TELO’s tiny electric truck gets a configurator and a $41k base price
TELO, an electric truck startup based in Silicon Valley that is designing a tiny electric truck for the US market, has released a configurator for its vehicles, with design updates and a lower-than-expected base price… but don’t get too excited yet, because production is still many months away.
We first told you about TELO last June, when the company announced it was planning to build an electric truck the size of a Mini but with a bed the size of a Hummer’s.
it sounds impossible, but there’s a lot of wasted space in vehicle designs these days, especially trucks where automakers consider an enormous front hood as an important part of design (despite the inherent deadliness of this design decision).
TELO went another direction, focusing on a truck with maximum utility and minimum footprint – and says it will be able to offer utility on par with today’s mid-size pickup trucks like the Toyota Tacoma, but in a package that’s only 152 inches long.
In the interim, TELO has built a driveable chassis and been hiring some new talent from elsewhere in the automotive industry, but it’s still very much a tiny startup. The company has collected around 3,400 preorders as of today, at $152 a pop – the same as the truck’s total length in inches.
But today we’ve got news on an exterior design update and one step closer to production – an actual configurator, and with prices attached as well.
The TELO configurator is pretty bare bones, with only 3 selectable options. TELO says that it will add more options and accessories “over the next few months,” so this isn’t everything yet, but it’s a start.
Most importantly though, the base price, which TELO previously said would be “under $50k,” is quite a bit under $50k, at $41,520 to start. Even better, that’s under $35k to start after taking into account the federal EV tax credit.
That’s still certainly a chunk of change, but it’s less than other EV trucks on the road today, and it’s quite a bit under expectations – which is good, because $50k did feel a little high given that one benefit of a smaller vehicle should be lower price (less stuff required to build it, less battery needed to push it around, etc).
Then there are options – a 300hp single motor or 500hp dual motor drivetrain, with the latter costing $46,019 base – a $4,499 premium.
There’s also a 260mi “standard” or 350mi+ “long range” battery option, with the latter costing an extra $3,980 dollars. Battery sizes are 79kWh for the smaller version, and 106kWh for the larger one.
The configurator also has 8 color options, though these are all just renders. There’s no additional cost attached to these paint options (…yet).
The renders reveal some small design updates that TELO has been teasing recently, largely for aerodynamic reasons in order to optimize its efficiency.
TELO says it changed the area around the wheel entry/exit, some small changes at the front, and a slightly more rounded roofline all to improve aerodynamics without much change in the vehicle’s shape. The company used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software from AirShaper to help in these design changes – much cheaper than renting time at one of the world’s few wind tunnels.
And the most notable change, to our eyes, is relocation of the truck’s “divot” on the side to near the front wheel well instead of along the B-pillar. While it was a distinctive feature, it does seem a little more natural in its new position.
We haven’t yet seen a physical prototype with these new design updates, and we imagine things might change more before production. TELO says it’s still on track for its first customer deliveries to start at the late end of 2025 – but we’ll have to see if they’re able to stick to that timeline or not, as timelines tend to slip in the EV startup realm. It intends to ramp into larger contract manufacturing following those first customer deliveries.
You can view the TELO configurator here, where you can also make a $152 refundable reservation for a TELO truck. If you already have a preorder, you can search for your preorder and add a configuration to your order, though as mentioned above, there will probably be more options to configure as time goes on.
Electrek’s Take
We’re pretty excited about what TELO represents, as the US market simply doesn’t have any small trucks, and even the “compact” trucks that are out there are still enormous – for example, the “compact” Tacoma is a full five feet longer than the TELO.
I’ve written a lot about how we need to knock it off with these ridiculous enormous vehicles in America (and how the government is finally doing something about it).
So TELO offers a really compelling argument here, a vehicle that’s capable but isn’t impossible to park, isn’t excessive in terms of material inputs, and doesn’t contribute to the ever-rising plague of pedestrian deaths from oversized vehicles.
