Troubled EV startup Faraday Future prices FF 91 crossover at $309,000

Faraday also will offer a less-expensive version of the crossover, the FF 91 2.0 Futurist, at $249,000 before shipping. Included in the price is a $1,000 public charging credit at participating charging networks, Faraday said.

The price tag, analysts say, could limit the market for the FF 91 and for a startup on shaky financial ground.

“It’s wild to think that it’s taken Faraday Future nearly a decade to get their first vehicle ready for prime time,” said Robby DeGraff, product and consumer insights analyst at AutoPacific.

“While its big range, purported performance and design are all intriguing, its price tag is pure sticker shock. A startup unfortunately plagued by delays asking $250,000 to $309,000 for its first product is a dicey move, and any lingering consumer skepticism of FF may be sticking around a bit longer,” DeGraff said.

The automaker is offering a connected-car subscription for $14,900 a year. In the future, Faraday said it will offer an Internet package using satellite communication.

Faraday said its first vehicle deliveries would go to “our industry expert Futurist Product Officers” who will be given “the first chance to pay in full to reserve and experience the innovative FF 91.”

A Faraday spokesperson didn’t respond to questions about how the first group of buyers will qualify as “industry expert FPOs,” as outlined in presentation materials. A Faraday press release said the company would qualify the group prior to inviting them to purchase a car “on a first-come, first-served basis.”

Separately, Faraday said delivery volume this year will depend on its production ramp-up. In the future, the company said it hopes to scale in size to match niche automakers such as Rolls-Royce or Bentley.

“We believe the FF 91 2.0, being so unique and revolutionary, could one day become a leader in this ultra-luxury market segment,” the company said.