TELO is a tiny electric truck the size of a Mini with a bed as big as a Hummer’s
TELO is a new electric truck startup based in Silicon Valley that aims to provide an electric truck with the capabilities of today’s full-size pickup trucks, but in a right-sized package that actually fits in a city.
TELO is a startup cofounded by Jason Marks, who led ADAS/Autonomous drive test programs at National Instruments, and EV industry veteran Forrest North, an early Tesla Roadster engineer, cofounder of Mission Motors and former COO of Recargo/Plugshare.
The startup is still in its early stages, but has big plans for its tiny electric truck, with a spec sheet of some pretty unbelievable specs.
TELO plans to offer a 106kWh battery on its first model, with a dual motor configuration capable of 500 horsepower. This gives the truck a 0-60 time of about four seconds, with a top speed of 125mph.
The company estimates that the truck will have a range of 350 miles, and is targeting a 20-minute charge time from 20-80% capacity (this works out to about a 190kW average charge rate from 20-80%, though it should be able to take about a 320kW peak).
All of this comes in an incredibly small package. It’s only 152 inches long – the same length as the electric Mini Cooper SE. That’s five feet shorter than the Toyota Tacoma, the best-selling “compact” pickup truck in America, and six and a half feet shorter than the F-150 Lightning. And at 4,400 lb., it weighs less than a Tesla Model Y.
Somehow, though, despite the Mini having four seats at that length, TELO promises to fit five seats and a full-size 60″ truck bed, same as the base model crew cab Tacoma. That’s six inches longer than the 54″ bed of the Rivian R1T, six inches shorter than the 66″ bed of the F-150 Lightning, and the same length as the excessive Hummer EV “supertruck,” though with 49 inches between the wheels, the TELO is a little narrower than each.
TELO says that in order to achieve this space-efficiency, it has chosen to optimize for space at all points in the design process. These design choices can be summarized as “good enough to be amazing, but we don’t have to be the best,” said TELO. By not going over-the-top with any particular spec, the company can save space and money.
For example, TELO says its battery – which uses standard 21700 cells – will be 50% more space efficient than the rest of the industry because it is able to save space with lower-amperage connections since it’s not aiming to break any records with 0-60 times like some other big-battery EVs. And the front of the truck bed is the back of the rear seats, so that’s one fewer body panel or seat part that needs to be designed, tooled, produced, and attached to the vehicle.
On that point – the rear seats act as a mid-gate, and can be folded down to create a flat surface long and wide enough to carry full 4×8 sheets of plywood or a nine-foot surfboard even with the tailgate up (and potentially fully enclosed by a tonneau cover, though TELO has not yet decided if one will come standard).
Even without a tonneau cover, the truck will have enclosed storage in the form of a tunnel storage compartment, which will function similarly to Rivian’s “gear tunnel.” This has been a popular feature on the Rivian, as a place to store dirty items that you don’t want to throw into an open bed, or to use the tunnel door itself as a seat or as a step to access gear on a roof rack.
But on the TELO, the tunnel can also be accessed from above by removing part of the truck bed. This doesn’t just give more options for accessing storage, but opens up a whole new possibility for rear passengers.
As if two rows and a full-size bed weren’t enough, TELO plans to offer an optional camper shell and bolt-in third-row seats, bringing total seating capacity to eight total passengers, says the company. In this configuration, the tunnel gets used as the footwell for the rear passengers.
Alternately, the camper shell can be used without third-row seats for enclosed storage, and TELO wants to connect it to vehicle HVAC, which could be useful for businesses or for owners who often carry pets around in the back.
The truck will be capable of V2L, with outlets in the bed, though TELO hasn’t decided how much draw it will be capable of yet.
TELO is being built with safety in mind from the get-go. Despite the short front-end with only one inch of overhang over the front wheels (on a 111.5-inch total wheelbase), the seating position is not entirely cab-over and occupants are still hidden behind a crumple zone. But in keeping with Marks’s previous expertise working on ADAS testing systems, TELO claims it has several innovative electronic aids for both driver and passenger safety planned, though it couldn’t elaborate on what specific technologies it had in mind.
But more importantly, a small electric truck is inherently safer for roads, pedestrians, and for the environment. In recent years we have seen a trend toward massive land yachts taking over the road (yet with less utility and smaller beds), with SUV and truck sales skyrocketing. And it’s been no coincidence that pedestrian deaths have risen rapidly in sync with sales of larger vehicles that often leave pedestrian safety as an extreme afterthought.
Not only do these massive trucks and SUVs harm pedestrians, they also cause more road damage, run through more tires (causing more particulate pollution from tire particles), contribute to sprawl, and use more resources both to manufacture and to operate. It’s all bad, it’s all dangerous, and we need to do something about it.
