A Half-Million-Dollar EV with a Bonsai Tree? Sign Me Up
Image Credit: Dakora Motors.
This is why I love what I do, this is why I do what I do—most days, opening my inbox is as eventful as filling out a tax return. I go through a bunch of cream, beige, and silver SUVs, read press releases that twist English into wordy gibberish, and ask why nobody is making interesting cars anymore.
But today is different; today is the day when all my dreams and prayers have been answered. I got this short email from a friend saying, "Look at this" - so I did… I pulled the air in so fast I whistled. If I was drinking coffee, I would have needed a new laptop. All because of a press release for a new electric car from a company I'd never heard of, Dacora Motors. They're based in New York, of all places, and they've announced their intention to build an "ultra-luxury vehicle." And when they say "ultra-luxury," they mean it. The price tag starts at $500,000. For that, you'd expect something rather special, and oh boy, does it deliver on the "special" part.
Image Credit: Dakora Motors.
Let's get one thing straight. The world of electric startups is a wild, wild west. For every success story, there are a dozen tumbleweeds blowing past an empty factory. So, when a newcomer claims they're launching the "first made-in-America ultra-luxury vehicle in nearly a century," my eyebrows don't just rise; they launch into orbit. I'm pretty sure some folks over at Cadillac, who are currently hand-building their $340,000+ Celestiq, might have a thing or two to say about that. But let's not get bogged down in details. Confidence is key!
The car itself is the essence of legacy, class, and technology. Dacora says it was designed with the legendary Italian design house Pininfarina, and I can see that. It's a big claim. The inspiration is apparently "1930s Streamline Moderne," but at first glance, it looks like someone described a Volkswagen Beetle to an AI that had only ever seen pictures of vintage Rolls Royce Phantoms. It's bulbous, sits a bit high off the ground with 7.5 inches of clearance, and features covered rear wheels. It's gloriously, wonderfully weird. And I love every detail of it.
Image Credit: Dakora Motors.
The hood is made of handcrafted wood that resembles the decking of a multi-million yacht. Not carbon fiber, not aluminum, but good old-fashioned trees. That gorgeous hood is flanked by big, round headlights that give it a perpetually surprised-slash-sleepy expression. It's the kind of car that causes full-on, rubber-necking-induced traffic jams. It's a rolling sculpture that looks as good in a museum as it does on Beverly Hills Boulevard, and I haven't even gotten to the best part yet.
Step inside - or rather, imagine stepping inside, since real photos are scarce for now - and the eccentricity continues. Dacora is "rejecting screen-dominated cockpits." Hallelujah! Instead of a giant iPad glued to the dash, the digital display cleverly hides behind a semi-transparent wooden panel when not in use. The interior is a festival of wood, woven wool, and "toxin-free bioleathers." It sounds less like a car and more like a very expensive, very mobile wellness retreat.
The real party trick, though, is the modularity. Dacora envisions owners swapping out interiors like they change their clothes. Wool for the winter, linen for the summer. Why not? If you're spending half a million dollars, you should be able to color-coordinate your car with your outfit. The seating can be configured for three to seven people, with options for a rear lounge and up to 45 inches of legroom. That's more space than a transatlantic flight, and almost certainly more comfortable.
But the options for the center console are what truly sent me. You can get a refrigerator or a biometric safe, which is all very sensible. Or, you could opt for a humidor. Or an integrated espresso machine. Or - and I am not making this up - a living bonsai garden housed under a glass dome. A bonsai tree. And an espresso machine. In a car. This is no longer just a vehicle; it's a mobile ecosystem. I can just hear the conversation. "Sorry I'm late, officer, I had to prune my ficus. Can I offer you the finest espresso?"
Image Credit: Dakora.
Since even a rolling zen garden needs to move, let's look at some numbers. Dacora is promising over 800 horsepower from its all-electric powertrain. Despite weighing a colossal 6,500 pounds, it'll apparently hustle from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds. The projected range is a very respectable 400 miles on a single charge. And for those not quite ready to commit to the electric revolution, they've vaguely promised an optional hybrid powertrain, though details on that are as clear as mud.
Each one of these half-a-million-dollar magnificent oddities will be built at a "100-acre Hudson Valley Garage campus" in New York. To secure your build slot, you just need to part with a refundable $50,000 deposit. Dacora claims they already have reservations for 150% of their first year's production capacity. Of course, they haven't said what that capacity is. It could be ten cars. It could be two. It could be a sketch on a napkin.
Image Credit: Dakora.
Let's be honest; the whole thing sounds a bit fantastical. A new company, a wild design, a sky-high price, and features that sound like they were brainstormed during a very vivid dream. A part of me, the cynical part, wants to dismiss it… But that's just a small part of me. The rest of me, including my automotive soul, is rooting for them.
The truth is we desperately need this car. We need a 6,500-pound electric spaceship with a wooden hood and a bonsai tree. We need people who look at a center console and think, "You know what that needs? A tiny, meditative tree." So, Dacora Motors, you magnificent maniacs, please, I beg you, build this car. The world will be a much more interesting place with it.
