Telo's Compact Electric Pickup Is a Step Closer to Production

In recent years, acclaimed designer Yves Béhar has made a number of intriguing forays into the world of vehicles. Those forays have included a hybrid superyacht that made its debut last year as well as TELO Trucks, an EV company for which Béhar is one of the founders as well as its chief creative officer. And if you’ve ever wondered what an immaculately-designed electric pickup would be like to drive, that day appears to be drawing closer.

Writing at Electrek, Jameson Dow chronicled the experience of riding in a prototype of one of TELO’s MT1 pickups. Dow described the interior as relatively comfortable, including a design that gives passengers in the back more options for legroom. “[I]t’s certainly no less comfortable than other working vehicles we’ve tried (step vans, box trucks and so on) despite being a fraction of the overall size,” Dow wrote.

Thesize of the MT1 is one of its bigger selling points. TELO’s website touts that it has “Tacoma capacity in the footprint of a MINI Cooper.” The Tacoma comparisons are twofold: the MT1 has both comparable interior space and a similarly-sized cargo bed to Toyota’s well-known pickup; the MT1’s is also larger than that of the Rivian R1T. The bed can also extend into the back seat if drivers are looking to carry something larger.

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Looking closer at TELO’s pre-order page for the MT1, you’ll see a few more details as to what to expect from the production version. There’s a single-motor option with 300 hp and a double-motor option with 500 hp; the standard battery has a range of 260 miles, while an upgraded option increases that to 350 miles. Its most basic configuration currently sells for $41,520.

As for when it’ll be available, that’s still uncertain — as Dow reported at Electrek, TELO has said that its plan is to begin shipping by the end of the year, though next year has also been mentioned. Still, it’s an intriguing blend of power and design, and proof that you can do both without creating an automotive juggernaut.