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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Environment
EcoFlow members can save up to 65% on power stations while supporting disaster relief during the 2025 Member’s Festival
Portable power station specialist EcoFlow is kicking off its third annual Member’s Festival this month and is offering a unique new rewards program to those who become EcoFlow members. The 2025 EcoFlow Member’s Festival will offer savings of up to 65% for its participating customers, and a portion of those funds will be allocated toward rescue power solutions for communities around the globe through the company’s “Power for All” fund.
EcoFlow remains one of the industry leaders in portable power solutions and continues to trek forward in its vision to power a new tech-driven, eco-conscious future. Per its website:
Our mission from day one is to provide smart and eco-friendly energy solutions for individuals, families, and society at large. We are, were, and will continue to be a reliable and trusted energy companion for users around the world.
To achieve such goals, EcoFlow has continued to expand its portfolio of sustainable energy solutions to its community members, including portable power stations, solar generators, and mountable solar panels. While EcoFlow is doing plenty to support its growing customer base, it has expanded its reach by giving back to disaster-affected communities by helping bolster global disaster response efforts the best way it knows how– with portable power solutions.
EcoFlow and its members look to provide “Power for All”
Since 2023, EcoFlow has collaborated with organizations worldwide as part of its “Power for All” mission. This initiative aims to ensure access to reliable and timely power to disaster-affected communities across the globe, including rescue agencies, affected hospitals, and shelters, to support rescue and recovery efforts.
This fund most recently provided aid for communities affected by the recent Los Angeles wildfires, assistance to the Special Forces Charitable Trust (SFCT) in North Carolina following severe hurricanes, and support for non-profits engaged in hurricane preparedness in Florida and the Gulf Coast. Per Jodi Burns, CEO of the Special Forces Charitable Trust:
In the wake of devastating storms in Western North Carolina, reliable power was a critical need for the families we serve. Thanks to EcoFlow’s generous donation of generators, we were able to provide immediate relief, ensuring these families and their communities had access to power when they needed it most. We are so impressed with EcoFlow’s commitment to disaster response through their ‘Power for All’ program. It has made a tangible impact, and we are deeply grateful for their support and partnership in helping these families recover and rebuild.
In 2024, the US experienced 27 weather and climate events, each causing losses exceeding $1 billion, marking the second-highest annual total on record, according to National Centers for Environmental Information. The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters underscore the critical need for reliable and timely power solutions during emergencies, much like EcoFlow and its members are helping provide through the “Power For All” initiative.
To support new and existing EcoFlow members, the company is celebrating its third annual Member’s Festival throughout April to offer a do-not-miss discount on its products and donate a portion of all sales to the “Power for All” fund to provide rescue power to those in need in the future. Learn how it all works below.
Save big and give back during the 2025 Member’s Festival
As of April 1st, you can now sign up to become an EcoFlow member to participate in the company’s exclusive 2025 Member Festival.
As a member, you can earn “EcoFlow Power Points” by completing tasks like registration, referrals, and product purchases and tracking your individual efforts toward disaster preparedness and recovery.
Beginning April 4, EcoFlow members will also be able to take advantage of exclusive discounts of up to 65% off select portable power stations, including the DELTA Pro Ultra, DELTA Pro 3, DELTA 2 Max, DELTA 3 Plus, RIVER 3 Plus, and more. However, these sale prices only last through April 25, so you’ll want to move quickly!
Click here to learn more about EcoFlow’s “Power for All” campaign. To register for EcoFlow’s 2025 Member Festival in the US, visit the EcoFlow website. To register as a member in Canada, visit here.
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Tesla is losing another top talent: its long-time head of software, David Lau, has reportedly told co-workers that he is exiting the automaker.
Tesla changed how the entire auto industry looks at software.
Before Tesla, it was an afterthought; user interfaces were rudimentary, and you had to go to a dealership to get a software update on your systems.
When Tesla launched the Model S in 2012, it all changed. Your car would get better through software updates like your phone, the large center display was responsive with a UI that actually made sense and was closer to an iPad experience than a car.
Tesla also integrated its software into its retail experience, service, and manufacturing.
David Lau deserves a lot of the credit for that.
