

Investor's Corner
Faraday Future defies the odds, will start vehicle production in March
Faraday Future has announced that it has acquired the necessary funding to begin vehicle production and will do so next month.
Investors and Faraday Future reservation holders have become pessimistic over the past two years. Not only has the company been stalled in its efforts to begin production of the FF 91 SUV, but its stock has plummeted as customers have lost hope in receiving the vehicle they originally ordered. Yet it seems Faraday has achieved the impossible, pulling out of its financial tailspin and heading to production next month.
Faraday said it acquired a total of $135 million in funding, allowing for its vehicle production after five long years of waiting. The FF 91 SUV will begin production in March and will begin deliveries to customers in April. Faraday did not specify how many vehicles would be produced or which customers would be receiving vehicles first.
Such a dramatic shift in Faraday’s trajectory stems from its last effort funding round and new corporate leadership that seems dead set on recovering what many assumed to be a sinking ship. Faraday Future CEO Xuefeng Chen (XF, as he is titled in the press release) follows previous CEO Carsten Breitfeld who resigned after a board review of his leadership since IPO. Along with the most recently secured funding, the CEO will also be looking to expand outstanding shares to drive more investment into the business; a vote will be held on the matter in a meeting with investors at the end of this month.
Faraday Future’s FF 91 is the $180,000 SUV that the company hopes will redefine the luxury EV segment. “Competing with Ferrari, Maybach, Rolls Royce, and Bentley, as the only next-gen Ultimate Intelligent TechLuxury EV product, the FF 91 Futurist puts forward a unique and intelligent EV experience with extreme technology, an ultimate user experience,” says the press release, but looking to the vehicle’s actual specs, it certainly has the chance to shake things up.
- Credit: Faraday Future
- Credit: Faraday Future
- Credit: Faraday Future
- Credit: Faraday Future
- Credit: Faraday Future
- Credit: Faraday Future
The FF 91 is a long-wheelbase luxury vehicle that performs with incredible performance specifications. Its tr-motor system produces a combined 1050 horsepower, shooting the SUV to 60mph in just 2.39 seconds. However, with a refined interior experience, fitted with rear captain’s chairs and fine leather upholstery, the vehicle’s target market is more Oceans Eleven, less Miami Vice.
Through the Faraday Future “Dynamic Vehicle Control” system, drivers benefit from semi-active dampers that will smooth the vehicle’s ride, four-wheel-steering that makes the sizable vehicle nimble and maneuverable, and thanks to its dual motor system in the back, rear torque-vectoring ensures power makes it to the ground. But thanks to the vehicle’s impressive aerodynamic shape, these features don’t come at the detriment of range, with the FF 91 still capable of 381 miles on a single charge thanks to its sizable 130 kWh battery.
Faraday has not specified how fast the vehicle charges but notes on its website that the FF 91 will gain 200 miles of range in just 30 minutes of charging.
With such a remarkable turnaround from just late last year and an astonishingly quick start of production, optimism is finally returning to the Faraday Future brand. Yet many still have good reason to be cautious about the fledgling brand. Hopefully, by ultimately delivering on its initially promised vehicles, Faraday can start to repair its cultural cache and begin to work on ramping production for what could be a fantastic vehicle.
Disclosure: William Johnson does not own Faraday Future stock.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
Investor's Corner
Tesla welcomes Chipotle President Jack Hartung to its Board of Directors
Tesla announced the addition of its new director in a post on social media platform X.

Tesla has welcomed Chipotle president Jack Hartung to its Board of Directors. Hartung will officially start his tenure at the electric vehicle maker on June 1, 2025.
Tesla announced the addition of its new director in a post on social media platform X.
Jack Hartung’s Role
With Hartung’s addition, the Tesla Board will now have nine members. It’s been a while since the company added a new director. Prior to Hartung, the last addition to the Tesla Board was Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia back in 2022. As noted in a Reuters report, Hartung will serve on the Tesla Board’s audit committee. He will also retire from his position as president and chief strategy officer at Chipotle, and transition into a senior advisor’s role at the restaurant chain, next month.
Hartung has had a long career in the Mexican grill, joining Chipotle in 2002. He held several positions in the company, most recently serving as Chipotle’s President and Chief Strategy Officer. Tesla highlighted Hartung’s accomplishments in a post on its official account on X.
“Over the past 20+ years under Jack’s financial leadership, Chipotle has seen significant growth with over 3,700 restaurants today across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Jack was named ‘CFO of the Year’ by Orange County Business Journal and Best CFO in the restaurant category by Institutional Investor,” Tesla wrote in its post on X.
Tesla Board and Musk
Tesla is a controversial company with a controversial CEO, so it is no surprise that the Board of Directors tend to get flak as well. Two weeks ago, for example, Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm slammed The Wall Street Journal for publishing an article alleging that company directors had considered a search for a potential successor to Elon Musk. Denholm herself has also been criticized for offloading her TSLA shares.
More recently, news emerged suggesting that the Tesla Board of Directors had formed a special committee aimed at exploring a new pay package for CEO Elon Musk. The committee is reportedly comprised of Tesla board Chair Robyn Denholm and independent director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, and they would be exploring alternative compensation methods for Musk’s contributions to the company.
Investor's Corner
Rivian stock rises as analysts boost price targets post Q1 earnings
Rivian impressed with smaller-than-expected losses & strong revenue, pushing analysts to raise price targets.

