G. David Felt

TELO started in 2023 with a dream, design and build a modern EV truck from the ground up that incorporates electrification and 21st century technology. TELO states that they would build a modern EV truck that had Toyota Tacoma capabilities, Tesla-like range and efficiency, in a footprint of a Mini Cooper. June 13th, 2024, Tela announced a partnership with Aria Group, a leading manufacture to build their first fully functional EV truck called the TELO MT1. TELO Trucks TELO is the brain child of 3 influential men, Founder CEO Jason Marks to the left in the photo, Founder CTO Forrest North center, and Founder CCO Yves Behar right in the photo. A little history to understand the men: Jason Marks - Jason led the Autonomous Vehicles and Driver Assistance Systems test programs at National Instruments (NI), where he was a Chief Business Development Manager. He developed the test systems for five major U.S. automakers' Autonomy and ADAS test systems for their 2024 model year vehicles. He's an experienced Sales, Marketing, and R&D leader with patents in LiDAR. Forrest North - Forrest was on the early Tesla team where he developed the battery pack on the Roadster that's on its way to Mars. He founded Mission Motors, one of the first electric motorcycle companies that broke the land speed record for an electric motorcycle. He founded and sold Plugshare, which was the #1 app for finding charging stations. He's an experienced entrepreneur with over 15 patents in electric vehicle batteries and charging. Yves Behar - Yves founded Fuseproject in 1999, an award-winning, international multidisciplinary design studio. As CEO and Creative Lead, Béhar works with brands like Herman Miller, Samsung, L'Oreal, Puma, SodaStream and Prada and has also co-founded start-ups including August Home, Canopy Space and FORME Life. Béhar's works are included in permanent museum collections worldwide, and he speaks frequently on topics including design, technology and sustainability. In September 2024, TELO hired Automotive Design Luminary Dale Beever as Director of design technical operations. Dale was formerly the President of ICG Inc., Beever has been the creative force behind some of the most iconic vehicles on the road today. He served as the design engineering lead for award-winning efforts in both automotive and aerospace, including Ford Motor Co.’s 50th Anniversary edition Mustang, the Lincoln Continental Concept, the Airstream Nest RV, and the Icon A5 by ICON Aircraft. Beever’s expertise in digital modeling, design engineering, and industrial design—combined with his deep understanding of advanced 3D technologies—enables him to evolve the look and feel of iconic machines while staying true to classic vehicular design. With a top notch assembly of automotive folks to lead the company, TELA built their first simple roll cage version to test their RWD/AWD powertrain. TELO has since expedited to building their minicooper sized five passenger, four door EV pickup with a bed equal to that which comes on a Toyota Tacoma. The TELO MT1 is 152 inches in length, 73 inches wide and 66 inches in height. Compared to a Toyota Tacoma truck that is 212.3 inches long, 75 inches wide, and 71 inches in height. TELO MT1 also drives home their efficient packaging design by comparing it to a Ford eTransit Connect van that has an overall length of 176 inches, 75 inches wide, and 72 inches in height. TELO motto is "Designed to do more with less" had been a driving goal that has delivered on it in more ways than one. Taking a page from Chevrolet Avalanche, the MT1 comes with a mid-partition or what Chevrolet called a mid-gate. This allows the 60-inch bed to expand to carry a full 4-by8-foot plywood sheet of wood. Yet TELO also allows this to give configuration change that can accommodate up to eight passengers. 