You’ve got to give these guys credit for not giving up. It has been eight year this August that electric vehicle maker Faraday Future has leased a huge one million square foot former tire plant in Hanford California for their planned new assembly plant.
So far the process has arguably been a dud and certainly no “Tesla killer” having manufactured only a handful of cars (16 since 2023) and losing hundreds of millions of dollars doing it. Ok now in August 2025 the LA-based company has a new plan to assemble not a $300,000 ultrahigh-end EV but a family minivan based on a Chinese-made model.
Called the FX Super One, the vehicle is the result of a partnership with Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor who would deliver parts to Faraday Future in a bid to avoid high tariffs and get Trump administration approval to allow the assembly of the vehicle in their Hanford plant.
The car would arrive as a so-called semi knock-down kit – a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, and then exported to another country or region for final assembly.
Faraday Future announced the new FX Super One electric minivan at an event in Los Angeles recently featuring an interactive smiley sun or other digital images where the grill is. But there’s more. One description says “When the vehicle is parked, F.A.C.E. can interact with passengers through voice recognition, visual cues, and even reactive communication, offering something akin to a conversational co-pilot.”
According to Chinese media reports Great Wall Motor (GWM) has granted Faraday Future (FF) a license that will allow the Los Angeles-based electric vehicle maker to use imported auto parts in the assembly of its FX Super One, which shares a similar look with GWM’s Gaoshan multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). Those reports add that GWM is among the four Chinese automakers that have collaborated with FF based on the “Global Auto Industry Bridge Strategy” proposed by FF’s founder and co-CEO Jia YT.
Jia spoke about the plan at this year’s BEYOND Expo tech event in May. FF said it already received more than 10,000 reservations for the luxurious full-size all-electric van, which features an interactive LED grille called F.A.C.E. to display images and videos. [Yiou Auto, in Chinese]
Over the years US lawmakers have supported a ban on the importation of Chinese-made automobiles into the US, but now FF hopes to break the ice by importing parts and doing the final assembly here.For now, auto parts, engines, transmissions, and electronics from China are subject to a 25% duty.
Faraday Future is making the case in Washington looking to ride the wave of building more cars in the US. On July 24 FF leaders held what they call a a” well-attended and impactful reception at the Capitol Hill Club this week, drawing over a dozen members of Congress and key stakeholders from across the policy and business landscape. The event served as a platform to highlight Faraday Future’s ongoing efforts to bring advanced electric vehicle innovation and manufacturing jobs back to American soil.
Earlier this year FF’s Global President, Jerry Wang, met with Eric Trump, where he discussed Trump’s views on electric vehicles and the EV market.
“We at Faraday Future have expressed our desire to play a role in the great American comeback we are seeing under this Administration, particularly as it relates to the automotive industry, which has been the bedrock of American industry for ages,” said John Schilling, Global Director of Communications and Public Relations at Faraday Future.
“We were extremely honored by the attendance of numerous members of Congress who were interested in both our vehicles, because who wouldn’t be, but more importantly, our story about building and employing Americans,” continued Schilling. “We’re committed to expanding production here at home and look forward to working with Congress and the Trump Administration to help make that vision a reality.”
Faraday Future’s leadership emphasized that the company is aligning with the current Administration’s vision to reindustrialize America and revitalize core manufacturing sectors. “With plans to increase domestic production and invest in U.S. jobs, Faraday is proud to be a part of a new chapter in American innovation.”
The website Carscoops says” If everything goes according to plan, and that’s a big if, the FX Super One will roll out in early 2026. The model will be assembled at the Faraday Future plant in Hanford, California, allegedly using 50% locally-sourced parts. Faraday Future didn’t reveal pricing but is already accepting pre-orders for a refundable deposit of $100.”