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Once-promising Tesla rival Faraday Future hits roadblock amid CEO’s $800M controversy
Once-promising and outspoken Tesla rival Faraday Future has hit another roadblock, as CEO Jia Yueting is being accused by an investor of spending $800 million worth of funds and then attempting to back out of the deal. The investor in question, the healthcare division of Chinese real estate group Evergrande, has noted that it will take “all necessary actions” to protect itself and its shareholders.
Faraday Future has been beset by multiple delays and problems over the past years. Once the company that is branding itself as a startup that would dethrone Tesla from its place in the premium electric car market, the electric car startup has met a slew of problems, from dire financial straits to an exodus of key executives. In addition, Faraday Future’s first vehicle, the ultra-luxury FF 91 SUV, has yet to start production.
Faraday Future received a much-needed lifeline at the end of 2017 by securing a $2 billion investment from Evergrande Health–a subsidiary of property developer China Evergrande Group. Evergrande noted that it had agreed to buy Season Smart Ltd, a firm which owns 45% of Faraday Future, for $860.2 million. The Chinese property developer also agreed to pay Faraday Future $1.2 billion in two installments which are due in 2019 and 2020.
This Sunday, Evergrande revealed that it had signed a supplemental agreement to pay the electric car maker $700 million ahead of schedule. And now, Evergrande noted that Faraday Future CEO Jia Yueting had initiated an arbitration at the Hong Kong Arbitration Center against the Chinese firm, claiming that the promised payment was not fulfilled. Reuters noted that the CEO’s arbitration aims to deprive Evergrande rights as a shareholder for electric car startup as well.
Its trouble with Evergrande is just one of the company’s concerns. Speaking with former employees of the electric car startup, The Verge has noted that Faraday Future is allegedly struggling once more despite the company having spent around $800 million. Due to the company’s alleged financial troubles, the former FF employees claimed that vendors and suppliers had not been paid, and layoffs are being considered. In what seems to be a stroke of misfortune, the company’s first pre-production version of the FF91 reportedly caught fire in late September after the vehicle was showcased at a “Futurist Day” event for employees and their families.
Much of Faraday Future’s troubles are connected to the activities of its CEO. Last year, Jia found himself in China’s official “Blacklist” for credit defaulters. Due to his assets being frozen in China, the Faraday Future CEO currently resides in the United States. His handling of the electric car startup has been polarizing at best. Last year, for example, a disagreement between Jia and Faraday Future’s then-CFO turned public, compromising an attempt to restructure the company through bankruptcy.
It remains to be seen if Faraday Future could eventually get the vehicle to market. When the FF 91 was unveiled, the electric car startup compared it favorably against the Tesla Model S P100D. The FF 91 is a large SUV has a 0-60 mph time of 2.4 seconds, a 130 kWh battery pack, and a range of 289 miles per charge. The vehicle also features a number of nifty tricks, such as LiDAR for self-driving capabilities and four-wheel steering, which gives the vehicle impressive maneuverability.
News
Ford is charging for a basic EV feature on the Mustang Mach-E
When ordering a new Ford Mustang Mach-E, you’ll now be hit with an additional fee for one basic EV feature: the frunk.
Ford is charging an additional fee for a basic EV feature on its Mustang Mach-E, its most popular electric vehicle offering.
Ford has shuttered its initial Model e program, but is venturing into a more controlled and refined effort, and it is abandoning the F-150 Lightning in favor of a new pickup that is currently under design, but appears to have some favorable features.
However, ordering a new Mustang Mach-E now comes with an additional fee for one basic EV feature: the frunk.
The frunk is the front trunk, and due to the lack of a large engine in the front of an electric vehicle, OEMs are able to offer additional storage space under the hood. There’s one problem, though, and that is that companies appear to be recognizing that they can remove it for free while offering the function for a fee.
Ford is now charging $495 on the Mustang Mach-E frunk (front trunk). What are your thoughts on that? pic.twitter.com/EOzZe3z9ZQ
— Alan of TesCalendar 📆⚡️ (@TesCalendar1) February 24, 2026
Ford is charging $495 for the frunk.
