By LIU Zeran

EV maker Faraday Future announced on Thursday that it has begun production of its first model, the FF91.

After multiple setbacks, the company claims that production is well underway at its factory in Hanford, California.

The FF91 was first shown to the public in 2017 and was supposed to go into production the following year. Since then, internal strife and insufficient funds have stalled the process time and time again. Only a few weeks ago, FF said it planned to start production but there was still a million-dollar gap to fill. 

The company plans to start deliveries of the FF91 by the end of April. The luxury electric vehicle promises 1,050 horsepower, a 130 kWh battery pack and an estimated range of over 700 kilometers. The company plans to cater to high-value customers with a price expected to be higher than that of Tesla's Model X or Mercedes-Benz's EQS SUV, both around US$100,000. 

The company will prioritize delivery to industry experts and partners first, followed by regular pre-order customers before fulfilling general orders. 

FF said it had received more than 64,000 orders, but only 401 have paid.

FF plans to open a showroom in Beverly Hills later this year before expanding to New York, Shanghai, and Beijing.