Telo Says Its Tiny EV Truck Can Tow More Than A Base Ford F-150

The pint-sized electric pickup is just 152 inches long, yet its makers claim it can hold its own against industry heavyweights.

Photo by: Telo

Iulian Dnistran

By: Iulian Dnistran

Aug 3, at 11:52am ET

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Telo claims its upcoming electric pickup will be able to tow more than originally planned.
According to the startup, the MT1 EV will have a higher towing capacity than a base Ford F-150.
The 152-inch pickup will also out-tow the base Tesla Cybetruck.

Telo, the California startup that’s trying to bring a small but powerful electric pickup truck to the market, now wants to play with the big boys when it comes to towing. Forrest North, the company’s cofounder and chief technology officer, said in a YouTube video posted on Friday that the upcoming MT1 four-door pickup will be able to tow up to 8,000 pounds, up from the previously planned 6,600 pounds.

That’s a big number for such a small vehicle. As a reminder, Telo’s first vehicle, which is not being mass-produced yet, is just 152 inches long—the same as the latest-generation Mini two-door hatchback. Despite that, it has four doors, it can seat up to five people, and has a 60-inch bed in the back. And now, with the increased towing capacity, the Telo MT1 is shaping up to be quite the urban worker—small enough to fit on small city streets, yet powerful enough to do big jobs.

"In that 8,000 pound range, it unlocks the ability to have some of the new trailers that are coming onto the market which have active regen and battery packs of their own," North said. The video shows the Telo towing one such electrified camper, the Pebble Flow, which has a 45-kilowatt-hour battery pack, two hub motors, and a gross weight of 6,800 lbs.

The company says the small truck can comfortably tow up to the new limit thanks to the regenerative braking capabilities of its electric motors. The fact that the vehicle itself weighs 4,400 lbs also helps keep it planted on the road, North said.

Its bespoke electric platform has enabled designers and engineers to place the axles as close as possible to the car’s front and rear, making more room for the cabin. That also enables the Telo to handle more weight on the tow hitch, North said, since the short distance between the rear axle and the tow hitch results in less levering force that would impact the front end.

When it comes to towing, the base 2026 Ford F-150 with the 2.7-liter V6 EcoBoost engine and standard axle ratio can carry between 7,400 and 7,600 pounds. Meanwhile, the much more expensive Tesla Cybertruck Dual-Motor is rated for 7,500 lbs, all of which puts the diminutive Telo MT1 in a better place than anyone could've expected. (Both the F-150 and Cybertruck are also available in versions that can tow 11,000 lbs or more.)

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Telo claims an estimated starting MSRP of $41,520 for the entry-level model with a single rear electric motor and 260 miles of range. That’s about $2,000 more than the cheapest F-150, which only has two doors, and about $2,000 more expensive than the most affordable four-door F-150. It’s also $30,000 less than the base Cybertruck, though it’s worth noting that Telo’s plans also include a $50,000 model with dual-motor all-wheel drive and 350 miles of estimated range.

Gallery: Telo MT1 subcompact electric truck

Source: Telo

All of this sounds pretty good, but right now, nobody can experience what Telo is claiming, except for its own employees. The startup is still working on getting its funky urban pickup into production. It recently announced a manufacturing contract with Schwab Industries, a Tier 1 automotive supplier, which will build its body-in-whites. Telo says production is slated to begin at the end of this year.