--- title: "Tesla Fans Lose Their Minds Over Photo of New Prototype That’s Not a Tesla" date: "2025-05-12" modified: "2025-05-12" authors: - name: "Beverly Braga" job_title: "Weekend Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/beverly-braga" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/tesla-fans-lose-their-minds-over-photo-of-new-prototype-thats-not-a-tesla" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Tesla News" tags: - "Faraday Future" - "prototype" - "Tesla" --- # Tesla Fans Lose Their Minds Over Photo of New Prototype That’s Not a Tesla ![Faraday Future spy photo]() *\via X\* Fanboys and stockholders alike are so hopeful that [Tesla]() is in the final stages of an all-new vehicle that, like moths to a flame, if one points and shouts, "Omg, that's the new Tesla prototype!" upon seeing a camouflaged EV, then it must be true. It's a new Tesla! Except when the vehicle is actually from [Faraday Future](). I don't know what's more disappointing: not having a $25,000 Tesla yet like [Elon promised](), or seeing a cool-looking EV prototype and finding out it's just Faraday Future somehow still existing. The image in question was shared on X by a member of the “Rebellionaire” group, a collective of Tesla "stock pumpers." As first chronicled by [*Electrek*](), like-minded Tesla enthusiasts began excitedly sharing, discussing, and promoting the rather blurry, location-less photo as a cross-their-hearts Tesla prototype. @TeslaNewswire, an authority on all things Tesla, as well as [Gork](), the X-embedded ChatGPT-like AI, all but confirmed this. Tesla Newswire went even further down the rumor rabbit hole, suggesting the poorly captured photos were of the upcoming [Tesla Model Q](). Everyone was wrong. So, so very wrong. https://twitter.com/faradayfuture/status/1920301850500428139?s=46&t=kVorYcCDbOC6luoiWx8IKA Faraday Future, who [everyone thought was dead]() (myself included), entered the chat to proclaim that the heavily shrouded vehicle is theirs. "That's our testing vehicle, a Faraday X Prototype Mule," the EV automaker said on X. "Thanks for all the attention, stay tuned to learn more at [FF.com]()!" Haha. Oops. Considering Faraday Future has gone through [bankruptcy](), [layoffs](), [liquidation](), and [litigation]() in recent years, the EV company is probably just happy to be part of the conversation. Even if it, well, kills that conversation. At least Faraday knows how to milk this random gift of the spotlight. In responding to a [newly interested public](), Faraday says it's preparing its Hanford, California, manufacturing plant to produce an annual capacity of more than 30,000 units. https://twitter.com/faradayfuture/status/1920966048209399833?s=46&t=kVorYcCDbOC6luoiWx8IKA The flexible assembly line would be able to assemble multiple models, from the $300,000 FF91 2.0 Futurist Alliance hypecar to a luxury minivan called Super One, which will be part of the new sub-brand [Faraday X](). [*Motor Authority*]() reported in February that additional Faraday X models will be the FX 5 and FX 6. It's likely one of those vehicles that's in the photograph that sent the Teslaverse into a frenzy. But maybe this was all part of [Chris Brown]()'s plan as the brand's new [Developer Co-Creation Officer](). ## Author Born and raised in Hawaii, Beverly has been a prolific and published creative writer since her teens. As a contributor to The Drive, Beverly covers the weekend shift, blogging about all things automotive, mobility, transportation, and topics in-between. Currently a digital nomad, Beverly's only constant is her car, a second-generation Mazdaspeed3. Even though she's never in one place for too long, her hot hatch always feels like home. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()