San Carlos, CA-based new mobility startup Telo Trucks officially unveiled its first urban EV (electric vehicle), and it surprisingly is a truck and not a bike. Telo was initially working on a bike, but according to CEO Jason Marks on LinkedIn, “We pivoted to the mini truck a year ago, and super glad we did!”

According to the company, as the demand for EVs grows so does the need for practical trucks suited to urban and suburban environments and active lifestyles. Its mission is to make sustainable mobility “fit for purpose, building right-sized—not super-sized—trucks” with space for people and gear.

Telo’s compact electric truck for city living and weekend adventuring measures only 152 in (3860 mm) long, 73 in (1855 mm) wide, and 66 in (1675 mm) tall, but features the capacity of “a standard truck.” Execs believe that the company has created the most compact, practical, and technically advanced truck, with Toyota Tacoma capability, in addition to Tesla-like range and efficiency, all in the footprint of a Mini Cooper.

“As the demand for electric vehicles continues to grow across the U.S., we saw a strong need for a vehicle that is suited for both urban environments and active lifestyles,” said Marks. “Now more than ever, urban adventurers want the practicality of a small footprint with the storage capacity and power of a traditional truck. With Telo, explorers can live in the city and venture out on weekends.”

Telo was cofounded in 2022 by Marks, who previously led business strategy, marketing, sales, and R&D efforts for the ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) and autonomous test business at NI (National Instruments), and CTO Forrest North, who founded one of the first electric motorcycles companies, Mission Motors, whose IP was sold to Damon Motorcycles in 2020, and Plugshare, an app for finding EV charging stations.

The new mobility company partnered with the world-renown designer, advisor, and investor Yves Béhar and his Fuseproject studio for the truck’s design. In addition to Telo, notable Fuseproject collaborations include partnerships with Herman Miller, Samsung, Prada, Puma, Issey Miyake, SodaStream, Nivea, L’Oreal, and The Ocean Cleanup.

Company execs say that their truck’s design and technology represent a groundbreaking shift in automotive construction. By redesigning the electric truck’s footprint and function from the ground up, Telo took advantage of the best in electric and autonomous technology to meet the needs of both urban and suburban drivers.

The truck has a surprisingly spacious four-door five-passenger interior with a Rivian-RT1-beating 60 in (1925 mm) long truck bed but in a length that fits in small city streets and tight parking spots. Telo says one of its design signatures—a lack of the long front overhang needed for a large internal combustion engine—means that vehicle length could be dramatically shortened without compromising on safety.

“By focusing on the design and placement of the battery pack within the truck’s chassis, we are able to not only to create a roomier crew cab, but also develop a vehicle that is practical for its users,” said North. “Our patent-pending battery packs are space-optimized to provide an impressive 350-mi range in between charges in our small footprint while being highly manufacturable.”

The truck’s bed measures 60 in long, 60 in wide, and 18 in (455 mm) tall with the tailgate closed. Folding down a partition between the rear seat and bed expands the cargo room forward into the interior to carry items like 4 x 8 ft sheets of plywood, long ladders, a 9-ft surfboard, and large tools with the tailgate up.

Belongings can be hidden and safely secured under a tonneau cover. A side tunnel storage compartment as on the Rivian R1T is designed for storage of suitcases and adventure gear its lid can double as a seat when down.

The bed can also be topped with a cap under which a third-row seat or camping setup can be placed. The extra seat can enable an accommodation increase from five adult passengers to eight. The storage tunnel under the bed doubles as a footwell for occupants of the third row of seats.

“For us, the opportunity to design with the latest EV technology meant that we could create a category-defining and environmentally mighty ultra-compact pickup truck,” noted Béhar, Telo’s Head of Design and Advisor. “It is designed for city adventurers who want a vehicle nimble enough for city streets and robust enough for outdoor exploring, with plenty of space for their people and gear.”

In 380-kW dual-motor 4WD spec, the 4400-lb (2000-kg) truck can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 4.0 s and go on to a top speed of 125 mph (201 km/h). The range is about 350 mi (563 km) from the 106-kW·h battery pack that is said to fit in the footprint of a “sub-subcompact” vehicle. Charging speed is 20 min from 20-80% capacity.

The company promises the latest in advanced technology—such as sensors to predict and classify collisions before they happen, airbags, and structural technology—to make the truck safer not only for occupants but also pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

The truck’s base price is $49,999, not including savings from U.S. state and Federal EV tax credits. It is currently available for pre-order with a deposit of $152, the number equivalent to the vehicle length in inches, at www.telotrucks.com.