TELO offers a solution here. It’s a vehicle that has the capability of a full-size truck, but uses far fewer resources and is less of a danger to everyone around it. And for a global population that is both growing and urbanizing, small urban EVs are going to be important both for city dwellers who need or choose to have a vehicle, and for businesses that need cargo space but would benefit from a smaller vehicle.
And the company thinks that the market is ready for a truck like this. There has been some pushback brewing against rising vehicle sizes lately, and even “compact” trucks like the aforementioned Tacoma are several feet longer than this vehicle. Crossover SUVs are popular because people want cars that have more space and utility, but aren’t as big as a truck or full-size SUV.
So what if they could have even more utility in an even smaller package? It could be a hit, especially given that there isn’t anything else like it on the American market (and small delivery trucks are already popular in both Europe and Asia, so there’s your proof-of-concept).
So now, down to the bottom line: How much does it cost, and when can we get it?
TELO is currently targeting a price of $50K before incentives, and it should qualify for Inflation Reduction Act tax credits too. In the future, TELO wants to offer a version with a smaller battery and single motor, presumably with a lower price. This would be good for people who know they don’t need a huge 350-mile battery, or for businesses with set routes or mostly intracity travel. But, like most startups, the focus will be to start upmarket and deliver one highly equipped version to start off, then expand with other options later.
As for planned delivery, there are several steps to go before then. TELO wants to have a running prototype by the end of summer, a press vehicle by the end of the year, to do homologation (crash/aero analysis) over the course of the next year and conclude all of those preproduction steps in 2024. Then, it hopes to have the first 500 hand-built vehicles by the end of 2025, and 10,000 contract-manufactured vehicles in 2026.
These are all incredibly tight timelines, and basically describe perfect execution – so, as is often the case with EV startups, there may be some “flexibility” on the above dates.
If you’re interested in getting a TELO, the company is taking pre-orders today at its website, telotrucks.com. Pre-orders are $152 – just like the 152-inch length of the truck. You can also join TELO’s Discord server where it will solicit feedback on development.
Electrek’s Take
I’ve made my thoughts clear about ballooning SUV and truck sizes multiple times before on this site. In short, I’m against it. We need smaller vehicles, and we need to live in denser, greener spaces. These are important steps in the fight against climate change, which is the most important problem humanity has ever encountered.
When it comes to giant SUVs, I’m looking at you, almost every automaker, because all of you seem to be releasing giant three-row electric SUVs this year, which threatens potential emissions reductions from going EV. But I’m also looking at government, because part of the reason for that is due to rules that encourage SUVs, a problem that the EPA finally recognized and is taking some action to fix in its new regulations.
As for the TELO, even though we haven’t gotten to ride in it yet, I think it’s pretty clear that I love everything that’s been promised here.
But, when I said the specs were “unbelievable” above, I meant it. Reading through the press release, I really thought the company was pushing the bounds of reality.
After speaking with the founders, it all does seem more realistic. I can see how they can pack a lot into a tiny package, and how they’re getting a lot of the numbers they’ve quoted.
I’m still skeptical of a couple of them – promising such a huge jump in volumetric energy density, for example – but I see how most of this is possible.
And I’m also a bit skeptical of the need for so many features, when trimmed-down versions of the truck could be more fit-to-purpose. A delivery truck doesn’t need a second row of seats or 0-60 in four seconds, a family hauler doesn’t need to go 125 mph, and so on. But this is just the start, and TELO said they would offer trimmed-down versions in the future, so we’ll hope to see those.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see production timing slip, to see some features cut or made optional, or to see some other changes to price or battery size. But even with a few reductions here and there, this still is an astounding package and fills a market that needs to be filled and that nobody else is filling. And it can’t get here quick enough, in my opinion, so we hope they make it to production (making cars is hard) and can start to bend the needle in the US toward right-sized vehicles with lots of capability in less space.
As always, we’re happy to hear your feedback in the comments. What do you think about the TELO? Are their plans realistic, is there a market for this kind of truck in the US? Let us know below.
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Capable of delivering up to 1,200 kW of power to get electric commercial trucks back on the road in minutes, the new ABB MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System is part of an ecosystem of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) that ABB’s bringing to this year’s ACT Expo.
ABB E-mobility is using the annual clean trucking conference to showcase the expansion of its EVSE portfolio with three all-new charger families: the field-upgradable A200/300 All-in-One chargers, the MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System for heavy-duty vehicles shown (above), and the ChargeDock Dispenser for flexible depot charging.
The company said its new product platform was built by applying a computer system-style domain separation to charger design, fundamentally improving subsystem development and creating a clear path forward for site and system expansion. In other words, ABB is selling a system with both future-proofing and enhanced dependability baked in.
