Faraday Future successfully tested the limits of FF 91 in its first attempt to challenge the 4,720-foot ascent of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
The FF 91, driven by FF Principal Engineer Robin Shute, finished with a time of 11:25:083, faster than the standing production-designed EV record by more than 20 seconds.
The public engineering endeavor is dedicated to the development of FF 91’s propulsion system and high speed handling, with the powertrain and battery packs stressed to their limits.
“Our real-world testing program is designed to find problems that we would never find in a controlled environment,” said Pete Savagian, Vice President of Powertrain & Battery Systems. “We’re proud of our time, but this is about the quality of our propulsion system more than just a one-time race. Our focus was on repeatability — to reach the peak without overheating the vehicle, and to be able to do so again and again.”
Running in the Pikes Peak Challenge – Exhibition Class, Faraday Future tested an FF 91 Beta development vehicle using production representative hardware, software, and aerodynamic modifications required to run the 12.42-mile track up the mountain.
“My goal was to push the FF 91 beyond what we thought she could do,” said Shute. “We were able to identify key battery pack relay and system seal issues that will directly result in improvements in the production process. That’s what makes this a successful event for Faraday Future.”
The testing effort at Pikes Peak plays part in Faraday Future’s “Testing the FF 91” video series which will chronicle the detailed testing efforts made by Faraday Future’s engineers to bring a new species of electric mobility to the market and push the limits of FF’s technology in a variety of demanding environments. A full Pikes Peak account will be produced in the coming weeks.
