I love a good underdog story, and I am a big fan of startups challenging the status quo, which is why I am intrigued by this little pickup. In a world where trucks seem to be in a never-ending growth spurt, Telo Trucks has hit the brakes and thrown it in reverse with their latest reveal—the MT1. This compact electric pickup is challenging the "bigger is better" mantra, and honestly, it's about time someone did. I love to camp, and experience the outdoors, but I don’t need a vehicle the size of the Hummer EV to do those things.

First things first, let's talk dimensions. The Telo MT1 measures just 152 inches in length, putting it on par with a Mini Cooper. Despite the diminutive footprint, this little guy boasts a 60-inch truck bed, matching the Toyota Tacoma. Plus, with the included midgate, you can extend the bed to haul 4-by-8-foot sheets of plywood without even lowering the tailgate. It's like the Swiss Army knife of pickups.

Telo plans to offer the MT1 in both single and dual motor configurations. The dual-motor setup is set to crank out 500 horsepower, launching you from 0 to 60 mph in a zippy 4 seconds. Telo states the MT1 with the long range battery will travel 350-miles on a single charge, thanks to a 106 kWh battery. They also plan to offer a standard range battery with up to 260 miles of range. Using the included NACS port, it is said to charge from 20% to 80% in about 20 minutes.

The MT1's unique design is as functional as it is stylish. It offers seating for five, across four doors. The interior is decked out with sustainable materials like biodegradable cork and recycled ocean plastics, giving it an eco-chic vibe. The dashboard features a digital display housed in a metal bezel, keeping things minimalistic yet functional. Plus, there's a nifty storage tunnel under the bed, perfect for stashing longer items or even accommodating a third row of seats, bumping the seating capacity up to 8 with the available camper shell. The company plans to offer the option of a solar roof, solar tonneau and solar camper shell top which utilize technology developed for the Aptera three-wheeled Solar EV. They estimate up to 27 miles of range can be added per day with both the solar roof and tonneau in use together.

Telo Trucks claim they have already secured over 5,000 pre-orders, amounting to more than $250 million in customer commitments. With a starting price of $41,520 for the single-motor version and just under $50,000 for the dual-motor variant, the MT1 is positioned in the heart of the mid-size truck market. The company plans to continue rigorous safety and durability testing, with hopes of hitting the streets in the near future.

The Telo MT1 is proof that good things can come in small packages. By reimagining what a pickup truck can be, Telo Trucks is offering a fresh, eco-friendly alternative for urban adventurers and weekend warriors alike. It's compact, powerful, and versatile—everything you didn't know you needed in a pickup. It will be interesting to see if they can get a production version in to customer driveways.