Faraday Future finally starts production on FF91
Faraday Future has announced the start of FF91 production in its Hanford, CA, factory in central California, which it calls “FF ieFactory California.”
Earlier this month, Faraday said that it would finally start production by the end of March, pending millions of dollars of funding coming through.
Faraday says this is the last of seven major manufacturing milestones on a long road to bring the FF91 to production, a car that was originally unveiled in 2017 with the intention of 2018 production.
The Faraday FF91 was promised 1,050 horsepower, a 130 kWh battery capable of 381 miles of range, 200 kW charging, and self-driving capability. It also promised a 0-60 time of 2.27 seconds, which was faster than “other benchmark cars” (namely, Tesla) at the time.
These specs were quite eye-watering at the time and are still very good, though the shine has been somewhat taken off of them through five years worth of delays. But to Faraday’s credit, it seems to have kept the same specs as its original announcement without watering them down in the interim.
In the meantime, Faraday Future’s founder and former CEO Jia Yueting, otherwise known as YT Jia, found himself in difficult financial issues. Jia was replaced by Carsten Breitfeld, formerly of BMW and Byton, who was later replaced by current CEO Xuefeng Chen, known as “XF.”
Both XF and YT were on site for the livestream, with the two affixing a plaque to the first chassis to roll off the production lines.
Faraday has still not specified the price of its vehicle, but during the stream, execs praised the FF91’s luxury, and founder YT Jia name-dropped both Ferrari and Maybach, setting a rather high bar in that respect. Jia also said that Faraday wants to position itself well in the “high-value user market,” another signal that prices won’t be low.
Faraday has two tiers of preorders for its vehicle: $5,000 for the “FF 91 Futurist Alliance” tier and $1,500 for the “FF 91 Futurist” tier. The $5,000 tier is currently sold out, but Faraday says that interested buyers can sign up to be on the $1,500 tier and ask to be contacted by a member of the sales team if a spot opens up.
Immediately after the original announcement, Faraday announced it had received over 64,000 reservations in 36 hours. But these were unpaid hand-raises, and on a more recent check-in, the company claimed to have 14,000 unpaid reservations and only 401 paid reservations.
Despite these modest numbers, Jia stated today that “current production capacity falls far behind market demand.”
Faraday plans to open a store in Beverly Hills later this year, with sales efforts starting in Los Angeles and San Francisco first, then New York, and in Shanghai and Beijing in China.
The start of production was accompanied by a livestream on Faraday’s social media channels, which you can view below (the actual action starts at 46:49 in the video):
Electrek’s Take
When this car was originally announced, I noted that it included “every popular concept car feature from the last several years” – and even some new ones, like facial recognition technology which would automatically set music, temperature, scent and massage features if the car detects that you’re having a bad day.
It felt like a “kitchen sink” announcement, a car that was heavy on promises but would likely lag behind those promises in reality. So the delays before production are not a big surprise. I think almost nobody expected it to actually get on the road in 2018.
Personally, though, I didn’t expect it to ever get to production at all. It seemed unrealistic to me.
So Faraday should be commended for getting to the point it has gotten to, despite it seeming quite unlikely. It has at least produced a chassis, and it has a factory and some customers waiting for said chassis, at an as-yet-unannounced price and hopefully with the rest of the car attached. Now, the next step is to actually get the car onto the road, and into customers’ hands.
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Environment
BYD’s best-selling EV arrives in Europe as the Dolphin Surf with prices starting at $26,000
BYD’s electric hot hatch has officially arrived in Europe. The BYD Dolphin Surf is the European version of its best-selling (and most affordable) EV, the Seagull. Despite its small size, the Dolphin Surf has “huge potential” with prices starting at just 23,000 euros ($26,000).
Meet the BYD Dolphin EV for Europe
With over 55,000 units sold last month alone, the Seagull was BYD’s top-selling EV in April. Last year, it was second, trailing only Tesla’s Model Y as the best-selling electric vehicle in China. Now, you can buy it in Europe.
BYD launched the Dolphin Surf on Wednesday, a longer version of the Seagull with a few upgrades. Although not quite as cheap as the Seagull, which starts at under $10,000 (69,800 yuan) in China, the electric hatch is still one of the most affordable in Europe.
The Dolphin Surf is available in three different versions in Europe, with prices starting at 22,990 euros ($26,000) for the standard range model with a WLTP driving range of 220 km (137 miles).
