Electric startup company, Faraday Future unveiled its first prototype vehicle, the Faraday Future FF91 in Las Vegas last night. There has been a large amount of scepticism about the American company since it announced its entry into the electric car market last year.
The Californian company is keen to rival Tesla with its products and has grown considerably in the past 3 years. It apparently employs 1,000 employees and has financial backing from Chinese financial partners LeEco. Recent reports about cash shortages and rivalry from other LeEco brands have raised eyebrows recently.
The car it displayed yesterday was described by its designer Richard Kim as “weird-pretty”. It is a luxury electric SUV, much like the Tesla Model X. It features a long and low shape with a distinct lack of door handles. It is expected to get a package of sensors, cameras, radar and lidar to allow autonomous motoring as a future date.
It will also be the fastest electric car with a 130 kilowatt battery and a reported 0 to 60 mph time of 2.39 seconds. The electric motors are said to generate the equivalent of 1,050 hp of power. Range will be around 378 miles (608 km) per charge with a home charger allowing a 50 percent recharge in 4.5 hours.
It is expected to go into production in early 2018 as “the most technologically advanced” car on the market with a retail price of around $180,000. To take a place in the production line, prospective owners are being asked for a $5,000 refundable deposit.
