This Tiny Truck Uses EV Tech To Embarrass Old-School Pickups

In a recent series of articles, we reminisced about the "captured import" mini-trucks of the 1970s, which delivered huge capability in an inexpensive, easy-to-drive package. California-based Telo Trucks seems intent on rekindling that sentiment with a new all-electric pickup that will have the same amount of cabin and cargo bed space as Toyota's popular Tacoma but with the same footprint as a two-door Mini Cooper.

With its four full-size doors, the Telo (which means "purpose" in Greek) accommodates five passengers and its cargo bed's dimensions are five feet long and approximately 18 inches deep — about the same size as a base crew-cab Chevy Colorado or the aforementioned Tacoma and six inches longer than Rivian's R1T or Ford's Maverick Hybrid. The Telo has a trick up its sleeve, though, in the form of a midgate — the bulkhead behind the rear seats — that folds down, allowing the cargo bed to extend into the cabin up to the point just behind the front seats.

Telo says that with the midgate folded, its tiny truck can accommodate full 4 by 8-foot sheet products like plywood or drywall with the rear tailgate closed. While somewhat unusual, a folding midgate isn't unheard of. Chevy popularized the concept over 20 years ago with its now-defunct Avalanche and is bringing it back for 2024 in the Silverado EV pickup.

Besides its impressive cargo-hauling capabilities, the Telo is surprisingly quick. With a dual-motor all-wheel drive architecture that produces 500 horsepower, the little pickup is estimated to accelerate from zero to 60 MPH in a scant 4.0 seconds. EVs are known for their instantaneous torque delivery and the Telos is no different, resulting in an impressive payload capacity of 1,600 pounds and a tow rating of 6,600 pounds.

According to the company, the estimated EPA range is approximately 350 miles and the intent is for the truck's battery to be able to be charged from 20% up to 80% capacity in about 20 minutes. The Telo is also a capable off-roader, with a full 10 inches of ground clearance and 27-inch tall all-terrain tires. 

Conspicuously absent from the Telo — and accounting for its short length — is any sort of hood or frunk whatsoever. Company co-founder and CTO Forrest North thought that when electric vehicles took off in popularity, "there would just be an explosion of different vehicles" and was surprised when that didn't happen, with the space that was formally occupied by an internal combustion engine being unnecessarily retained.

Telo has targeted a retail price of $49,999 for its tiny truck, not including eligible tax incentives. If you're interested, deposits are being accepted in the amount of $152 which corresponds to the length of the Telo in inches. Future plans include an optional camper shell and a bolt-in third row of seats, which will increase the seating capacity to eight passengers.