Have you noticed that there seems to be no such thing (in the US) as a small pickup? I have. I have a small pickup, the VW Saviero, here in Guatemala but it is not sold in the US. This video explains why. Pickups used to be exempt from EPA regulations. When this changed the EPA allowed bigger pickups to pollute more.
Well, Telo has recognized the absurdity of this and is developing a “real” pickup that fits into the footprint of a MiniCooper. It includes a 5-person cab but with a mid-gate so you can have a 2-person truck with an 8 foot bed.
This discussion is around a bodyless prototype so you can see how the design really will work. What they are saying makes a lot of sense. Their plan is to do what they do best and then use contract manufacturing for the other stuff such as body structure using as much as possible of off-the-shelf components. This video is all about what they are doing and why rather than slick marketing BS.
You can go to Telo Trucks for more information.