News Roundup: June 12, 2025

Check the video out here: https://youtu.be/mWw9AEMNWeo

Dacora's $500,000 EV

EV startup Dacora, founded by a husband-and-wife team of MIT engineers, plans to open a design atelier and manufacturing campus in New York's Hudson Valley in 2026, with an eye to start production in 2028. They reportedly have enough $50,000 (refundable) deposits to cover 1 1/2 years of production for their retro-designed, ultra-luxury EV that features coach doors, covered rear wheels, and a handcrafted wooden hood. As part of their personalization strategy, swappable upholstery collections will let customers change interiors like their wardrobes (e.g., wool in the winter, linen in the summer). The solid wood dashboard doesn't have a screen but it appears to have information projected onto the surface, and underneath the skin will reportedly be an existing skateboard from an unnamed American automaker. Lucid? GM's Ultium? Stellantis' STLA Large? No one knows--and no one knows the leadership team, either, unless you dive into LinkedIn to find the six employees (with very little automotive experience) currently connected to the company. The target specs are aggressive: 400-mile range, 800 hp, and 6,500 lb curb weight (at least 1,000 lbs heavier than a Lucid Air).

WHY IT MATTERS: Right now, only Rolls-Royce and Cadillac are playing in this space, and Dacora's unique retro design sets it apart. Both Ferrari and Bentley have noted that their bespoke operations contribute quite a bit to their bottom line, so there appears to be a market out there.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Unfortunately, there are too many unanswered questions about hardware, staffing, funding, and manufacturing to know if this plan will succeed or not. In theory, next year's campus opening may yield some answers.

BMW iX3 TECH SPECS REVEALED

Although we won't see the whole car until the IAA show in Munich this September, BMW has let the media drive camouflaged prototypes of the first entry off their Neue Klasse architecture and shared some relevant numbers:

• Targeting 400 mile EPA with 107.9 kwh battery, 45% larger than current iX3

• Up 400kW charging, up to ~170mi in 10min or 10-80% in 20min with NACS port

• Adds dual-motor AWD capability—0-100 kmh in 4.9sec

• 5,000 lb curb weight puts it ~600 lbs heavier than a comparable Tesla Model Y, in roughly the same footprint

The interior will feature 17.9” parallelogram shaped touchscreen supported by real physical controls, and Panoramic Vision iDrive that puts a band of instrumentation at the base of the windshield.

WHY IT MATTERS: The current iX3 is a converted, eRWD-only, gasoline-powered X3, and these new numbers are a quantum leap forward in terms of competitiveness, leaving Tesla and most other luxury brands in the dust.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The iX3 looks to be a strong start for BMW's new EV architecture, and if the upcoming derivatives are equally as competitive, other luxury brands should be worried.

Is The Subaru Brat returning?

The original Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter was launched in 1978 as a pickup derivative of the Subaru DL/GL sedan--a regular cab with two seats mounted in the bed to avoid the 25% "chicken tax" tariff on foreign-built pickup trucks. A second generation ran from 1982 to 1994, and in the early 2000s the Baja showed up as a pickup variant of the Subaru Legacy/Outback. Now, sources are hinting that Toyota's upcoming compact pickup may yield a Subaru counterpart. Toyota has said their truck is a matter of when, not if, but haven't provided any more details; it could be body-on-frame, unibody (off the Corolla Cross), or derived from Toyota's EPU electric crewcab shown at the Japan Mobility Show.

WHY IT MATTERS: An updated Brat could add some excitement to Subaru's somewhat mundane portfolio and take advantage of what appears to be increased market interest in affordable trucks.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Subaru and Toyota have already collaborated on several other products, so this idea is not without precedent, and could give Subaru a metaphorical shot in the arm.

Toyota's New China Strategies

Toyota has decided to put more power into the hands of their China team. GAC Toyota will now appoint local personnel who better understand the market lead product development efforts, including new models and facelifts, with the goal to build better products for Chinese buyers. They will also pursue more partnerships with Chinese tech companies. The bZ3X small SUV will get Momenta's v6.0 intelligent driving system--their first partnership with a non-Chinese automakers. The bZ7 flagship sedan will feature Huawei's Harmony cockpit and DriveONE powertrain, and will also integrate with Xiaomi's accessory ecosystem, including in-car wireless phone charger, smart walkie-talkies, and high-intensity flashlights. Finally, Toyota, Huawei and Tencent are co-developing an AI voice assistant capable of recognizing individual users and proactive vehicle management, likely targeting around 2028

WHY IT MATTERS: China is the world's biggest automotive market, and China's automakers are making very competitive vehicles, and so Toyota has figured out that letting people who know the market best make decisions is the best response.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Some automakers are already down this path (like VW Group) and others are likely to take notice--and take similar action.