2WD will have a 2,000lb payload capacity versus 4WD will have a 1,700lb payload capacity. This all while delivering a 0-60 mph time of 4 seconds, up to 350-mile range and up to 500hp depending on powertrain configuration. The RWD has 300hp and AWD has 500hp. Battery choice is standard with 260 miles of range or long range with 350 miles of range. Wheel size is 215/65 R 16 in a General Grabber A/T tire for ultimate in traction of your lifestyle choice from mountains to beach. TELO MT1 is an innovative approach to modern lifestyle living that allows one to haul just about anything or anyone. From a truck standpoint you have a secure tonneau cover to protect ones belongings, be it work tools during the week to weekend essentials on the go. TELO has picked up some of the best ideas across the auto industry to incorporate it into one of most versatile pickup trucks. The TELO storage tunnel takes what Rivian has done one step farther as mentioned earlier when stated that the midgate could be folded down to be converted into hauling 8 passengers. The storage tunnel becomes the footwell for a third row of seats, converting your truck into an SUV. TELO has taken the motto of "Nothing in Excess" in their approach to the interior. Blending clean, understated patterns with natural fabrics and recycled materials in a TELO approach to minimal, but functional comfort and utility. Official interior images have not been shown yet in their test mules, but their press release images are as follows for digital design. Safety is a key part of the TELO company philosopy. As such, TELO will be incorporating the latest safety technology from sensors to predict and classify collisions before they happen to airbags, and structural technology to make the auto safer for everyone on the road. TELO has stated the "Range to Roam" is key, the long range battery is a 106 kWh battery pack with a 20 minute to 80% fast-charge within the footpring of this subcompact EV. Being classified as a Subcompact, means the ease of city parking is that much easier while having the interior space of your average midsize vehicle. With the pricing of current on market EVs, many would wonder how expensive will the TELO MT1 truck be and what is a reservation fee? TELO MT1 Pre-Order One can reserve their TELO MT1 with a $152 deposit which gets you a promised base price before configuration of $41,520 2WD 260 mile range 300 hp truck base truck. The same deposit fee if you choose the 500hp / 4WD with standard 260 mile battery at $46,019. One can also choose to pay an additional $3,980 for the long range 350 mile battery pack which makes the prices $45,500 in 2WD or $49,999 in 4WD. Currently TELO offers eight color choices. Blizzard White Ocean Blue Dark Emerald Sand Dune Sunset Orange Cool Steel Night Shadow Sable Bronze At this time, no official start of manufacturing has been announced. Will update once I hear back from TELO on estimated manufacturing of the MT1 truck.

Chevrolet is proud to announce the Silverado EV ZR2 off-road race truck as part of the Hall Racing Team lineup. This truck will take part in the notorious Mint 400 off-road race event. This truck will join the existing race teams Silverado ZR2 and Colorado ZR2 race trucks as a three-truck race team and the EV ZR2 will compete in the Open Production EV Class. Chevrolet has state that there is no better testing ground than the unlimited outdoor race events such as the Mint 400. The Silverado EV ZR2 race truck concept uses 98% GM Production parts showcasing the incredible capabilities of GM trucks. This concept race truck follows the same ZR2 winning formula of the Hall Race Teams ICE trucks. Lifted, front and rear suspension with specific off-road tuning that continues to deliver on the pavement Multimatic damper technology Locking differentials Underbody skid protection The Silverado EV ZR2 Race truck concept came together in five months of development. The EV ZR2 take the Silverado to a new level of performance in that the truck has 37-inch BF Goodrich KM3 Mud-Terrain tires, tri-motor electric propulsion system that creates 1,100 horsepower and 11,500 lb-ft of torque more than earning it's right to wear the ZR2 badge. Racing of the EV ZR2 has already help develop more than 44 off-road performance parts that owners can buy from the dealerships parts department to enhance their truck.  The Silverado EV ZR2 reveal starts the launch of a summer of fun with Chevrolet introducing the first off-road EV Silverado in the form of the 2026 Silverado EV Trail Boss edition. This truck will come with an OEM factory installed lift, 18-inch wheels, 35-inch all-terrain tires and red tow hooks. This allows the truck to have 13-inches of front and rear wheel travel. The truck will also come with a new Terrain mod giving the truck increased maneuverability in tight spaces. Pricing and further information will be released soon leading up to the summer on sale date.

