You are now looking at test vehicle for the FF 91. This is an electric SUV that should enter production and reach its first owners by the end of the year according to its maker, Faraday Future. And, with the journey of the Californian startup, which was born in 2014 and first announced the FF 91 in 2017, having been a bit of a rollercoaster, the sighting of this FF 91 prototype out in the wild is something the company, its backers and its first customers were probably looking forward to.
The battery-powered SUV was recently spotted on Californian roads. And while it doesn’t appear to sport any camouflage, the matte black finish that covers most of the exterior and the dark window tint appear to keep the test car’s privacy, especially regarding the interior.
The tester was caught on camera by an enthusiast known as KindelAuto, who constantly captures “prototypes, all new and interesting cars”, as per his Instagram.
With Faradary Future having already showcased the first pre-production unit of the FF 91 (you’ll find this in the gallery, along with the official images of the interior), these fresh images are more of a morale booster rather than providing new details
For one, a commenter asked whether the cabin accommodates seven seats, but the spotter wasn’t able to provide an answer—while the official images and videos showcase the futuristic dashboard and deeply reclining rear seats, the company has yet to showcase the luggage area so far.
Faraday Future’s complicated financial situation
The FF9 is designed in Los Angeles, while its engineering is split between LA and China, with the official status of the battery-powered vehicle showing this is presently in the pre-production phase at Faraday Future’s ieFactory California in Hanford.
Earlier this month, Faraday Future made headlines for raising $100 million: $60M from Senyun International and the remaining $40M from FF Top Holding, the company’s largest shareholder. The latter had sued the startup citing a “crisis of leadership at the board level”, but the dispute was settled following executive shuffling.
Hopefully, the said funding will be enough to kickstart production, as Faraday Future had reported a $137M loss in Q2 of this year, stating it would require a capital injection of $325M to stay on track.
The FF1 got an impressive EPA rating of 381 miles per charge
Fortunately, though, back in September the FF 91 receive an EPA range rating of 381 miles per charge. This came thanks to a larger 142 kWh battery (the original hardware involved a 130 kWh unit). For the record, the Tesla Model X, which would become the production FF 91’s closest competitor, comes with a maximum range of 348 miles.
The FF 91 relies on three electric motors, two at the back and one up front. Their combined output sits at 1,050 hp. This allows the SUV, which is 206.9 inches long, to promise a 0 to 60 mph sprint of under 2.4 seconds.
The said EPA number defines the FF 91 Futurist, the range-topping launch model that will cost about $200,000. And with fresh names like Lucid (Air Sapphire) and traditional labels such as Cadillac (Celestiq) now playing in this sky-high league, an additional American producer would naturally be welcome.
