US electric vehicle startup Faraday Future has this week unveiled its first ever production vehicle – the FF 91.
Shown off for the first time at a company press event prior to CES 2017, the vehicle is a luxury battery electric hatchback, with a range of high-tech capabilities.
Specifically, the car has an incredibly fast acceleration of 0-60 mph (0-96.5km/h) in 2.39 seconds and a total range of 378 miles (608km) on a single charge.
Both of these specs put the vehicle marginally ahead of its closest competitor, the Tesla Model S.
Similar to the Model S, the FF91 also contains advanced autonomous driving capabilities. All up the car contains 36 sensors including 13 long and short range radars, 12 ultrasonic sensors, 10 high definition cameras and 1 3D retractable lidar.
During the company event, Faraday Future showed off a feature (with only partial success) whereby the car could autonomously park itself.
So far, Faraday Future has yet to announce how much the vehicle will cost, however, it is already taking pro-orders for a (refundable) $5000 deposit. The company claims to have already received 64,124 such reservations following the launch.
If all goes to plan the FF91 will begin shipping to customers by 2018, however, a more specific release date has not been confirmed.
Questions remain on Faraday Future
While the FF91 was announced in a flashy performance, many have questioned the company’s ability to eventually deliver on their product.
The primary concern is that the company, which lacks any real experience in mass producing vehicles, will be unable to deliver the FF91 within the two-year time frame.
Prior to the car’s unveiling the company had been swamped by bad press, ranging from the news that the company’s flagship factory was not yet under construction to reports that many high-level figures within the company were jumping ship.
Moreover, little is known about the company’s relationship with primary investor LeEco, a Chinese electronics manufacturer, or indeed who even is the CEO of Faraday Future.
All this uncertainty means that the 2018 shipping date is likely to slip if of course the vehicle ever makes it to full-scale production at all.