Cadillac continues to deliver on their move to being the standard of the world again in luxury autos and their move to an electric product line supported by an ICE product line. Cadillac had originally set a timeline of all ICE autos to be ended by 2030 but due to slow global sales, has taken the end date of ICE luxury autos off the table and will instead stop production with EVs clearly outsell ICE. With their recent delivery of the OPTIQ, Vistiq, and LYRIQ V EV's to the Cadillac family, Cadillac has moved forward with expanding the Escalade family having equal standard and extended length SUVs with the 2026 Escalade IQL. The IQL edition takes the best part of the Escalade IQ and adds additional passenger and cargo capacity for those that need extra space. Cadillac has had the bestselling full-size luxury SUV in North America since 2014 and the Escalade IQL will further that lead. The Escalade IQL has been engineered to have a unique character while maximizing spaciousness for passengers in a three row configuration with ample storage throughout the cabin and in the rear. The Escalade IQL offers class leading cargo space with a eTrunk (frunk) that holds 12.2 cubic feet of cargo and behind the 3rd row seat an additional 24.2 cubic feet. With the third row folded into the floor you then have 75.4 cubic feet of cargo and once the second row is folded a total of 125.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Cargo capacity is not the only thing as the Escalade IQL has a Max Trailering capacity of 7,500 lbs. The Escalade IQL delivers interior space where it counts as the EV version gains four inches of additional legroom for the third-row seat passengers from 32.3" in the ICE version to 36.7" in the EV version. The third-row seat also gains an inch of headroom, 38.2" versus 37.2" in the ice model. Carrying the tech-forward luxurious accommodations, the Escalade IQL has an available Executive second row package that  features the following: 12.6-inch-diagonal personal screens Stowable tray tables Dual wireless phone charging pads Massage seats Heated and Cooled seats 14-way power adjustable seats Rear command center screen Cadillac continues to deliver on class leading technology with an enhanced in-cabin experience: A curved pillar-to-pillar 55-inch total diagonal display for an immersive and personalized infotainment experience with voice control, navigation, an app store and dedicated ESCALADE IQL graphics. Seating available for up to seven total passengers, with a power folding third-row, which folds flat for more storage Standard AKG 4 Studio 21-speaker audio system, with available AKG Studio Reference 38-speaker system, which increases to 42 speakers with available Executive Second Row package. The AKG audio system also features custom-tuned speakers and amplifier content. Dolby Atmos® for deeper depth, clarity, and detail when listening to music and entertainment Standard Super Cruise5 driver assistance technology on all trims (3 years OnStar Super Cruise plan6) Available 5G Wi-Fi® hotspot capability7 connected by OnStar, along with a comprehensive suite of OnStar safety and connected services that enhances each journey and delivers extra peace of mind Ample passenger entertainment options, including HD streaming and browser compatibility, so customers can log into any streaming app and watch The Escalade IQL also comes equipped with vehicle-to-home (V2H) bidirectional charging capabilities, which when paired with the GM Energy V2H Bundle, allows for the transfer of energy between the vehicle and a properly equipped home during times of need. Performance is another area that Cadillac delivers on with the Escalade IQL. Cadillac-estimated 460 miles of range on a full charge and recovery of range of 116 miles per 10 minutes on a public DC Fast Charging Station. The ESCALADE IQL enables a lifestyle with no compromise – customers can expect more space but the same iconic performance, including: 750 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque (with driver-selectable Velocity Max Cadillac estimate) 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds (with driver-selectable Velocity Max Cadillac estimate) A Cadillac-estimated max towing capacity of 7500 lbs 205 kWh battery pack Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 and Air Ride Adaptive suspension isolate passengers from undesirable road surfaces while providing precise steering and feel Isolated Precision, Cadillac’s ride and handling philosophy – quiet, smooth and effortless with a strong connection to the road Independent front and rear suspension 24-inch wheels and 35-inch tires Suite of standard active safety and driver assistance features Standard Super Cruise the industry's first truly hand-free driver assistance technology (with three years of OnStar connected service) The ESCALADE IQL will be offered in four trims – Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury, and Premium Sport. MSRP starts at $132,695 including destination freight charge, and excluding tax, title and dealer fees. Dealer sets final price. Get the latest updated info from Cadillac web site here: All-New 2026 ESCALADE IQL | Large Electric SUV | Cadillac

