This Mini EV Truck Fits in a City But Hauls Like a Toyota Tacoma
The teeny tiny Telo MT1 EV truck has optical illusion levels of space.
Alex LeanseWriterWilliam WalkerPhotographerAug 26, 2025
017 2025 TELO Truck Concept
What It Is The MT1 is a small—very small—all-electric pickup developed by Telo, a startup automaker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Company founders dwell in the city and sought to design a truck with urban drivers and maximum space efficiency in mind. The MT1 measures just 152 inches long—about the same as a two-door Mini Hardtop—but provides seating for five and a bed comparable in size to a Toyota Tacoma’s. A focus on smart packaging results in the folding midgate to extend bed length, an under-bed storage tunnel, and a markedly cab-forward layout that minimizes the hood.
Why It Matters Telo challenges America’s “bigger is better” mindset by building a truck that has massive capability without actually being massive. With the MT1’s minuscule footprint easing urban mobility, Telo targets overlooked buyers: those who might appreciate a pickup’s function but don’t want or can’t accommodate a larger truck. It also represents a rare attempt to go even smaller than the scarce compact trucks in the U.S. market—something only being challenged by Slate, another startup automaker. You’re forgiven for thinking the MT1 seems like something of a mini-Rivian. Telo isn’t shy about this being a lifestyle truck for individuals, but its city-friendly sizing equally disposes it to municipal fleet duty.
011 2025 TELO Truck Concept
Platform and Powertrain The MT1 will be built on a bespoke skateboard architecture using batteries of Telo’s own design, chemistry, and manufacturing. The standard 77-kWh battery can provide approximately 260 miles of driving range, while the optional 106-kWh pack increases that potential to 350 miles. With its single rear-motor powertrain, the MT1 has 300 hp, and the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system elevates output to 500 hp. Targeted peak charging power through the Tesla-style NACS port is 250 kW.
Estimated Price $42,000–$50,000
Expected On-Sale Date 2027 or 2028
Alex Leanse
Alex’s earliest memory is of a teal 1993 Ford Aspire, the car that sparked his automotive obsession. He’s never driven that tiny hatchback—at six feet, 10 inches tall, he likely wouldn’t fit—but has assessed hundreds of other vehicles, sharing his insights on MotorTrend as a writer and video host.
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