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Media - September 29, 2025

Faraday Future’s Electric SUV Catches Fire in Los Angeles Headquarters: Building Red Tagged Amidst Financial Struggles and Legal Woes

Faraday Future’s Electric SUV Catches Fire in Los Angeles Headquarters: Building Red Tagged Amidst Financial Struggles and Legal Woes

An electric SUV manufactured by startup Faraday Future experienced a fire at their Los Angeles headquarters early Sunday morning. The blaze led to an explosion, causing damage severe enough for the city’s Department of Building and Safety to “red tag” the affected structure.

The fire department confirmed that no injuries were reported during the incident, which was brought under control within 40 minutes. The smaller two-story building adjacent to the main headquarters sustained significant damage (as depicted above).

John Schilling, Faraday Future’s communications director, informed that no FF staff members were harmed and there was no evacuation required. He also stated that the exact cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

The fire comes at a challenging time for Faraday Future as their long-term presence at the headquarters has been uncertain since they sold the property in 2019 to generate cash. After leasing it back, a lawsuit was filed by the current owner, Rexford Industrial, in February 2024 to evict the startup due to late payments. The two parties reached an agreement in April 2024, with the lease set to expire at the end of September 2025.

Schilling was unsure about the current status of Faraday Future’s lease when asked. Both the main building and the affected structure are currently being advertised for lease by commercial real estate company CBRE. Neither representatives from CBRE nor Rexford Industrial responded to requests for comment regarding the situation.

The fire department received a call about the incident at 4:37 a.m. on September 28. Firefighters battled the flames after forcing entry into the building, fully extinguishing the blaze by 5:17 a.m. An explosion created a significant bulge in the wall, according to photos reviewed by the fire department.

The specific cause of the FF91 SUV fire has not yet been identified, with no human factors involved according to LAFD spokesperson Brian Humphrey. The electric vehicle was on display in the office space at the time of the incident.

After extinguishing the fire, an inspector from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety deemed the structure unfit for occupancy. Faraday Future initially revealed the FF91 SUV in 2017 as an ultra-luxury electric vehicle boasting industry-leading range. However, the company has faced financial challenges since then, only starting production on a small number of SUVs in 2023.

Since then, the company has delivered more than a dozen FF91s to celebrities and high net worth individuals, though employee whistleblowers have accused the company of misrepresenting those sales. The startup is now promoting a more affordable electric van, believed to be imported from China, and seeking to establish a crypto-focused business. In early 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission sent “Wells Notices” to Faraday Future and its founder Jia Yueting, indicating that the financial regulator is preparing to file a lawsuit against the company following a three-year-long investigation.