After disappointing many by failing to launch their first electric car after they unveiled the FFZero1 concept car at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2016, Faraday Future has now confirmed a launch for CES 2017 in January. But this car now looks oddly like Tesla’s Model X.
After releasing an earlier video at the end of October, where Faraday Future used the tagline: “Can’t hear the engine? You’re not supposed to,” the company released yet another video of the black-tarp-covered car with the new tagline: “who said don’t reinvent the wheel?” You can watch both videos at the bottom of this article.
The new video shows what looks to be a compact crossover SUV driving around the streets of LA with the black tarp covering its body from view. The focus, of course, is on the wheels, hence the tagline for the new video.
But all’s not well at Faraday Future. Apparently, the company has an overdue payment of $21 million towards the deposit for the construction of its Nevada factory. By the end of November, the company will need to pay a full $58 million towards construction fees. But a Faraday Future spokesperson confirmed on Oct 24 that there would be no work stoppage, and that both companies are working towards resolving the financial matter.
The company is also facing some issues with manpower, with six employees leaving the company in the last three months. Faraday Future said that most of those left towards the beginning of that period “to pursue other interests,” but also said that their employee turnover was much lower than industry standards.
Video 1 – Teaser Video Released on November 9
Video 2 – Teaser Video Released in October
Video 3 – Concept Car Unveiled in January at CES 2016
One interesting feature about Faraday Future’s design methodology is the use of immersive VR technology. And according to their website, their approach is unique:
“We utilize VR to visualize design and engineering changes in real time from a unique and valuable perspective: as if you were inside the vehicle.”
They also use digital modeling and 3D printing to quickly make prototype components, cutting the cycle times for testing new innovations.
Their very first patent was granted for the FF Echelon Inverter, a modest creation but one that delivered 20-30% higher power density than competing inverters. Today Faraday Future has a lot more than that: over the one-year period until March 2016 the company has already submitted over 100 applications to the USPTO.
The company believes in building things from the ground up instead of retrofitting existing hardware, which is probably why it’s taking them so long to produce their first EV on a mass scale.
The big question now is, having taken so long, will their first car be a path-breaking creation and surpass what Tesla has done so far? It would seem that this is the only way they can appeal to the general public. Admittedly, they have thousands of hardcore fans that will probably buy their first FF EV as soon as it’s ready for production, but performance will be a key factor in taking it to the next level.
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