“We have built a system by logically separating a charger into four distinct subsystems … each functioning as an independent subsystem,” explains Michael Halbherr, CEO of ABB E-mobility. “Unlike conventional chargers, where a user interface failure can disable the entire system, our architecture ensures charging continues even if the screen or payment system encounters issues. Moreover, we can improve each subsystem at its own pace without having to change the entire system.”
The parts of ABB’s new EVSE portfolio that have been made public so far have already been recognized for design excellence, with the A400 winning the iF Gold Award and both the A400 and C50 receiving Red Dot Design Awards.
New ABB chargers seem pretty, good
ABB says the systemic separation of its EVSE enhances both reliability and quality, while making deployed chargers easier to diagnose and repair, in less time. Each of the chargers’ subsystems can be tested, diagnosed, and replaced independently, allowing for quick on-site repairs and update cycles tailored to the speed of each systems’ innovation. The result is 99% uptime and a more future-proof product.
“The EV charging landscape is evolving beyond point products for specific use cases,” continued Halbherr. “By implementing this modular approach with the majority of our R&D focused on modular platforms rather than one-off products … it reduces supply chain risks, while accelerating development cycles and enabling deeper collaboration with critical suppliers.”
Key markets ABB is chasing
- PUBLIC CHARGING – with the award winning A400 being the optimal fit for high power charging from highway corridors to urban locations, the latest additions to the A-Series All-in-One chargers offer a field-upgradable architecture allowing operators to start with the A200 (200kW) with the option to upgrade to 300kW or 400kW as demand grows. This approach offers scalability and protects customer investment, leading to Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) savings over 10 years.
- PUBLIC TRANSIT AND FLEET – the new Charge Dock Dispenser – in combination with the already in market available HVC 360 – simplifies depot charging with a versatile solution that supports pantograph-, roof-, and pedestal charging options with up to 360kW of shared power and 150m/490 ft installation flexibility between cabinet and dispensers. The dispenser maintains up to 500A output.
- HEAVY TRUCKS – building the matching charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles and fleets represents a critical innovation frontier on our journey to electrify transportation. Following extensive collaboration with industry-leading truck OEMs, the MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System delivers up to 1,200kW of continuous power — 20% more energy transfer than 1MW systems — providing heavy-duty vehicles with purpose-built single-outlet design for the energy they need during mandatory driver breaks. To support other use cases, such as CCS truck charging, a dual CCS and MCS option will also be available.
- RETAIL – the award winning C50 Compact Charger complements the family as the slimmest charger in its category at just 9.3 inches depth, optimized for convenient charging during typical one-hour retail experiences. With its large touch display, the C50 takes the award-winning A400 experience even further — setting a new standard for consumer experience and very neatly echoing our own take on that “Goldilocks” timing zone for commercial charging.
ABB says that the result of its new approach are chargers that offer 99% plus uptime — a crucial statistic for commercial charging operations and a key factor to ensuring customer satisfaction. The new ABB E-mobility EVSE product family will be on display for the first time at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo (ACT Expo) in Anaheim, California next week, then again at Power2Drive in Munich, Germany, from May 7-9.
Electrek’s Take
The ACT Expo is one of – if not the most important sustainable trucking event in North America, featuring all the big names in heavy trucks, construction equipment, material handling, infrastructure – even Tier 1 suppliers. Mostly, though, it’s many fleet buyers’ only chance to test drive these zero emission trucks before writing a big PO (which just makes it even more important).
Electrek will be there again this year, and we’ll be bringing you all the latest news from press events and product reveals as it happens.
SOURCE | IMAGES: ABB E-mobility.
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Along with Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-based ultralight aircraft company Whisper Aero has secured a $500,000 grant to help advance the company’s innovative electric jet motor concept off the drawing board and onto the testing phase.
Earlier this month, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced plans to award $500,000 to Tennessee Tech and Whisper Aero through the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative.
“We look forward to using these award dollars to place students in internships working directly with Whisper Aero leaders,” said Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham. “By learning from an electric propulsion innovator like Whisper Aero, our students will gain invaluable perspective and can take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it right here in Tennessee.”
The grant will see a Whisper Aero glider fitted with a pair of the company’s eQ250 electric-powered jet “propulsors” for UltraQuiet flight. Tennessee Tech faculty and students will carry out copper-bird ground testing to ensure the safe integration of engines, batteries, and controllers, and kickstart Tennessee Tech’s new Crossville Mobility Incubator.
Those propulsors, by the way, are super cool.
Whisper Aero’s main claim to fame is its innovative UltraQuiet WhisperDrive (above). It’s effectively an electrically spun ducted fan jet engine that uses a large number of stiff composite fan blades inside a lightweight, acoustically treated duct. With so many blades, the Whisper Aero propulsor can push more air than a conventional prop while spinning much more slowly. As such, the “blade passage frequency” moves up to more than 16,000 Hz – outside the range of most human hearing but not, supposedly, high enough to freak out the beagles.
