What Is the New REO Truck?
The REO truck name appears to be making a comeback, though buyers should understand that this is still an early-stage startup plan rather than a finished production vehicle. The revived company, REO Industries, is promoting a small, gasoline-powered, body-on-frame truck called the REO Runabout. The idea is intentionally simple: a compact American utility vehicle with mechanical four-wheel drive, physical controls, direct sales and a targeted starting price far below most new pickups. REO calls the concept an “Ameri-Kei,” meaning it is inspired by the usefulness and simplicity of Japanese kei trucks, but sized and engineered for the U.S. market.
The first planned model is the Runabout T4X, a two-door, two-seat work truck with a steel drop-side flatbed. REO also lists two future variants: the T4C, a crew-cab pickup, and the S4C, a compact SUV. The company says the Runabout will use a proven gasoline four-cylinder engine rather than an electric drivetrain, with a focus on repairability, long service life and straightforward ownership. REO’s own materials describe the truck as “gas, mechanical, body-on-frame” and “built in Texas, sold direct.”
Who Is Behind REO Industries?
The new REO is not the original REO Motor Car Company, which was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1905 after he left Oldsmobile. The historic REO became known for cars and trucks, especially the REO Speed Wagon, one of the early ancestors of the modern American pickup. The revived effort uses that heritage as part of its identity, but it is being developed by a modern startup called REO Industries, Inc.
The company is led by founder and CEO Zach De Bernardi, who says REO is targeting buyers who feel abandoned by today’s expensive, oversized and technology-heavy truck market. In a public letter on the company’s website, De Bernardi argues that the American market is missing a small, affordable truck “cheap enough to skip the seven-year loan” and durable enough to outlast it. Road & Track reported that De Bernardi secured the REO trademark recently and is using the historic name because the brand’s truck-focused legacy fits the new company’s mission.
When Is It Coming Out, and How Much Will It Cost?
REO is currently taking $25 refundable reservations for the Runabout, but the company clearly states that a reservation is not a vehicle order or a guarantee of final price, delivery or timing. The current roadmap calls for a model reveal in Q4 2026, pilot builds and validation in 2027, an order book and configurator in 2028, and first deliveries targeted for late 2028 or 2029. REO also says those dates may change as the truck moves through design, testing, certification and production.
The headline number is the targeted $21,500 starting price for the Runabout T4X. Top Gear reports that the follow-up T4C crew-cab pickup is planned around $25,000, while the S4C compact SUV is planned around $28,500. Those prices would make the REO dramatically cheaper than most new trucks if the company can actually deliver them. That remains the big question. As of now, the final production design has not been revealed, specifications are still targets and the company has not yet proven that it can build, certify and deliver vehicles at scale.
Still, the interest makes sense. With new truck prices climbing and many buyers frustrated by touchscreens, subscriptions and oversized pickups, the REO Runabout is aimed directly at people who want something smaller, simpler and easier to own. Whether it becomes a real affordable truck or remains an ambitious startup promise will depend on the next few years.