The one thing to dull that excitement is that, while it is promising a truck that isn’t excessive in size, it was still a little excessive in other ways. We originally only heard about a 106kWh battery option, which is around the size as in hulking 3-row electric SUVs coming out these days, and a $50k base price didn’t put it below the price range of other EV trucks out there.
So the availability of a smaller battery and a much lower base price only makes this all the more compelling. Yes, Americans do have “bigger number, better car” disease, and to some extent you need to cater to that, but given TELO already represents a statement to counter that attitude, I’d like to see the company go all-in in that direction.
Especially since one of the best functions I can see for this vehicle would be for intra-city use. Small businesses that need a truck but don’t need a huge truck, or that would benefit from having something more parkable for urban environments, won’t need 350 miles of range. There are plenty of small trucks like this available in the rest of the world, and businesses in Europe and Japan make great use of them.
If TELO can hit a similar or higher level of intra-city utility as for example the Ford E-Transit (with an 89kWh battery, 159 mile range and $51k base price – the same as the gas version), but beat them on price as they have announced, there’s certainly a market there.
So, while this is a relatively small update today, it’s still quite exciting to see TELO moving forward, and moving in the right direction.
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Tesla is going to build a new Megafactory in Texas near Houston, according to a tax abatement agreement with Waller County.
At the time of writing, Tesla had yet to comment on the new project, but the Waller County Commissioners Court confirmed the project on Wednesday when they approved a tax abatement deal with the company:
Under the proposed agreement, Tesla will receive tax abatements from Waller County based on property improvements. The deal includes $44 million in facility improvements and $150 million in Tesla manufacturing equipment that Tesla will install. The next phase involves a new $31 million distribution facility with about $2 million in Tesla distribution equipment and building upgrades.
Tesla is going to take over a 1-million-sq-ft building that it already held the lease on at the Empire West industrial park near Katy, Texas – just outside of Houston.
Logistics company DB Schenker occupied the space where it handled parts for Tesla, but it will move out and Tesla plans to build Megapack production lines at the site:
Tesla will operate a new Megapack battery storage manufacturing facility at a 1 million-square-foot building, which was initially constructed with no tenant on speculation that it would attract jobs and economic development.
Tesla has previously referred to plants producing Megapacks as “Megafactory”. The company already operates one in Lathrop, California, and one in Shanghai, China, where it just started production.
Those factories are set up for a production capacity of 40 GWh worth of Megapacks per year.
It’s not clear if Tesla plans for a similar capacity at this new factory, but the county announced project should result in creating 1,500 jobs.
In addition to the existing building, the project will include the construction of an additional “600,000-square-foot distribution facility with some manufacturing capabilities.”
Unlike its automotive business, Tesla’s energy business has been growing at an impressive pace – although prices and margins have come down last year.
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![Is Genesis taking notes from Porsche? New GV60 Magma caught with the Taycan [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/Genesis-GV60-Magma-Porsche-2.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Genesis is gearing up to unleash its alter ego with its upcoming Magma lineup, its debut into the world of high-performance luxury vehicles. First up is the Genesis GV60 Magma, due out later this year. As testing wraps up, the GV60 Magma was spotted alongside none other than the Porsche Taycan.
The first dedicated Genesis EV model, the GV60, will kick off another new chapter for the Korean luxury automaker.
Genesis unveiled the GV60 Magma last March, claiming it will kick off “the brand’s expansion into the realm of high-performance vehicles.” The performance EV includes an improved battery, chassis, and motor for added performance.
The Magma model boasts a wider, lower stance for more control. Other key upgrades include a wider front air intake to help cool the batteries, motor, and brakes. It also includes air curtains to maximize efficiency and an added roof fin channels air to the rear wing, generating downward force.
Genesis upgraded the interior to match the GV60 Magma’s luxurious, sporty design. It includes unique sports car-like bucket seats with exclusive “double-diamond stitching” in the Magma orange and titanium coloring.
