telo offers preorders with a refundable $152 deposit. We don’t have a release date yet. However, the company’s founders’ backgrounds developing the Tesla Roadster and advanced driver assistance systems for other automakers make a compelling case to wait for the compact pickup.

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