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Drako Dragon: bold $290k electric SUV that accelerates in 1.9s

Drako Dragon: bold 0k electric SUV that accelerates in 1.9s

Drako has unveiled its second vehicle, the Drako Dragon: A bold new $290,000 electric SUV that can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds.

Our first introduction to Drako was back in 2019 when the company unveiled the Drako GTE, a limited-production all-electric supercar with insane specs.

The San Jose-based company was founded by Dean Drako, better known as the cofounder and CEO of Barracuda Networks, and Shiv Sikand, an electrical engineer and cofounder of IC Manage. They repurposed the chassis of the Fisker Karma to create the electric vehicle.

We got a test ride in the Drako GTE in 2020 and came out impressed by Drako’s quad motor powertrain with each motor capable of a power range of +225 kW to -225 kW.

At the time, we figured that the GTE with the Fisker body was more of a test bed for that impressive powertrain, and we expected Drako to launch something else built from the ground up with it.

That something else is the Drako Dragon. It was announced last summer with some teaser images and specs, but now we get the whole unveiling.

Drako Dragon

Again, the Dragon is all about the performance, thanks to the insane electric powertrain developed by Drako.

According to the company, it enables a top speed of over 200 mph and a quarter-mile in just nine seconds:

Just how mind blowing is the performance? There really is nothing that properly compares. Dragon’s four electric motors combine to provide 2,000 horsepower enabling face-stretching 0-60 mph runs of 1.9 seconds, quarter-mile times of 9.0 seconds, and a top speed in excess of 200 mph. With great power comes great responsibility, so Dragon is equipped with carbon ceramic rotors at all four corners. The front brakes use 10-piston calipers on 420-mm discs, while the rear brakes use 6-piston calipers on 410-mm discs.

But Drako already impressed with its performance with the GTE; where the Dragon shines is with the merging of that level of performance with a stunning new design enabled by building the new vehicle from the ground up.

The design is quite unique and bold, but it works for me. Move over Lamborghini Urus, this is the new standard for hyper SUV.

Drako is claiming some first with the Dragon, including being “the world’s first production SUV with a full carbon fiber structure.” The company claims that it will save 50% of the weight of the chassis.

The company is also future-proof with a charging capacity of up to 500 kW. Drako also expects the Dragon to have a EPA-rated range of 420 miles.

One of the biggest improvements over the GTE is the interior. That’s obviously enabled by the SUV form-factor, but also the fact that the GTE was super limited by the Fisker chassis.

Now as you can put together from the performance and design, the Dragon is not cheap, but at $290,000, it is a significant improvement over the price of the $1 million price tag of the Drako GTE.

Despite the supercar-price, Drako believes that it can ramp up production to 5,000 units per year.

The Dragon will be produced in the US with production and deliveries expected to begin in 2026.

Drako has opened reservations today with a $500 deposit for the regular version or a $5,000 deposit for the First Edition model, which is limited to 99 units.

Drako Dragon Specs:

Powertrain Quad Motor Powertrain with Drako DriveOS NanoControl
Horsepower 2,000 hp
Acceleration 0 – 60 mph 1.9 seconds
Acceleration 1⁄4 mile 9.0 seconds
Top Speed Over 200 mph
Range 420 miles (EPA est.)
Fast Charging 500 kW capability
Brakes Front: 420mm carbon ceramic rotors and 10 piston calipers
Rear: 410mm carbon ceramic rotors and 6 piston calipers
Wheels 23 inch
Tires Front: 285/30/23
Rear: 325/30/23
Length 199 inches
Width 81 inches
Height 63 inches (Cruise suspension setting)
Ground Clearance Tarmac suspension setting: 6.4 inches
Cruise suspension setting: 8.4 inches
Overland suspension setting: 12.4 inches
Towing Capacity 3,500 lbs
Curb Weight 4,969
Base Price $290,000

Electrek’s Take

I had to digest it for a while, but I am a fan. At first, I was wondering what they are thinking aiming to produce 5,000 unis per year of a $290,000 vehicle, but I think it is onto something.

The Dragon sorts of carves its own space in the auto industry with top of the line performance in a unique and attractive form factor.

Those are things that will attract people who have $300,000 to spend on a car.

If had that kind of money to spend on a car, I honestly can’t think of anything else I’d want to spend it on. Maybe the new Tesla Roadster if it is ever available, but I think it would be a close call with the Dragon.

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