Faraday Future has unveiled the FFZero1 – a concept car that the California-based automaker promises will spearhead a complete revolution in the way that we drive.” Yet the car looks more appropriate for a race track than a city street thanks to a claimed 1,000 horsepower, a 0-60 time under 3.0 seconds, and a top speed over 200 miles per hour.
The concept’s underlying platform – Variable Platform Architecture – is highly customizable, so it can be front-, rear- or all-wheel drive and in various different body configurations.
“That platform is done on a very modular and flexible basis such that we can change the size of the platform,” said Nick Sampson, a senior VP R&D and engineering. “We can change the number and power of the drive systems. We can change the physical size and electrical size of the battery packs, so we can get bigger and larger packs and smaller packs both on the electrical size and physical size because of the modularity of how the battery architecture is being done, which is unique compared to anybody else in the industry. The underlying story is all about the platform that’s being built.”
The batteries sit in horizontal rows and Sampson touted that the battery-pack system operates continuously even if one unit fails, a bit like Christmas tree lights that continue to shine even if one bulb burns out.
The design features a glass roof showing the white carbon fiber interior and some of the car’s high-tech – like a smartphone mount in the center of the steering wheel, the Halo Safety System that supports the driver’s head and neck, and a helmet that feeds the driver water and oxygen. The instrument panel is also designed to gather biometric data about the driver.
Chief Faraday designer Richard Kim pointed at a deep crease in the side of the concept car. “This is what we call our UFO line, and it denotes that its not really of this world. It will be a feature of all our cars.”
