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The TELO electric pickup truck delivers the payload capacity of a full-size workhorse in the footprint of a city-friendly vehicle. Built for drivers who want the functionality of a truck without the parking headaches, TELO blends innovative packaging, crash safety engineering, and EV efficiency into a compact, capable platform.
As the latest Munro teardown and analysis shows, it’s a striking example of how design constraints can drive breakthrough engineering for automotive engineers, EV enthusiasts, and investors alike.
Compact Size, Full-Size Capability
The TELO pickup measures only 152 inches — shorter than a two-door Mini Cooper. Yet it still fits a five-foot bed and seats five adults, combining compact size with full utility. A fold-flat rear seat and smart interior packaging let it carry a full 4×8 sheet of plywood entirely inside the cabin-bed space. TELO achieved this by rethinking the vehicle’s proportions from the ground up. Its cab-forward stance moves occupants rearward and maximizes load space.
TELO eliminated the traditional engine bay or frunk and compressed the frontal crash zone to the FMVSS 208 minimum. This change freed space for both passengers and cargo. As a result, the truck gained capacity without adding length.
Engineered for Safety from First Principles
TELO’s development began with physics-based simulations in LS-DYNA to determine the smallest viable front crash structure that would pass both rigid barrier and offset impact tests. Every inch ahead of the front occupants is designed to crush or collapse out of the way, optimizing energy absorption. This engineering-first approach ensures safety compliance while unlocking packaging freedom.
The design also integrates structural wheel wells into the cab architecture. To preserve ingress and egress, TELO inverted conventional seat rail designs, building them into the seat base and mounting on pedestals. This unusual but effective choice improves comfort and usability in the tight cab-forward layout.
Urban-Friendly Without Compromise
The TELO team built the truck to solve a personal pain point — owning a truck in a dense city. In urban areas like San Francisco, traditional pickups are too long for most parking spaces. City dwellers often resort to owning two vehicles: a small car for daily use and a truck for recreation or work. TELO combines those roles in a single footprint, offering truck-grade hauling and towing without the storage issues.
Starting at around $41,500, TELO targets both private owners and commercial fleets. Its four-wheel-drive configuration is powered by a 106 kWh battery — larger than those in many current EVs — giving an estimated range of 350 miles. For cost-sensitive buyers, a smaller LFP battery option delivers about 260 miles.
High Energy Density Battery Technology
TELO’s battery pack achieves a volumetric energy density of 380 Wh/L in a compact enclosure. This efficiency enables long range in a small form factor. While the company has not disclosed its cell supplier, the packs use 2170-format cells and are assembled entirely in-house — from electrical and thermal interfaces to final vehicle integration.
Prototypes, clad in carbon fiber, weigh about 4,135 lbs. Production models will use stamped aluminum body panels to maintain light weight while reducing cost.
Range and Performance Tradeoffs
The truck’s small frontal area and low rolling resistance contribute to its efficiency, though exposed front tires slightly raise drag compared to enclosed designs like Rivian’s. TELO accepts the tradeoff to preserve packaging benefits and crash safety architecture. The result is a balance — excellent range for its size, plus unique design flexibility.
Designed for Manufacturability and Scalability
TELO runs with a lean team — just 11 people in 4,300 sq. ft. — yet built running prototypes in under two years. It sources most components off the shelf from Tier 1 suppliers. This strategy lets the team focus engineering resources on core innovations such as crash structure, battery integration, and overall packaging.
Seats, often a long-lead challenge, were re-engineered in-house after Tier 1 bids came back at $10 million and 24 months. This agile, problem-solving approach mirrors practices at leading EV startups.
Suspension, Handling, and Ride Quality
The TELO rides on MacPherson struts in the front and a multi-link rear suspension. The rear architecture was chosen to maximize bed width between the wheel wells — a full 48 inches to accommodate standard plywood sheets. Test drives show tight steering, firm but supportive seating, and stable vehicle dynamics, even in prototype form.
Functional Details and Utility Features
The truck includes a “monster tunnel” storage compartment under the bed with 7.5 cubic feet of space — enough for three carry-on suitcases. Its skateboard-style chassis can support multiple body styles, including a future SUV variant with a third-row footwell in place of the tunnel.
Other practical features include:
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Built-in CCS charge port with charge status lighting
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Integrated steel tow hitch rated for 6,600 lbs
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Dual-zone cooling systems for front and rear components, enabling specialized HVAC for enclosed-bed commercial versions
Manufacturing Plans and Market Entry
TELO aims to deliver its first low-volume production units by the end of next year, with homologated builds preceding higher-volume output. The company is exploring use of Tesla’s charging standard and will adapt based on market developments.
Backing from industry veterans — including Tesla co-founders and former Nissan CEO Andy Palmer — provides supply chain access and strategic guidance. These connections, combined with TELO’s agile manufacturing model, could accelerate its market impact.
Why TELO Matters for the EV Industry
For automotive engineers, TELO’s approach offers a case study in constraint-driven innovation. By starting with safety physics, embracing unconventional packaging, and keeping operations lean, TELO created a product category that bridges the gap between urban commuter EVs and traditional pickups.
For EV enthusiasts and potential buyers, TELO offers a new kind of truck. It fits in tight spaces, carries full-size loads, and delivers long electric range. Best of all, it does this without the compromises of a full-size pickup.
Drive Into the Future with Munro’s Expert EV Insights
Get more Munro coverage of groundbreaking EV designs to see how companies like TELO are reshaping the future of electric mobility — one smart engineering decision at a time. For detailed reports and consulting services, or more teardown reviews, expert breakdowns, and lean engineering insights, visit Munro & Associates or subscribe to Munro Live.