---
title: "I Was Wrong About Faraday Future’s Pricing. Or Was I?"
description: "Even at $175,000, the FF-91 is a big cactus to swallow"
date: "2017-01-18"
modified: "2019-02-11"
authors:
  - name: "Alex Roy"
    job_title: "Editor-At-Large"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/alex-roy"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/article/7011/i-was-wrong-faraday-futures-pricing-or-was-i"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "Electric Vehicles"
  - "News"
tags:
  - "EV"
  - "Faraday Future"
  - "FF 91"
  - "Tech"
---

# I Was Wrong About Faraday Future’s Pricing. Or Was I?

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/01/imagesvc-timeincapp.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

In world of clickbait and fake news, it’s essential that any writer who aspires to credibility admit a mistake. I made a mistake. I based my recent op-ed “[Faraday Future’s Killer $290,000 Feature Revealed](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/6978/faraday-futures-290000-killer-feature-revealed>)” on a [quote](<https://electrek.co/2017/01/13/faraday-future-ff91-electric-vehicle-cost-300000-ceo-jia-yueting/>) from Faraday backer Jia Yueting to a [Chinese news outlet](<https://tech.163.com/17/0112/10/CAIRB0BD00097U7T.html>). In analyzing the $290k figure, I used US market pricing for competing models, thereby comparing apples with oranges.

Faraday deserves a fair shake. Let’s compare apples with apples.

Jia claimed the FF-91 would cost “less than ¥2,000,000”, which as of this writing is approximately $293,000. Faraday has confirmed that this figure includes Chinese market taxes and import duties. They also said the FF-91 "will be priced competitively in the premium electric vehicle segment."

Chinese market taxes and import duties vary, but generously assuming a high end of 40% for a luxury vehicle like the FF-91, the U.S. market price would be around $175,800. Let’s place the Faraday among theoretical competitors one more time:

**$224,374** Mercedes Maybach

**$221,105** Porsche Cayenne Turbo S

**$180,524** BMW M760i XDrive

**$175,800 Faraday Future FF-91**

**$166,800** Tesla Model X P100D

**$166,000** Tesla Model S P100D

**$160,000** (Est.) [Lucid Air](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/6528/lucid-motors-reveals-their-tesla-killer-but-is-it-really>)

**$150,750** Audi S8 Plus

Once again, let’s remove those unlikely to match Faraday’s launch feature set for 2018, and what’s left?

**$175,800 Faraday Future FF-91**

**$166,800** Tesla Model X P100D

**$166,000** Tesla Model S P100D

**$160,000** (Est.) Lucid Air

The Faraday is still more expensive than either Tesla, an established brand with the only real infrastructure/ecosystem in the electric car space. Place it alongside the Lucid Air — a stunning vehicle with nearly identical technology, more range and also backed by Jia — and I know which one I'd buy.

![The Lucid Air](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1484766431880-imagesvc.timeincapp-1.jpg>)
*The Lucid Air*

*, The Lucid Air, *Lucid Motors**

[The rest of my argument against the FF-91 still stands](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/6978/faraday-futures-290000-killer-feature-revealed>). Despite protests that it's a state-of-the-art crossover, I still see a premium electric/connected/autonomous minivan. By the time the FF-91 hits the market — which Faraday claims will be in 2018 — every single feature they're touting will be commoditized among luxury vehicles. Even if legacy auto makers don't get competing products to market by then, Tesla will. Tesla's only a battery, interior and wireless software upgrade away from where Faraday wants to go.

I am 100% behind innovation and new companies challenging the old guard. Tesla has led the way. Faraday is packed full of talent. The FF-91 is packed full of technology. But its packaging is all wrong. Even if you like its looks, even if you hate the Model X, the Model S is out there at a lower price, and the gorgeous Lucid Air is at least as likely to hit the market when the FF-91 does.

If you're going to sell a minivan, price it like one. If you're going to sell mobility, price it that way. Mobility currently tops out at $75,000, or the price of an Escalade, Suburban or Tahoe.

That's where the FF-91 needs to be.

I've often said I hate houseboats. Bad houses, bad boats. I was wrong about that too. Give me the world's fastest, most luxurious houseboat and I'd still hate it. Because it looks like a houseboat.

@Faraday: Strip the FF-91. Keep the autonomy. Cut the price by 50%. Cut a deal with Uber or Didi. Print money.

*Alex Roy is Editor-at-Large for* [*The Drive*](<https://www.thedrive.com/>)*, author of* [*The Driver*](<https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061227935/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8%22%3EThe%20Driver:%20My%20Dangerous%20Pursuit%20of%20Speed%20and%20Truth%20in%20the%20Outlaw%20Racing%20World%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir&linkCode=ll1&tag=alexroysig-20&linkId=fd08839d31e2527129043c686b90f183>)*, and set the 2007 Transcontinental “Cannonball Run” Record in* [*31 hours & 4 minutes*](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Roy#Transcontinental_.22Cannonball.22_record>)*. You may follow him on* [*Facebook*](<https://www.facebook.com/alexroy144>)*,* [*Twitter*](<https://twitter.com/AlexRoy144>) *and* [*Instagram*](<https://instagram.com/alexroy144/>)*.*

## Author
Co-host of The Autonocast and /DRIVE on NBC Sports, and author of *The Driver*, Roy has set endurance driving records in Europe & the USA in the internal combustion, EV, 3-wheeler & Semi-Autonomous Classes, including the infamous Cannonball Run record. He is also Founder of Noho Sound, Producer of 32 Hours 7 Minutes, and has spoken at the FBI, CIA, MIT & Stanford about numerous driving records which must still remain secret.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/alexroy144>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/alexroy144>)