Compact Telo MT1 Electric Truck Boasts 8,000-lb Towing Capacity, Beats Base Cybertruck

The Telo MT1, an electric pickup roughly the size of a two-door Mini Cooper, has increased its towing capacity to 8,000 lbs, according to the company. That figure surpasses the standard Tesla Cybertruck's 7,500-lb rating, though higher-spec Cybertrucks can tow up to 11,000 lbs.

Telo, founded in 2022 by Jason Marks, Forrest North, and Yves Béhar, has spent three years refining the compact truck. North previously worked on battery packs for the original Tesla Roadster, and Tesla co-founder Marc Tarpenning serves on Telo's board and has invested twice. The MT1 packs a 106 kWh battery and dual motors producing 500 hp, while weighing around 4,400 lbs, meaning it can tow nearly double its own weight.

Earlier development targets called for 6,600 lbs of towing capacity, but extensive testing allowed the team to safely raise that to 8,000 lbs. The base MT1, priced at $41,520, comes with a single motor delivering 300 hp and 260 miles of range. An all-wheel-drive version, expected to start around $50,000, boosts output to 500 hp and offers roughly 350 miles of range.

Telo secured $20 million in Series A funding last year to support production, which is currently slated to begin before the end of this year. However, the company acknowledges that delays are common in the startup automotive space, so the timeline could shift.