Rivian stock is gaining traction as Wall Street analysts raise price targets following the electric vehicle (EV) maker’s first-quarter earnings report. Despite a dip after the announcement, optimism surrounds Rivian’s cost control and upcoming lower-priced cars.
Last week, Rivian reported a better-than-expected Q1 gross profit, surpassing Wall Street’s forecasts with adjusted losses of $0.48 per share against expectations of $0.92 per share. The company also reported a revenue of $1.24 billion compared to the $1.01 billion anticipated.
However, the EV automaker cut its 2025 delivery forecast and capital spending due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. It explained that it is “not immune to the impacts of the global trade and economic environment.” RIVN stock dropped nearly 6% post-earnings, closing at $12.72 per share.
Wall Street remains upbeat about Rivian, citing progress toward launching lower-priced vehicles in 2026 and effective cost management. On Monday, Stifel analyst Stephen Gengaro raised his RIVN price target to $18 from $16, maintaining a “Buy” rating. He highlighted Rivian’s “solid progress” toward key milestones.
Conversely, Bernstein’s Daniel Roeska gave RIVN a “Sell” rating. However, Roeska also lifted his Rivian price target to $7.05 from $6.10, acknowledging “better” Q1 results. He warned that profitability remains distant and hinges on multiple product launches by the decade’s end.
Overall, Wall Street’s average price target for RIVN climbed from $14.18 to $14.31, a modest 13-cent increase reflecting positive sentiment. About one-third of analysts covering Rivian rate it a Buy, compared to the S&P 500’s average Buy-rating ratio of 55%.
On Monday, Rivian stock rose 2.7% to $14.64, slightly trailing the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average, which gained 3.3% and 2.8%, respectively. The uptick may also stem from broader market gains tied to news of a temporary U.S.-China tariff suspension.
As Rivian navigates trade challenges and scales production at its Illinois factory, its Q1 performance and analyst support signal resilience. With lower-priced EVs on the horizon, Rivian’s strategic moves could bolster its position in the competitive EV market, offering investors cautious optimism for long-term growth.
Investor's Corner
Tesla (TSLA) poised to hit $1 trillion valuation again amid reports of Trump China deal
TSLA stock was up about 8% at $322.56 per share on Monday’s premarket.

Tesla shares (NASDAQ:TSLA) are on a tear on Monday’s premarket amidst reports that the United States and China have agreed to significantly roll back tariffs on each other’s goods for an initial 90-day period.
As of writing, the premarket price of TSLA shares suggests that the electric vehicle maker might end Monday with a $1 trillion valuation once more.
Tesla and China
TSLA stock was up about 8% at $322.56 per share on Monday’s premarket. As noted in a report from Barron’s, these prices suggest that the company could achieve a trillion-dollar valuation again, a level not seen since late February. Similar to Tesla, the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were also up 2.8% and 2.1%, respectively, on Monday’s premarket.
The United States and China’s decision to roll back its tariffs would likely be appreciated by CEO Elon Musk. Despite working for the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and despite Tesla being least affected by the Trump administration’s tariffs due to its strong domestic supply chains in the United States, China, and Europe, Musk has noted that he is a supporter of non-predatory tariffs.
The United States and China’s Agreement
In a joint statement from the United States and China posted on the White House’s official website, the two countries agreed to lower reciprocal tariffs on each other by 115% for 90 days. This means that the United States will temporarily lower its overall tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, as noted in an ABC 12 report. China, on the other hand, will also lower its tariffs on American goods from 125% to 10%.
The talks were led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, as per the joint statement. Bessent shared his thoughts about the matter in a comment in Geneva. “The consensus from both delegations is neither side wants to be decoupled, and what have occurred with these very high tariffs … was an equivalent of an embargo, and neither side wants that. We do want trade. We want more balance in trade. And I think both sides are committed to achieving that,” he said.
A spokesperson from China’s Commerce Ministry also shared a statement about the matter. As per the spokesperson, the deal was an “important step by both sides to resolve differences through equal-footing dialogue and consultation, laying the groundwork and creating conditions for further bridging gaps and deepening cooperation.”
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Cybertruck Range Extender gets canceled
-
Elon Musk5 days ago
Tesla seems to have fixed one of Full Self-Driving’s most annoying features
-
Lifestyle2 weeks ago
Anti-Elon Musk group crushes Tesla Model 3 with Sherman tank–with unexpected results
-
News2 weeks ago
Starlink to launch on United Airlines planes by May 15
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Semi gets new adoptee in latest sighting
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla launches its most inexpensive trim of new Model Y
-
News2 weeks ago
US’ base Tesla Model Y has an edge vs Shanghai and Berlin’s entry-level Model Ys
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Cybertruck owners get amazing year-long freebie