Until June, BYD is offering a discounted price of just 19,990 euros ($22,700). The longer-range Dolphin Surf starts at 24,990 euros and has a 507 km (315 mile) range.
BYD said the compact electric city car is “built for the big city” with a sporty new design and the automaker’s advanced in-car technology.
Built for the big city
The interior is similar to other BYD vehicles, with a 10.1″ rotating touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay and Android connectivity) at the center. It’s also equipped with “Hi BYD,” a new voice control feature.
Although it may be compact, the Dolphin Surf has over 20 “clever storage areas” and a boot capacity of up to 316 L. With the rear seats folded, the electric hatch offers up to 1,037 L of space.
Like its other new vehicles, the Dolphin Surf is equipped with BYD’s Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) as standard, which includes features like intelligent cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure assist.
BYD will introduce the four-seater variant in June. With prices expected to start at around 25,000 euros ($28,300), it’s expected to compete with the Renault R5 and Volkswagen’s upcoming ID.2 electric car.
BYD’s region director, Maria Grazia, said during the launch event in Berlin (via Reuters) that “The compact segment is the next frontier for electrification in Europe,” adding “We think this market has huge potential.”
Electrek’s Take
BYD is leading EV sales in China, and it’s not even close. The automaker is coming off its best sales week of the year with nearly 68,000 vehicles registered from May 5 to May 11, up 15% from the previous week.
To give you some perspective, Tesla delivered just 3,070 vehicles in China in the same week, down 69% from the same week in 2024.
Will the Dolphin Surf see the same demand in Europe? With competitive prices, range, and features, it could be BYD’s most important EV so far. It’s the brand’s 10th vehicle to launch in Europe, following the Sealion 07, a smart midsize electric SUV.
According to S&P Global Mobility, BYD’s sales could double in Europe this year to around 186,000. By 2029, that number could reach around 400,000. Although it’s not slated for European production, the report notes that the Dolphin Surf’s “pricing strategy ensures competitiveness in the EU even with tariffs.”
Will the BYD Dolphin Surf become a top-selling EV in Europe? Leave us a comment below and let us know your thoughts.
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The original Fiat Panda 4×4 was an 80s icon and early entry into the compact SUV movement. Today, the funky electric Panda Grande is still carrying that torch, but it’s clear that someone at Fiat wants to lean into the off-road segment just a bit harder – and that’s what this new Grande Panda 4×4 Manifesto is all about.
First shown during the Grande Panda Hybrid media drive, Fiat is calling the new 4×4 Grande Panda Manifesto concept “the direct heir of the Panda 4×4,” and hopes it can act as a reminder of the 1983 original’s efficient, off-road legacy.
The Grande Panda that debuted last year is available with either a 108 hp 1.2 liter gas engine or a 111 hp electric motor powering the front wheels. The 4×4 concept starts with that electric motor up front, but adds an “innovative” e-axle at the rear of the tiny grande crossover, fully delivering on the “4×4” promise of a powered rear axle despite the lack of a conventional/traditional driveshaft or transfer case.
For their part, Fiat’s people seem pretty proud of the new setup:
From a technical standpoint, the Grande Panda 4×4 concept is thought with an electrified innovative rear axle. This feature would enable the vehicle to deliver impressive performance in urban settings and on more demanding terrain. It’s a deliberate choice that underscores FIAT’s ongoing commitment to embracing increasingly sustainable and forward-looking technologies, all while preserving the adventurous spirit and everyday practicality that have always defined the Panda 4×4.
A lifted stance, more aggressive A/T tires, front-mounted accessory lights, steelie wheels, and the seemingly mandatory “overlander” roof rack make up the rest of the modifications. No word yet on the Manifesto’s performance or specs, but I imagine something not too far removed from the new Jeep Compass’ specs makes sense.
And I promise: Fiat really, really wants to build this thing. Watch this space for more announcements, specs, and (eventually) pricing information.
Electrek’s Take
As my aunt Mary would say, Stellantis needs to get down from that cloud and realize that Jeep is not, should, and will not ever be the high-end luxury brand it hopes it will be. Once it does, it can slap a seven-slot grille on this Grande Panda 4×4 Manifesto concept, throw in some removable doors and a folding canvas moonroof, re-brand it as a modern Willys for about $30K, and watch the money roll in.
Fight me.
Make it a cheap Jeep
SOURCE | IMAGES: Stallantis.
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