When you think of electric vehicles, Tesla is probably the first name that comes to mind. That clout, paired with the company’s continuously flabbergasting financial success, has put a target on Elon Musk’s back. Every other EV maker wants to be him or beat him, which is why whenever a new electric car comes along someone labels it a “Tesla killer.”
The latest contender throwing down the gauntlet is a car called the Drako GTE. This month, Drako Motors, the company behind it, released a video of their EV speed demon drag racing a Tesla Model S P100D — and winning handily.
Watch the race here:
But where did the Drako GTE come from? Who are the people behind it? And does it really live up to that melodramatic music? We did some digging to find out.
What is the Drako GTE?
Drako Motors was founded in 2015 by American entrepreneurs Dean Drako and Shiv Sikand. It started as “an electric sports car software platform provider,” but now states a mission of “creating stunning, driver focused supercars that deliver exhilarating performance with maximum control and safety — on road and track,” according to a press release.
The Drako GTE is the company’s “first limited production electric supercar” and debuted back in August 2019, but it’s gaining more attention thanks to the stunt race. As that description makes clear, it’s an entirely different animal (read: more luxe) than the Tesla sedan. According to Drako Motors, only 25 units will be made, with a more powerful “Track Edition” also available. Reservations are open and deliveries are expected to start sometime in 2020.
Does this drag race mean anything?
The short answer is no. (Sorry, Drako, but that’s the truth.) While ads have certainly come a long way from Guinness building strong muscles, car companies are still churning out stunt videos with dubious claims, from Ford’s electric F-150 towing one million pounds to the Tesla Cybertruck towing a, uh, Ford F-150. And this is no different.
Yes, the Drako GTE is clearly shown clobbering the Tesla Model S P100D, but the information lacking outweighs the information given. First of all, Tesla no longer sells their highest performance model under that name; it goes by the Tesla Model S Performance now, so it seems they’re racing against a slightly older model, even though the specs should be basically the same. Plus, this all may be moot when the new, more powerful Tesla Roadster debuts, which is expected in late 2020 or early 2021.
Also, we don’t know if they used the same or different tires, and we don’t get a one-shot take, so while it’s unlikely they’d doctor the footage to that degree, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
What are the side-by-side specs?
Yes, Drako Motors backs up the video with a spec sheet, and it’s impressive. But there is one stark difference between the two cars.
Drako GTE
- Horsepower: 1,200 HP
- Top Speed: 206 MPH
- 0-60 MPH Time: N/A
- Range: N/A
- Battery size: 90 kWh
- Passengers: Up to 4
- Price: $1.25 million
Tesla Model S Perf.
- Horsepower: 762 HP
- Top Speed: 163 MPH
- 0-60 MPH Time: 2.4 seconds
- Range: 348 miles
- Battery size: 100 kWh
- Passengers: Up to 5
- Price: $99,990
That’s right, the Drako GTE can (probably) beat Tesla in a drag race, but it’ll also cost you $1.15 million more (in other words, you could buy 12 Teslas for the price of one Drako).
Are we saying you should never buy the supercar over Elon Musk’s sedan? Not necessarily. We’re just warning you that you may need to reach his income bracket before you can afford do it.
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