Genesis GV60 Magma spotted with the Porsche Taycan
With its official debut coming up, the sporty Genesis GV60 Magma was spotted testing alongside a Porsche Taycan and Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 N models.
Despite the camouflage, the video from CarSpyMedia reveals a few new design elements, like the two-line headlight featured on the updated GV60 model.
Genesis will launch the GV60 Magma later this year in its home market, followed by the US, Europe, and others. Production is scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2025.
Will the Genesis GV60 Magma keep up with the Porsche Taycan or Tesla Model S Plaid? Priced and specs will be revealed closer to launch, but it will sit above the Performance AWD trim, which starts at $69,900 in the US. With up to 429 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, it can hit 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds.
| Horsepower | 0 to 60 mph (seconds) |
Starting Price | |
| Genesis GV60 Performance | 429 | 3.7 | $69,900 |
| Genesis GV60 Magma | ? | ? | ? |
| Porsche Taycan | 402 | 4.5 | $99,400 |
| Porsche Taycan Turbo GT (with Weissach Package) |
1,092 | 2.1 | $230,000 |
| Tesla Model S Plaid | 1,020 | 1.99 | $89,990 |
In comparison, the Porsche Taycan starts at $99,400 with up to 402 hp and a 0 to 60 mph time in 4.5 seconds. The Taycan Turbo GT, equipped with its Weissach package, packs 1,092 hp for a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 2.1 seconds, but it costs $230,000.
Tesla’s Model S Plaid starts at $79,990 and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds with 1,020 horsepower. Which performance EV are you choosing?
Source: CarSpyMedia
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Tesla gets more than 20% of its parts from Mexico, as well as some from Canada on top of it. So, yes, Tesla will be negatively affected by the tariffs.
However, there’s another one-month delay.
I didn’t think I would have to write this article, but I have seen plenty of “Tesla influencers” claim that Tesla would not be affected by President Trump’s current trade war:
This is false. Tesla gets a significant percentage of its car parts from Mexico and Canada.
NHTSA releases data about the sourcing of parts for all vehicles in the US. Unfortunately, it doesn’t account for the US and Canada together, but it also lists the country of origin for the next largest source of parts.
For Tesla, that’s Mexico for all car models:
| Models | US/Canada | Mexico |
| Model 3 LR AWD/RWD | 75% | 20% |
| Model 3 Performance | 70% | 20% |
| Model Y LR AWD/RWD | 70% | 25% |
| Model Y Performance | 70% | 20% |
| Cybertruck | 65% | 25% |
| Model S | 65% | 20% |
| Model X | 60% | 25% |
This means that Tesla gets more than 20% of its parts from Mexico in addition to what it gets from Canada.
It’s also noteworthy that Tesla’s most popular car, Model Y, gets 25% of its parts from Mexico.
Despite free trade agreements with Canada and Mexico, Trump has implemented 25% blanket tariffs on the countries.
The tariffs were delayed last month, but they went into effect on Tuesday.
However, today, the White House confirmed that they were delayed again just for the automotive industry. Trump reportedly had a call with the big three this morning, Ford, GM, and Chrysler, and he agreed to another one-month delay.
If you needed more proof that Tesla is going to be affected by the tariffs, ever they go into effect, Tesla’s stock was up 2% on the news that Trump agreed to delay the tariffs.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla fans are delusional. They think that because Elon is involved with Trump and he is not fighting the tariffs, it means that it wouldn’t negatively affect Tesla.
That’s a false assumption. Elon is not fighting because he is either completely delusional about Tesla himself or just doesn’t care.
If the tariffs are ever implemented, they will negatively affect Tesla. They will increase the cost of all Tesla vehicles. Some automakers will be more affected, but Tesla will be hurt, too.
The tariffs are a complete mess. They are on one day and delayed the next. I doubt they will ever be in place for any significant length of time.
Their only real impact is making Canadian and Mexican buyers and businesses think twice about doing business with the US. This impact will likely last longer than the tariffs and Trump’s administration.
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