Interestingly, the frunk size varies by vehicle, but the Mustang Mach-E features a 4.7 to 4.8 cubic-foot-sized frunk, which measures approximately 9 inches deep, 26 inches wide, and 14 inches high.
When the vehicle was first released, Ford marketed the frunk as the ultimate tailgating feature, showing it off as a perfect place to store and serve cold shrimp cocktail.
Ford Mach-E frunk is perfect for chowders and chicken wings, and we’re not even joking
It appears the decision to charge for what is a simple advantage of an EV is not going over well, as even Ford loyal customers say the frunk is a “basic expectation” of an EV. Without it, it seems as if fans feel the company is nickel-and-diming its customers.
It will be pretty interesting to see the Mach-E without a frunk, and while it should not be enough to turn people away from potentially buying the vehicle, it seems the decision to add an additional charge to include one will definitely annoy some customers.
News
Tesla to improve one of its best features, coding shows
According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.
Tesla is looking to upgrade its Matrix Headlights, a unique and high-tech feature that is available on several of its vehicles. The headlights aim to maximize visibility for Tesla drivers while being considerate of oncoming traffic.
The Matrix Headlights Tesla offers utilize dimming of individual light pixels to ensure that visibility stays high for those behind the wheel, while also being considerate of other cars by decreasing the brightness in areas where other cars are traveling.
Here’s what they look like in action:
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- Credit: u/ObjectiveScratch | Reddit
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- Credit: u/ObjectiveScratch | Reddit
As you can see, the Matrix headlight system intentionally dims the area where oncoming cars would be impacted by high beams. This keeps visibility at a maximum for everyone on the road, including those who could be hit with bright lights in their eyes.
There are still a handful of complaints from owners, however, but Tesla appears to be looking to resolve these with the coming updates in a Software Version that is currently labeled 2026.2.xxx. The coding was spotted by X user BERKANT:
🚨 Tesla is quietly upgrading Matrix headlights.
Software https://t.co/pXEklQiXSq reveals a hidden feature:
matrix_two_stage_reflection_dip
This is a major step beyond current adaptive high beams.
What it means:
• The car detects highly reflective objects
Road signs,… pic.twitter.com/m5UpQJFA2n— BERKANT (@Tesla_NL_TR) February 24, 2026
According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.
Finally, the new system will prevent the high beams from glaring back at the driver. The system is made to dim when it recognizes oncoming cars, but not necessarily objects that could produce glaring issues back at the driver.
Tesla’s revolutionary Matrix headlights are coming to the U.S.
This upgrade is software-focused, so there will not need to be any physical changes or upgrades made to Tesla vehicles that utilize the Matrix headlights currently.
Elon Musk
xAI’s Grok approved for Pentagon classified systems: report
Under the agreement, Grok can be deployed in systems handling classified intelligence analysis, weapons development, and battlefield operations.
Elon Musk’s xAI has signed an agreement with the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to allow Grok to be used in classified military systems.
Previously, Anthropic’s Claude had been the only AI system approved for the most sensitive military work, but a dispute over usage safeguards has reportedly prompted the Pentagon to broaden its options, as noted in a report from Axios.
Under the agreement, Grok can be deployed in systems handling classified intelligence analysis, weapons development, and battlefield operations.
The publication reported that xAI agreed to the Pentagon’s requirement that its technology be usable for “all lawful purposes,” a standard Anthropic has reportedly resisted due to alleged ethical restrictions tied to mass surveillance and autonomous weapons use.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to meet with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei in what sources expect to be a tense meeting, with the publication hinting that the Pentagon could designate Anthropic a “supply chain risk” if the company does not lift its safeguards.
Axios stated that replacing Claude fully might be technically challenging even if xAI or other alternative AI systems take its place. That being said, other AI systems are already in use by the DoD.
Grok already operates in the Pentagon’s unclassified systems alongside Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Google is reportedly close to an agreement that will result in Gemini being used for classified use, while OpenAI’s progress toward classified deployment is described as slower but still feasible.
The publication noted that the Pentagon continues talks with several AI companies as it prepares for potential changes in classified AI sourcing.
Ford is charging for a basic EV feature on the Mustang Mach-E
Tesla to improve one of its best features, coding shows
