Faraday Future Unveils FX Super One: An AI-Powered Electric MPV with a Digital Face

Faraday Future is back with another wild EV that probably will never get made

The troubled Chinese automaker has got a 'new' electric van for the US market, and it has a face. Or rather an LED display in place of a grille. Ask anyone who's familiar with EV startups what Faraday Future is, and words like vaporware or severely delayed might come to mind. That's because, in the brand's 11-year existence, it has seemingly overpromised and under-delivered on nearly everything it has ever announced. As reported by Autoweek, it has sold less than 20 of its luxury FF 91 full-size EVs since it debuted two years ago -- mostly to investors and celebrity influencers. Last week, Faraday revealed its latest model, the FX Super One, a fresh attempt at finally moving units in the US. FX, short for Faraday X, is a sub-brand by the Chinese automaker aimed at slotting in at a substantially lower sub-$100,000 price point. Its ticket to this corner of the EV market: a luxury MPV (multipurpose vehicle, better known as a compact van in the USA) designed to, in the company's words, disrupt the Cadillac Escalade in luxury for-hire transportation. Three seating arrangements are planned for the Super One: a four-seat for maximum luxurious cabin space, as well as a six- and seven-seater. I attended the Super One's unveiling event and had the chance to briefly ride in the four-seater's backseat. It was quite commodious and adorned in luxurious leather -- definitely fit for frequent Uber Black clientele. Admittedly, it's a good strategy for an EV. Make the most of its relatively small footprint and save on weight. Families are also one of FF's target demographics, as are chauffeured professionals who work on the move. However, as far as specs, go, well, there are none. During FF's lengthy presentation about the Super One, it filed power output, range, battery size, charging rate, etc. under to be determined. This was not long after displaying the largest disclaimer that the world has ever seen. In light of FF being in hot water with the SEC as of late, this makes sense. To sweeten the deal, FF is offering the Super One with a face. No, really, it calls the optional massive LED screen occupying where a grille would be the F.A.C.E. (Front AI Communication Ecosystem). With the help of AI, owners can broadcast a myriad of different things via this mini billboard. The most useful example is for self-promotion; a visual artist could display some work while parked, and the Super One will even interact with passersby. There could absolutely be some unsavory potential here, too, but only time will tell. There were other points made about AI integration, but they were a bit vague -- again, the company might be exercising some caution here. According to Car News China, it's a rebadged Great Wall Motor Wey Gaoshan, too, which almost certainly helps cut down on development and production costs. At least we know that the vehicle that it's based on is real and in consumers' hands. The unveiling was atop a parking garage in downtown Los Angeles and quite the production. A sea of influencers and other personalities were in attendance, and with a beautiful setting sun in the background, the company's goals were quite clear: cater to an audience that's in the business of selling vibes. If it can garner interest among this slice of American culture, it could give the company the bump it needs to actually start delivering, in addition to recently getting a healthy $105 million cash injection. But is this enough? It's deeply ingrained in the American psyche that big, hulking SUVs are the way to go for luxury transportation. A van of reasonable proportions with nice interior materials and some party tricks is fun, but to sell thousands per year -- even with an alleged 10,000-plus preorders during the unveiling, and intentions of building the Super One at its Hanford, California, facility to help skirt tariffs -- it's tough to say. FF has a long and storied history of not delivering despite grandiose plans and heavy investment. Like every claim it's made before, we'll believe it when we see it.