To say that 2025 is business as usual is an understatement in that it is anything but usual. As the new administration attempts to destroy society moving forward with Electric Vehicles and return to a 1970's or 60's way of thinking with inefficient ICE or internal combustion engines this begs the question: How are EVs doing in the marketplace right now? According to ARENAEV.COM website dedicated to tracking sales globally, EV sales globally are expected to increase by 30% at a time that the industry is expecting a contraction in ICE sales of less than 1% for 2025. Specific to regions, the industry is looking to sales to be as follows:  The BEV market share is for the end of the year 2025 by region. So specifically, the projection is that the U.S. will have an 11.2% market share of new auto sales standing at 11.2% come December 31st, 2025. Europe's race for market share is interesting as while car sales declined 2.6% overall, BEV grew 34% and HEV grew 18.4%. The looser was in ICE auto production / sales. Latin America is another interesting auto Market where auto sales are peanuts compared to the U.S. market, yet EV sales have taken off going from 2% in 2023 to standing at 6% in 2024 and yet for January / February 2025 EV sales have hit 16% of new auto sales as BYD from China and other asian EV auto companies expand offering inexpensive EVs in the market. Isreal is another interesting market where EVs stood at 18% in 2023, grew to 24.5% in 2024 and while overall auto sales are down 21% in 2025, EVs have continued to outpace ICE sales with an interesting leader, BYD. Africa is another place that many would not have thought about as due to the lack of consistent infrastructure EVs are something that folks would tend to think would not sell. Nigeria has seen the ICE industry crash in sales as people struggle to fuel their autos when it takes approximately 18,000 to 20,000 naira a day to run an auto compared to 4,000 naira a day to fuel an EV. Nigeria and other African countries are taking advantage of moving to Solar power by the gigawatts to spread electricity across the continent faster than the ability to build gas stations. With this has come an explosive expansion of EV sales brought by two countries. China and Vietnam are leading the EV revolution with inexpensive EVs. With this information about the world around us, it brings us to the U.S. as we have two months under our belts and the U.S. stands as follows: January saw EV sales in the U.S. 30% higher than a year ago with EVs making up 9.1% of all new auto purchases coast to coast at 102,243 EVs sold. An interesting highlight of auto sales is that American's bought 30.5% of used auto's as EVs with 40% of them having an average price under $25,000 and the overall average price of used EVs stood at $37,476. Used EV sales are up 3.5% over December 2024. February saw EV sales in the U.S. of all new auto sales make up 10% of new auto purchases coast to coast. Specifically over all new auto sales fell in February 2.7% over the same time last year. There were clearly winners and losers in the industry and the list of winners is much easier to list: Kia, Hyundai, Genesis led with sales up 7%, 3% and 20%. Eking out small gains of 1% or less were Mazda, Subaru, and Lexus. Everyone else has negative sales compared to the same period a year ago. Fleet deliveries were also down 18.8% for the month. As the U.S. economy takes a roller coaster ride, Cox Automotive has reported that for the first time, all auto companies have a 94-day average supply of unsold new vehicles. This is 2% higher than at the start of the year, 15% higher than at this same time last year compared to having a desired 60-day supply. The following auto companies are running from 100 to 160 days inventory supplies are Ford, Lincoln, Buick, Ram, Jeep and Dodge. Ford is the rare auto company that saw a 12.7% drop in ICE sales while Hybrid sales jumped 27.5% and a 15% gain in EV sales. Tesla that does not report numbers monthly but quarterly is projected to have a massive drop in sales globally as registrations are showing huge declines as Germany showed a 60% drop, France was a 63% drop and China showed a 22% drop in new registrations. In the U.S. till they report the numbers for the quarter, Tesla has had the majority of the EV market to themselves with California being their largest market. California market share for Tesla stood at 60% in 2023, dropped to 52.5% in 2024, and with looking at EV registrations in California at the end of February / January, Tesla is showing only a 11.6 percent market share of the California EV market based on new EV registrations. Depending on the report you read, Tesla is looking at only having a 44% market share of EVs at this time in the U.S as other auto companies grow their market share of EVs. While overall auto sales have been down, EV sales have continued to go up with 222,589 EVs sold for the first two months of 2025 based on total new autos reported sold.  In some states that have high gas taxes such as the west coast, fuel cost compared to electric rates have played into people buying EVs along with their lower cost of maintenance. Sales are expected to continue to grow as lower priced models come on the market such as the Kia EV2, 3 & 4 car and SUVs that have much more interior space over a traditional ICE auto. In asking the questions at the start of "How are EVs doing in the marketplace right now?" One could say they are doing much better than expected, especially with the headwinds of the current administration.