Controversy surrounds current footage of Faraday Future’s second model, the Faraday X, as it tests its prototype on Los Angeles streets. The unveiling of the video on May 14, 2025, highlights the vehicle’s advanced driver assistance features, but some critics have noted striking parallels between the FX prototype and the defunct Jiyue 01 from China?
What was the Jiyue 01?
The Jiyue 01, an electric sport utility vehicle (SUV), debuted in 2023 under the joint venture of Jiyue Auto, a tripartite collaboration between Chinese technology giant Baidu and automaker Geely. Despite its impressive credentials and significant investments by two prominent companies, the car failed to gain traction in the market. By November 2024, Jiyue had sold exclusively 13,834 units of its fashion products, primarily comprised of the underperforming Jiyue 01 model.
Suddenly in December 2024, the model’s collapse occurred when the company disintegrated amidst rumors of financial impropriety, revealing a staggering discrepancy of up to seven billion yuan (approximately $962 million), unearthed during due diligence investigations. The company’s chief financial officer (CFO) mysteriously disappeared, taking crucial financial information with them, leaving suppliers at the doorstep of its headquarters, clamoring for payment on outstanding invoices.
The controversial connection
The controversy surrounding Faraday Future’s X prototype revolves primarily around the striking resemblance between it and the Jiyue 01 concept car.
Automotive manufacturers often design centre consoles with striking similarities in layout, typically featuring a prominent, centrally located screen accompanied by a similarly positioned steering wheel.
Aspect profiles and rear angles exhibit striking similarities between these two cars.
The initial shipment of FX prototypes has allegedly arrived in the United States from China, further fueling speculation about their intended purpose and true nature.
The association between Jia Yueting, founder of Faraday Future, and his tumultuous entrepreneurial history has sparked skepticism about whether he is merely repositioning existing Chinese vehicles under the guise of innovation rather than genuinely developing new ones. While skepticism surrounds the claims, whispers suggest a striking resemblance between the forthcoming FX 6, a plug-in hybrid multi-purpose vehicle, and Nice Wall Motors’ Gaoshan MPV, which shares a striking similarity with Great Wall’s Wey model.
Faraday Future’s credibility points
Despite Faraday Future’s latest financial reports, lingering concerns persist. Although founded over a decade ago, the company’s production has been surprisingly limited, with just 16 vehicles manufactured, most of which were reserved for high-ranking executives and A-list celebrities rather than everyday customers. Jia Yueting’s pledge to “return to China subsequently” has become a viral joke, further undermining the company’s already fragile reputation.
As Faraday Future attempts to break into the US market, doubts persist over whether consumers will accept cars that are essentially rebadged versions of models that underperformed in their home market.
