Key facts in brief
Compact size, big ambitions
So far, the most attention in the market is being drawn by the affordable electric pickup from Slate, but it is not the only one in its segment. The American startup Telo has been gradually refining its own compact model MT1 for three years now. The vehicle is truly small, yet its towing figures tell a different story.
Telo was founded in 2022 by Jason Marks, Forrest North, and Yves Béhar. The company has a notable connection to Tesla: North once helped develop batteries for the original Tesla Roadster, and one of Tesla’s co-founders, Marc Tarpenning, sits on Telo’s board of directors and has invested in the startup twice.
Towing that impresses
The MT1 is roughly the same length as a two-door Mini Cooper, but inside it houses a large 106 kWh battery and two electric motors with a combined output of 500 hp. Thanks to its powerful dual-motor setup, this little pickup can tow more than the base Tesla Cybertruck, which has a rating of 7,500 pounds (3,400 kg). However, more expensive versions of the Cybertruck can pull up to 11,000 pounds (4,989 kg).
Initially, Telo promised a towing capacity of 6,600 pounds (2,993 kg) for the MT1. That was already quite good, but during extended testing, CTO Forrest North said engineers managed to safely increase the figure to 8,000 pounds (3,628 kg). It is worth remembering that the MT1 itself weighs about 4,400 pounds (1,995 kg), so it can pull nearly twice its own weight.
How much it costs
Although the Telo MT1 is often compared to the Slate, the pricing strategies of these startups are very different. The base Slate starts at $24,950, while the most affordable version of the MT1 will cost around $41,520. For that money, the buyer gets one electric motor with 300 hp and a range of 260 miles (418 km).
The all-wheel-drive version of the Telo MT1 adds up to 500 hp and provides approximately 350 miles (563 km) of range. It is expected that this version will start at around $50,000.
Last year, Telo raised $20 million in a Series A round to launch series production of its electric pickup. The company now plans to begin production by the end of this year. Then again, delays are not uncommon for automotive startups, so don’t be surprised if the timeline shifts a bit.
The compact electric pickup market in the US is gradually expanding, and Telo and Slate demonstrate two different approaches. One bets on the lowest possible price, the other on versatility and serious work capabilities in a small format. For Telo, the key task is to prove that a small pickup can be a full-fledged work truck, not just an urban EV. If the startup can maintain the promised characteristics and launch production without major delays, the MT1 could become a very interesting alternative for those who need a real truck in a compact form.