Faraday Future puts a face on its new electric MPV, quite literally

Faraday Future - the same LA-based company that's found it tough to keep the lights on, having only delivered 16 FF 91s since 2023 - has been working on its tech-heavy minivan or Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) for a few years. Now the FX Super One has debuted during a special event at Faraday Future's headquarters in California. And yes, the electric MPV comes with The F.A.C.E. - which stands for Front AI Communication Ecosystem, a dazzling interactive LED grille driven by AI that turns the front end of the car into a digital billboard. The F.A.C.E. brings a distinctive, futuristic element to an otherwise pretty routine class of cars. It gets the ability to communicate with passengers using speech recognition, visual clues, and even reactive communication. Just know one thing - it only works interactively while the car is parked. Faraday Future's exclusive EAI Embodied Intelligence AI Agent 6×4 Architecture is at the heart of its tech. Together with the digital grille, it also powers infotainment controls, voice-command capabilities, and the car's array of cutting-edge driver assistance technologies. The FX Super One is a fully equipped multi-purpose vehicle which will be sold in the United States under Faraday Future's new premium sub-brand Faraday X. Think of it as a Lexus-Toyota kind of brand relation. You'd be hard pressed to believe that the FX Super One is a completely original electric vehicle. Rather, it is based on the Great Wall Motors Wey Gaoshan minivan from China. But Faraday Future did add a few fresh bits to it - including that new front-end, along with 20-inch alloy wheels and a black trim. On the outside, it's roughly the same size as the Cadillac Escalade, which also happens to be one of its primary competitors. What works well for Faraday Future is a sharper, more elegant appearance and a larger wheelbase of 130 in (3,302 mm). Its high-strength steel frame is sourced from the Chinese Wey Gaoshan minivan. As for the powertrain, the FX Super One will start out with a completely electric drivetrain that would include two electric motors and all-wheel drive as standard. Faraday Future is also intending to come out with an "AI Hybrid Extended Range" trim, which basically follows the extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) formula where a small gasoline engine would charge the battery. Inside the cabin, you should expect a plush experience with the FX Super One coming with two or three rows of seats for four, six, or seven people. You get the works - foldable tray tables, a 17.3-inch entertainment screen, a slide-out fridge drawer, moonroof controls, and zero-gravity captain's chairs with full recline. The third row seats also come equipped with electronic adjustments, heating, and cooling. There will also be an optional four-seat GOAT edition available for those who wish for celebrity-van-like ride quality. It gets a number of upscale extras, such as Faraday Future's improved Super AP platform, a retractable panoramic display, and a Dolby Atmos sound system. According to Faraday, its MPV will offer a "balance between luxury and premium," while being more powerful and offering better handling than a full-size SUV or a conventional minivan. With features like "360º safety, active + passive" and all-wheel drive, Faraday Future emphasized comfort and safety above all else in its press release. Heck, it even boasted a "vision-first VLA system powered by LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic sensors, and high-definition cameras," among the many sensors that the Super One will get for driver assistance. Although Faraday Future hasn't set pricing yet, reports suggest the electric MPV will start at around US$70,000 and go up to Escalade territory based on trim options. For now, you can reserve the vehicle for a $100 refundable deposit. But here's my gripe - minivans (or MUVs as Faraday Future likes to call them) just don't sell all that well in the USA. Even for the ultra-premium market that they're intended for, these cars struggle to find buyers for two key reasons. One - SUVs provide many of the same advantages as a minivan, such as more space for both passengers and cargo, while being more practical and powerful. And two - even the wealthiest Americans prefer to drive their own vehicles. Having a driver is far more prevalent in other countries, where rear seat comfort is prioritized above all. And while there's a big opportunity for the FX Super One, considering EV minivans are virtually non-existent in the American market (the Buzz.ID is the only real offering currently), I'm not sure there will be huge crowds wanting a piece of the EV minivan action. Even if it has a huge smiling face at the front of it.

Faraday's latest EV has a massive screen instead of a grille, with its own AI avatar

Do you want an AI avatar that represents you, on the front of your car? What is it? The Faraday FX Super One is an upcoming, fully-electric MPV from auto maker Faraday Future, aimed at giving you a luxury car without a huge price tag. It's set to be a direct rival to the Cadillac Escalade, and come packed with AI features - including a huge exterior digital screen which replaces the traditional grille and displays your own AI agent. I'm sorry, what? According to Faraday, the Super One will redefine our experience with automobiles, with AI deeply integrated throughout the vehicle. The "Super EAI F.A.C.E. (Front AI Communication Ecosystem) System", the clunky moniker for the display slapped on the front of the Super One, will give your vehicle a unique 'face', with the ability to express emotion. Recommended Videos This face will apparently be able to 'communicate' with the world around it and represent you. What that means in practice remains to be seen, but it's certainly an interesting feature - if not rather odd. Why should I care? There's seemingly no escaping the onslaught of AI in our lives, and manufacturers the world over are looking for new and innovative ways to integrate artificial intelligence into products. Faraday's AI offering in the FX Super One does appear to be particularly left field currently, but this might be a glimpse of what's to come more widely in the future. There's the choice of four, six and seven seat configurations, plus an AI-optimized hybrid extended range option will be available at a later date if the fully-electric model isn't for you. The four seater "GOAT Edition" configuration is aimed at the rich and famous, with suspended zero-gravity seats feature ventilation, heating and 10-point massage. The 6 and 7-seater editions are more traditionally styled for business and family life. So what's next? Well, if the FX Super One has peaked your interest to can head over to the Faraday site and place a $100 (fully refundable) deposit to book your place in line. We don't know how much it will cost or when it'll be available, nor do we have any meaningful specs yet, all we know is the firm has said it'll offer "tech luxury without the $300k price tag". Faraday has openly said it's looking to challenge the Escalade, and the all-electric Escalade IQ starts at $130,000 - we'd expect the FX Super One to be in that sort of ballpark too. That's not exactly cheap then, but the firm has a budget EV in the works as well. However, don't get your hopes up too much. There's no guarantee the final vehicle will actually make it to market, as Faraday has a laundry list of factors "that may affect actual results or outcomes." Faraday says it still needs to "to secure regulatory approvals for the proposed Super One front grille", says it hasn't yet secured the "necessary agreements to license or produce FX vehicles in the U.S., the Middle East, or elsewhere". We'll have to wait and see if the Faraday FX Super One can challenge the best luxury EVs and best electric SUVs then.