Telo - fantastic new startup

[mudnomad]

Have you heard of Telo? I've just placed a deposit to secure a place in the queue.
I haven't considered a new car but this literally ticks all the boxes for me. I love the attitude, the approach to engineering, using off the shelf components, promising a "right to repair", literally everything about it.



They have a brilliant YouTube where they explain all the ins and outs.
Also, pre production preview:

[CoolHands]

How much are they? Looks interesting at least. Hate all the blobby evs

[mudnomad]

Awd with long range battery, around 50k usd plus taxes

[Gnevans]

CoolHands said:

How much are they? Looks interesting at least. Hate all the blobby evs

From $42k

Can’t see a queue myself. Suspect it will sell like the new Jaguar if it ever gets made.

https://www.telotrucks.com/

Still only $152 deposit.

[biggbn]

I think that is brilliant, hopefully 'mainstream' manufacturers start looking at this sort of thing.

[Krikkit]

106kWh battery in a low production volume car that costs $42k? Never going to happen.

[CoolHands]

Yeah by the time it comes to market it will probably be 2 years and price will have only gone one way! Shame one of the big Korean or Chinese companies don’t make this, for £25k would be great

[Silvanus]

CoolHands said:

How much are they? Looks interesting at least. Hate all the blobby evs

Click the link in OPs profile, they are obviously involved in the company rather than actually having ordered one. Obvious promo is obvious.

[John87]

This does read like an ad rather than a genuine order.

It looks interesting and could be useful for local authorities etc as an alternative to transit pick ups. I don't see it passing any European safety tests though with those exposed front wheels and very short crumple zone

[mudnomad]

Silvanus said:

Click the link in OPs profile, they are obviously involved in the company rather than actually having ordered one. Obvious promo is obvious.

Huh? How's my YouTube channel related to this company?

Happy?

[Ian974]

It's an interesting thing, would be good to see in production. The flip side of it I guess is the "startup" side of it, given the issues noted on that fisker thread. I'd guess if it's a more simple vehicle and using more off the shelf parts it might be a bit less of a concern.
I'm not sure it really needs to be an especially powerful thing, but it looks fairly well thought out at least. Something a bit different to the bloaty SUVs everywhere

[Pistonheadsdicoverer]

https://www.kia.com/eu/pbv/premiere.html

Kia will have a sub £30,000 ID Buzz rival with only the cabin as well.
Reviews look v v good

[swisstoni]

It’s certainly interesting to see EVs that use the differences in platform constraints to produce a vehicle that looks different as well.

[Sheepshanks]

mudnomad said:

In the event of a front end impact, I think I’d rather be in the Mini.

[Paul Drawmer]

I suspect that, like the Tesla Panzerwagon it would never get UK type approval.

[Murph7355]

Paul Drawmer said:

I suspect that, like the Tesla Panzerwagon it would never get UK type approval.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[SWoll]

Indeed. Zero chance that's getting approval in Europe with that front end.

With this open front wheels and flat nose it also looks to have the aero of a barn door.

[vikingaero]

SWoll said:

Indeed. Zero chance that's getting approval in Europe with that front end.

With this open front wheels and flat nose it also looks to have the aero of a barn door.

Is it a truck in the US and therefore doesn't have to conform to as much safety wise?

[raspy]

Don't see the point in reserving one if you're based in the UK. It's designed and aimed for the US market.

[rodericb]

SWoll said:

Indeed. Zero chance that's getting approval in Europe with that front end.

With this open front wheels and flat nose it also looks to have the aero of a barn door.

It's not a lot different to the Smart cars in that regard.

But I can't see it taking off in the USA as the bed is a bit small for people who have to lug tools and materials around for their work and it ain't a SUV with internal load space. An SUV version might do better in the USA. Ironically, I think a two door version, with correspondingly longer bed, would be a better seller and if they made a van it'd certainly do well in Europe cutting the lunch of the Citroen Berlingo et al products.