He joined Tesla in 2012 as a senior manager of firmware engineering and quickly rose through the ranks. By 2014, he was promoted to director of firmware engineering and system integration, and in 2017, he became Vice President of software.
Lau listed the responsibilities of his team on his LinkedIn:
- Vehicle Software:
- Firmware for the powertrain, traction/stability control, HV electronics, battery management, and body control systems
- UI software and underlying Embedded Linux platforms
- Navigation and routing
- iOS and Android Mobile apps
- Distributed Systems:
- Server-side software and infrastructure that provides telemetry, diagnostics, over-the-air updates, and configuration/lifecycle management
- Data engineering and analytics platforms that power technical and business insights for an increasingly diverse set of customers across the company
- Diagnostic tools and fleet management, Manufacturing and Automation:
- Automation controls (PLC, robot)
- Server-side manufacturing execution systems that power all of Tesla’s production operations
- Product Security and Red Team for software, services, and systems across Tesla
Bloomberg reported today that Lau told his team he is leaving Tesla. The report didn’t include reasons for his stepping down.
Electrek’s Take
Twelve years at any company is a great run. At Tesla, it’s heroic. Congrats, David, on a great run. You undoubtedly had a significant impact on Tesla and software advancements in the broader auto industry.
He is another significant loss for Tesla, which has been losing a lot of top talent following a big wave of layoffs around this time last year.
I wonder who will take over. Michael Rizkalla, senior director of software engineering and vehicle firmware, is one of the most senior software engineers after Lau. He has been at Tesla for 7 years, and Tesla likes to promote within rather than hire outsiders.
There are also a lot of senior software execs working on AI at Tesla. Musk has been favoring them lately and he could fold Lau’s responsibilities under them.
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Kia’s electric SUVs are taking over. The EV3 is the best-selling retail EV in the UK this year, giving Kia its strongest sales start since it arrived 34 years ago. And it’s not just in the UK. Kia just had its best first quarter globally since it started selling cars in 1962.
Kia EV3 is the best-selling EV in the UK through March
In March, Kia sold a record nearly 20,000 vehicles in the UK, making it the fourth best-selling brand. It was also the second top-seller of electrified vehicles (EVs, PHEVs, and HEVs), accounting for over 55% of sales.
The EV3 remained the best-selling retail EV in the UK last month. Including the EV6, three-row EV9, and Niro EV, electric vehicles represented 21% of Kia’s UK sales in March.
Kia said the EV3 “started with a bang” in January, darting out as the UK’s most popular EV in retail sales. Through March, Kia’s electric SUV has held on to the crown. With the EV3 rolling out, Kia sold over 7,000 electric cars through March, nearly 50% more than in Q1 2024.
The EV3 was the best-selling retail EV in the UK in the first quarter and the fourth best-selling EV overall, including commercial vehicles.
Starting at £33,005 ($42,500), Kia said it’s the “brand’s most affordable EV yet.” It’s available with two battery packs, 58.3 kWh or 81.48 kWh, good for 430 km (270 miles) and 599 km (375 miles) of WLTP range, respectively.
With new EVs on the way, this could be just the start. Kia is launching several new EVs in the UK this year, including the EV4 sedan (and hatchback) and EV5 SUV. It also confirmed that the first PV5 electric vans will be delivered to customers by the end of the year.
Electrek’s Take
Globally, Kia sold a record 772,351 vehicles in the first quarter, its best since it started selling cars in 1962. With the new EV4, the brand’s first electric sedan and hatchback, launching this year, Kia looks to build on its momentum in 2025.
Kia has also made it very clear that it wants to be a global leader in the electric van market with its new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) business, starting with the PV5 later this year.
Earlier today, we learned Kia’s midsize electric SUV, the EV5, is the fourth best-selling EV in Australia through March, outselling every BYD vehicle (at least for now). The EV5 is rolling out to new markets this year, including Canada, the UK, South Korea, and Mexico. However, it will not arrive in the US.
For those in the US, there are still a few Kia EVs to look forward to. Kia is launching the EV4 globally, including in the US, later this year. Although no date has been set, Kia confirmed the EV3 is also coming. It’s expected to arrive in mid-2026.
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