{"id":3745,"date":"2026-01-06T03:57:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:57:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/max2voyages.com\/?p=3745"},"modified":"2026-01-06T03:57:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:57:38","slug":"we-drove-telos-tiny-500-hp-electric-truck-and-we-have-some-suggestions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/?p=3745","title":{"rendered":"We Drove Telo\u2019s Tiny 500-HP Electric Truck, and We Have Some Suggestions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Building cars costs big money\u2014apparently, no one told Telo<\/u>. Before recently securing $20 million in Series A funding, the startup had already built two prototypes of its all-electric minitruck, the MT1. With these new resources, it can continue work on getting the MT1 into production.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year Telo revealed its first MT1 prototype, painted an eye-catching vermillion, and company CEO Jason Marks took us for a ride<\/u>. Now there\u2019s a second prototype, coated in a woodsy matte green\u2014and this time, we got to drive. Although far from production spec, it\u2019s a solid foundation for improvements Telo knows it needs. Here\u2019s what we think Telo should focus on as it gears up to start building the MT1 by the end of 2026.<\/p>\n

Adjustments and Ergonomics <\/h2>\n

The MT1 is small but not too small. And you can trust me, as I stand 6 feet, 10 inches tall<\/u> and found a reasonable seating position. Sure, more space would be nice, but there’s a good amount of it considering how tiny the truck is.<\/p>\n

Revisiting ergonomics could make it feel even roomier. The steering column should tilt and telescope more so that the wheel can land at a natural reach. It feels quite low now, as did the screens\u2019 positioning on the dashboard, making it all seem far away. Rear passengers won\u2019t have much space in the best of scenarios, so give the front seats more travel to increase legroom.<\/p>\n

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Optional Third Row <\/h2>\n

Packaging\u2014that art and science of fitting all the pieces of a car together\u2014is vital to Telo\u2019s approach. It\u2019s how the automaker can make a truck that\u2019s as long as a two-door Mini have a bed the size of a Toyota Tacoma\u2019s. That it also has a five-seat cab indicates great space efficiency, but Telo says it\u2019s going to offer an optional third-row seat. It\u2019ll supposedly bracket into the bed beneath a cap, as the rear window removes and bulkhead folds down (similar to some other EV trucks<\/u>).<\/p>\n

In our opinion, this is one of those things where just because it can happen doesn\u2019t mean it should. Fitting seven or eight passengers in such a tiny vehicle highlights Telo’s packaging expertise, and could be somewhat amusing for a quick ride. But it\u2019ll never be a viable alternative for true three-row SUVs that are designed that way from the start, instead seeming like a distracting exercise in cramming maximum people into minimal space. Telo has higher priorities than this novelty; it should be scrapped, for now at least. Keep the under-bed storage tunnel, though.<\/p>\n

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Interior Materials <\/h2>\n

If Slate<\/u> is a small analogue of the hardworking Ford F-150, then the MT1 might be thought of as a miniature Rivian R1T. Rather than go stripped-out and function-first, Telo intends the MT1 to be a lifestyle truck, built for design, performance, and adventures.<\/p>\n

Accordingly, its interior looks premium, swathed in patterned fabric and decorated with bits of cork and aluminum. Overall, the space is attractive and comfortable. Prototype two\u2019s light blue interior complemented its green paint nicely.<\/p>\n

But Telo also wants to serve drivers who will put the MT1 to work: small business owners, contractors, and municipal fleets. For them, such posh materials won\u2019t last. That fabric seems soft, snag-prone, and absorbent\u2014fine for a T-shirt, not a truck. The MT1 must prioritize withstanding automotive duty cycles before worrying about looking good.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, Telo could offer a work-focused trim clad in rough-looking but tough-wearing materials, also potentially easing the MT1\u2019s approximately $41,000 starting price.<\/p>\n

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Buttons <\/h2>\n

Telo, this one\u2019s serious: The MT1 needs real buttons. Find us a vehicle that\u2019s improved by eliminating physical controls and putting everything in the touchscreen. We\u2019ve never seen one. Rather, our reviews consistently pan the engineered annoyance that comes from this approach. Expect that criticism in yours if you take the MT1\u2019s buttonless layout into production.<\/p>\n

Whether your reasoning is based on aesthetics or cost, it\u2019s an avoidable mistake. Look around\u2014after too much time taking buttons away, savvy automakers are hearing customer feedback and returning them to their rightful place<\/u> on the dashboard. We\u2019re not asking for much, just a few for basics like media, climate control, driver aids, and the glove box. If all else fails, at least your infotainment already seems reasonably user-friendly and responsive.<\/p>\n

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Roof <\/h2>\n

As a startup automaker, Telo could be forgiven for following trends that have disguised themselves as necessities in new EVs. In particular there\u2019s the MT1\u2019s glass roof, which, as in every vehicle that has one, lets in a lot of light and heat. Some automakers try to mitigate the drawbacks of this feature they paradoxically chose to install by equipping motorized shades or electrochromic tinting.<\/p>\n

Our suggestion: Avoid cost and complexity and just put a solid roof up there. We\u2019re confident that few customers will be gained by having a glass roof and few will be lost by not. Buyers will instead gravitate toward the MT1’s truly unique attributes not whimsically copied from mainstream EVs.<\/p>\n

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Noise <\/h2>\n

Above about 30 mph, extreme wind and road noise filled the cabin of MT1 prototype two. Such cacophony isn\u2019t acceptable for production vehicles. Even Telo\u2019s team members were joking about it on the day of our drive. It could just be a matter of stuffing in more sound deadening, but we hope such whipping and buffeting isn\u2019t an intrinsic flaw of the MT1\u2019s design. Wind tunnel time would be a smart use of that Series A funding.<\/p>\n

Safety <\/h2>\n

It doesn\u2019t take a design expert to see that the MT1 doesn\u2019t look like most cars. Telo\u2019s EV-first engineering approach places occupants much closer to the front\u2014and potential impacts.<\/p>\n

Convincing drivers the MT1 is safe despite the dramatically reduced crash structure is critical to Telo\u2019s efforts. The MT1 might be cool, but if it can\u2019t meet crash standards and expectations that could overshadow everything else. Telo insists safety is a priority, and CEO Marks\u2019 background in ADAS engineering is encouraging, but the young automaker needs to keep that at the forefront of its messaging leading up to production.<\/p>\n

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Driving <\/h2>\n

As expected, the MT1 prototype needs refinement\u2014but for such an early unit, it shows promise. Telo knows it needs to refine every aspect of the MT1\u2019s dynamics. But what emerged as encouraging from our first drive is that no single area stood out as needing more work than the rest. Given it\u2019s only the second experimental unit Telo has ever built, the MT1 actually drove all right.<\/p>\n

Sure, the ride could be smoother, the accelerator pedal\u2019s responses more consistent. The steering, a little lighter. Maybe the only thing that doesn\u2019t have to change is making the MT1 quicker\u2014500 electric horsepower in this thing is a hoot.<\/p>\n

But we went into this with no idea what to expect and left thinking Telo has a truck\u2014an unconventional yet nevertheless legitimate truck. From here, it\u2019s a matter of polishing details, not starting from scratch. We\u2019ll be watching.<\/p>\n

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