Investigation
In a surprising revelation, Faraday Future's latest offering, the FX Super One minivan, has been unveiled as a heavily modified and rebranded version of Great Wall Motor's Wey Gaoshan 9. The two vehicles share striking similarities in their exterior and interior designs, with the FX Super One featuring minor changes such as a digital front grille, while the body silhouette and interior elements remain almost identical, save for branding changes.
The wheelbase and trunk space of the FX Super One (130-inch wheelbase, 320 L trunk) are almost identical to those of the Wey Gaoshan 9 (128.1-inch wheelbase, 315 L trunk), further supporting the claim of a shared platform and model basis. The interiors of both vehicles are visually indistinguishable aside from logos.
Faraday Future has officially acknowledged the FX Super One as a derivative of the Wey Gaoshan 9, as part of a strategic alliance facilitated through the "China-U.S. Automotive Industry Bridge Strategy" involving Great Wall Motor and Jia Yueting's company. This collaboration allows Faraday Future to offer all-electric and plug-in hybrid options while leveraging Great Wall Motor’s vehicle architecture.
However, the FX Super One will not be shipped to the US as a fully built car due to EV tariffs. Instead, it will be assembled in Faraday Future's California facility using a SKD (semi-knocked down) kit. The parts for the FX Super One, including the large front screen, are sourced from a Chinese supplier.
The Wey Gaoshan 9, on the other hand, is equipped with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine and two electric motors. It features a lidar unit from Hesai and is powered by the Nvidia Orin-X chip. The battery pack for the Wey Gaoshan 9 is provided by CATL.
Meanwhile, BYD, another Chinese automaker, is aiming for local production of the Seagull hatchback in Brazil, including stamping, welding, painting, and peripheral components, using CKD (complete knock-down) kits.
The FX Super One minivan's unveiling has raised questions about Faraday Future's intentions, particularly regarding its planned production of only 150 cars this year. Jia Yueting, the founder of Faraday Future, filed for bankruptcy with personal debt exceeding 3.6 billion USD in 2019, and his Chinese debt situation remains unresolved.
Great Wall Motor declined to comment on the FX Super One, and Faraday Future did not respond to requests for comment. Despite the controversies surrounding the FX Super One, it signifies a step forward in the growing collaboration between Chinese and American automotive industries.
- Faraday Future's business strategy now includes the production of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, thanks to a collaboration with Great Wall Motor, facilitated by the "China-U.S. Automotive Industry Bridge Strategy".
- The FX Super One minivan, while sharing many similarities with the Wey Gaoshan 9, will have a digital front grille, differentiating it somewhat from its Chinese counterpart, especially in the technology sector.
- The assembly of the FX Super One will take place in Faraday Future's California facility, using a SKD (semi-knocked down) kit, with parts sourced from a Chinese supplier, including the large front screen.
- In contrast, the Wey Gaoshan 9 is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine and two electric motors, and it features advanced technology such as a lidar unit from Hesai and the Nvidia Orin-X chip, as well as a battery pack provided by CATL.
- BYD, another Chinese automaker, is planning to produce the Seagull hatchback in Brazil, demonstrating a growing trend of collaboration between Chinese and American automotive industries, despite the ongoing controversies surrounding certain projects, like the FX Super One.
