Meet the final drivable prototype of the Telo MT1 pickup truck, shaped by Fuseproject

We’ve been following the progress of Fuseproject’s ultra-compact Telo EV since the prototype broke cover 18 months ago. Yves Béhar and his team shaped a package that blended practicality with compact scale, offering a genuine alternative to the vast electric (and ICE) pick-up trucks that dominate the American road system. We liked the idea so much we even gave it a Smart Space Award in 2023.

Eighteen months is a long time in politics, and it now feels like the Euro-scale, West Coast-infused anti-bloat simplicity of the Telo is very much an outlier in the current American cultural situation. That’s all the more reason to celebrate the arrival of the fully realised Telo MT1, a production-ready vehicle that has completed interiors and is also fully driveable.

Béhar says that designing an automotive interior is like ‘designing 50 different products, but they all have to fit together.’ The cabin mirrors the stripped back, purposeful but not overtly functional style of the truck’s exterior. Using materials like cork and aluminium paired with hard-wearing knitted textiles, the Fuseproject team have maximised light and storage, with plenty of hidden compartments and a retractable wireless charging tray.

The MT1 will arrive first with two just colour palettes, a blueish Slate and a more earthy Shadow, rather than the deluge of choices offered by rivals. The digital dashboard isn’t too dominant, with a special metal bezel feature designed to focus the eye on the information that matters. There’s also a simple dial in the centre of the dash for quick access to temperature and other adjustments.

‘The bezel reduces the need for the driver to search for functionality or information and increases safety,’ Béhar says, ‘This is something I have experienced while driving with screen-based interfaces where even after many years in the same vehicle, I am still searching for the information on screen.’

The MT1 provides seating for five with four doors and a 60” pick-up bed at the rear of the truck. Telo reckon the MT1 should be good for a range of 350 miles, while the power rating is equivalent to 500hp. A more minivan-shaped body style will also be available in due course.

Having co-founded Telo with CTO Forrest North and CEO Jason Marks, Yves Béhar has been determined to help shape an electric vehicle that makes a difference, both in terms of its scale and footprint and the environmental impact of the materials and processes used to make the car itself. ‘We designed the future of utility transportation by maximizing every inch to provide comfort without compromising performance or capability,’ Béhar says, ‘TELO brings more features, space, and practicality than any other vehicle on the road today.’

As seen here, an oft-quoted stat is that this five-seater pick-up truck is practically identical in size to the two-door Mini Cooper. In contrast, a traditional pick-up, in this case a Toyota Tacoma, dwarfs the diminutive Californian.

Order books are open now – here’s hoping the Telo MT1 brings transformation to an industry in need of a silver lining.

Telo MT1, from $41,520, TeloTrucks.com, @TeloTrucks