The Whisper Aero ultralight is effectively an Aériane Swift3 glider fitted with a pair of Whisper’s eQ250 propulsors, each capable of up to 80 lbs. of thrust. The Ultralight has a wingspan of over 40 ft with a maximum L/D of 35:1 and can be stressed to a design loading of +6/-4g, making it capable of some pretty impressive acrobatic feats.
The Swift3 glider is designed for a low speed, low power cruising speed of 45–55 knots with “just” 6.5 hp. Power-off glides from a few hundred feet showed a low sink rate, and a climb rate of 1,250 ft/min with full self-launching power (in other words: the Whisper glider doesn’t have to be towed by a launch vehicle, like a conventional ultralight glider).
Quiet cool
Range under full power is about 109 miles with current battery tech, but it’s expected that range under the latest EPiC 2.0 energy batteries would rise to nearly 170 miles.
Nathan Millecam, CEO of Electric Power System, said, “EPiC 2.0’s leap in energy density and thermal performance has enabled a significant increase in range, a clear validation of our next-gen cell technology. We are impressed by what the Whisper team continues to achieve in advancing electric aviation.”
The press release concludes explaining that flight tests are expected to show that the Whisper Aero glider can be flown, “a few hundred feet away from neighborhoods without any disturbances, while carrying a 220 lbs. payload with full range,” which is all kind of ominous in today’s political climate, but still pretty neat from a purely tech perspective.
The TNGO grant follows a separate grant from NASA awarded last year, though that grant aims to develop the eQ250s – not as a propulsion system, but as a key component in future spacecraft ventilation systems.
Tennessee Tech announces TNGO grant
With support from TNECD’s Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative, Tennessee Tech University and Whisper Aero are partnering to advance next-generation propulsion technology in the aerospace industry. This collaboration will enhance aerospace research and workforce development, ensuring Tennessee remains a leader in cutting-edge mobility solutions.
SOURCE | IMAGES: TNECD; via eVTOL Insights, New Atlas.
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A Tesla Cybertruck owner believed Elon Musk’s claims that the Cybertruck would be able to “act as a boat” and “cross rivers”, and he got his $100,000 stuck because of it.
Elon Musk has often made claims about how Tesla vehicles could float and briefly serve as a boat in the past.
We have never been taken too seriously because Tesla’s warranty states something different about taking the vehicle into water.
However, the CEO doubled down on the claim specifically for the Cybertruck.
Ahead of launching the production version of the Cybertruck, Musk claimed the vehicle would be “waterproof enough” to serve as a boat and cross rivers:
Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes and even seas that aren’t too choppy.
The CEO added that the goal is for a Cybertruck to be able to cross the water between SpaceX’s Starbase and South Padre Island in Texas, which is about 360 meters (1,100 feet).
We have been taking the Cybertruck more seriously with water because we learned that Tesla built a ‘wade mode’ for the truck to be able to go into the water. Tesla says the mode increases the ride height to the max and temporarily “pressurizes the battery pack.”
The problem is that it is activated through the off-roading mode, which is not covered under Tesla’s warranty – so we are taking everything with a grain of salt.
Whenever Tesla’s warranty contradicts what Musk says, it is better to follow to the warranty.
A Tesla Cybertruck owner in Truckee, California, appears not to have received this sage advice since they activated the wade mode and attempted to get into the water.
The Cybertruck owner quickly got stuck. The local California Highway Patrol (CHP) shared some pictures of the aftermath (via Facebook):
CHP Truckee helped with the recovery and commented on the incident:
Cybertruck activated “Wade Mode”… and waded a bit too far… We’re all for testing boundaries… but maybe not the waterline. Remember folks, “Wade Mode” isn’t “Submarine Mode.” If your plans include exploring the great outdoors, make sure to know your limits and the terrain.
There’s no detail on the damage to the Cybertruck, if any.
As we recently reported, repair costs for the stainless steel electric pickup truck can increase rapidly.
This Cybertruck owner is also not the first one to get stuck in water. We previously reported on a Tesla Cybertruck sinking into the water when launching a jet ski.
Electrek’s Take
At the risk of stating the obvious, this is clearly more of a user error than a Cybertruck problem.
I think the verdict is clear: Cybertruck is far from the best electric pickup truck for off-roading.
However, in general, you shouldn’t expect a truck to get out of water on a muddy bank.
I think a lot of Cybertruck owners are new to trucking and off-roading, and they are making the truck look worse than it is at off-roading.
If you want to take your Cybertruck off-road, I recommend to first go with an off-roading guide that can help avoid some simple mistakes like this.
Also, in general, don’t take Elon Musk’s claims at face value when he says that Tesla vehicles can do something that sounds like an exaggeration. It probably is an exaggeration.
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