Here's what Faraday Future learned from its trip to Pikes Peak
It wasn't just a sprint up the hill for funsies.
Faraday Future took its team -- and its EV prototype -- to Pikes Peak earlier this summer in an attempt to shake the car down and see what improvements could be made. According to the video Faraday just released, the team actually learned some things along the way.
The whole point of taking the FF 91 prototype to Pikes Peak was to put its production-ready components through some of the harshest driving imaginable. The thought was that if the car can survive Pikes Peak, it could survive whatever even the most spirited owners can throw at it.
Right after the race concluded, Faraday's principal engineer pointed out that the group found points of improvement in the battery pack relay. According to this video, the engineers also found a problem with the throttle's software. Just a few turns before the finish, Faraday's team had to pull over and reboot the car, after the software believed the throttle was stuck open (it wasn't, that's just how racing is).
Presuming the FF 91 makes it to production, which is not at all certain, the Pikes Peak run will have served as more than just a fun weekend jaunt to Colorado. In fact, motorsport provides a bevy of benefits to passenger cars, from energy recovery systems to improved safety and, apparently, throttle calibration.
If it does make it to production, the specs on Faraday Future's eventual flagship look promising. With 1,050 horsepower on tap, it should hit 60 mph in just 2.39 seconds. Its 130-kWh battery would be the largest of any passenger car on sale today, too, but range is dependent on a number of factors, including weight, tires and the driver's right foot.