Is Telo Trucks The Real Deal? I Interviewed The Founders To Find Out

Telo trucks has made some big promises. Its upcoming MT1 electric mini truck is supposed to deliver up to 350 miles of range, 8,000 pounds of towing capacity, 500 horsepower, ultra-fast 800V charging, and a five-foot truck bed in a footprint no longer than a two-door Mini Cooper.

But as America's graveyard of EV startups grows, is Telo prepared to go the distance? I interviewed two of the company's founders to find out.

Both CEO Jason Marks and CTO Forrest North say that the company's first product is almost ready to launch. But both are also honest that high-volume production isn't the immediate goal. 

Telo says the MT1 will tow up to 8,000 pounds, which is more than any Toyota Tacoma or Ford Ranger can pull. It'll also have better payload capacity than existing midsize trucks and—with the help of a folding mid-gate—room to fit 8-foot-long items.

Photo by: Telo

"We're not looking at going to 100,000 units in year one," Marks told me. "We're looking to get to 500 units on year one, 5,000 units on year two, and only once we establish that can we really go mass market and scale."

Marks likens the approach to Tesla, which launched with the low-volume Roadster before building the more mass-market Model S. The company made fewer than 2,500 Roadsters between 2008 and 2012. Telo wants to run the same playbook, which should come as no surprise given that Tesla co-founders Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning are investors in Telo.  

Gallery: Telo MT1 subcompact electric truck

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Source: Telo

The company says production of the MT1 will start this year, but don't expect a massive outpouring of cars. For now, the company is hand-assembling vehicles in its San Carlos, California headquarters. Marks points out that the components they're using are often made on highly automated lines, though, and just need to be fitted together for final assembly. The structural body-in-white, for instance, is made by established Tier 1 automotive supplier Schwab in the Detroit area.

Still, the company has a lot of growing to do before it can reach volume assembly. Its bet hinges on Americans getting excited about the MT1. They pitch it as an attainable electric alternative to gas trucks, which have gotten too large to be practical in urban environments. The kei-truck-inspired MT1 aims to offer urban and fleet buyers the same bed size as a Tacoma, better towing, better payload capacity, and a similar price: roughly $42,000 to start, or $46,000 if you want all-wheel-drive. 

More Telo Stories

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Telo's Tiny Electric Truck Moves Closer To Reality With An Important New Partner

Slate Vs. Telo: How The EV Truck Startups Stack Up

The Telo MT1 May Be Tiny, But It's Still Built For Hard Work

It's a compelling pitch. As a mostly urban EV fan who wants something that can easily haul bikes and camping gear but still park on crowded streets, I certainly get the appeal. But I'm an EV blogger in California, hardly a stand-in for the average truck buyer.

Telo is convinced that it can show Americans a smarter, more practical way, wrapped in a cute package. I'm interested to see if they can pull it off. 

Contact the author: mack.hogan@insideevs.com.