Telo says its upcoming MT1 electric pickup will be able to tow up to 8,000 pounds, raising the target from the previously planned 6,600 pounds. The California startup’s cofounder and chief technology officer, Forrest North, announced the revised figure in a YouTube video. If achieved in production form, the rating would place the 152-inch truck above the towing capacity of some base versions of much larger pickups.
The MT1 has not yet entered mass production, but Telo has presented it as a four-door electric truck that can seat as many as five people while retaining a 60-inch cargo bed. Its overall length is 152 inches, which the source compares with the latest-generation Mini two-door hatchback. The company’s packaging approach is intended to combine a city-friendly footprint with the utility expected from a pickup.
North said the 8,000-pound range would allow the MT1 to tow newer trailers equipped with active regenerative systems and their own battery packs. The video showed the truck pulling a Pebble Flow electrified camper. That trailer is listed with a 45-kilowatt-hour battery pack, two hub motors and a gross weight of 6,800 pounds.
Telo attributes the revised towing capability partly to the regenerative braking available through the MT1’s electric motors. North also said the truck’s own weight of 4,400 pounds helps it remain stable while towing. These claims have been presented by the company, but the vehicle is not yet available for independent customer use.
The startup says its dedicated electric platform allowed the axles to be positioned close to the front and rear ends of the vehicle, leaving more space for the passenger compartment. North said the same layout also reduces the distance between the rear axle and the tow hitch. According to his explanation, that shorter distance lowers the levering force that could otherwise affect the front end when weight is applied at the hitch.
The claimed 8,000-pound rating would exceed the towing figures cited for two base pickup configurations in the source. A base 2026 Ford F-150 with the 2.7-liter V6 EcoBoost engine and standard axle ratio is listed at between 7,400 and 7,600 pounds. The Tesla Cybertruck Dual-Motor is rated at 7,500 pounds. The source also notes that both the F-150 and Cybertruck are available in versions capable of towing 11,000 pounds or more.
Telo estimates that the entry-level MT1 will start at $41,520. That version is planned with one rear electric motor and an estimated range of 260 miles. The company also plans a $50,000 dual-motor all-wheel-drive model with an estimated 350-mile range. The source compares the entry price with the least expensive F-150 configurations and states that it is $30,000 below the base Cybertruck.
The main remaining step is production. Telo recently announced a manufacturing agreement with Schwab Industries, described in the source as a Tier 1 automotive supplier, to build the MT1’s body-in-white structures. The company says production is scheduled to begin at the end of this year. Until vehicles reach customers or independent testers, the towing figure, range estimates and pricing remain manufacturer claims.
