Does the Tesla Model S now have company?
It seems like every week there's a new 'Tesla beating' fully-electric car unveiled from China. Most of them come and go, forgotten the next week, but I for one would like to see this one hang around.
It's called the LeEco LeSEE (SEE standing for Super Electric Ecosystem), and going by its beautiful lines and four-door sedan proportions, it's clearly going after the Tesla Model S market.
LeEco are the company behind Faraday Future, who made headlines earlier this year with their wild looking FFZERO1 concept race car. Recently 'FF' announced their plans to build a one-billion dollar production plant in Las Vegas — pledging up to up to $335 million worth of incentives toward the project.
LeEco and Faraday Future are part of a complicated company gumbo. LeEco are an offshoot of parent company LeTV, who are better known for their online streaming services. Faraday Future and LeEco are financed by the same bloke — Jia Yueting — with LeEco also dealing with other car companies including Aston Martin, for which they're assisting in the production of their electric RapidE four-door.
Photo / LeEco
But this is the first proper glimpse we've seen of what a Faraday production car might look like, and we like it a lot.
There isn't much other than its clean looks that can be elaborated upon through the images. More information is likely to become clear when the platform debuts at the Beijing Autoshow 2016 next week.
“When everyone is questioning us over our ability to develop a car like this and is laughing at us, we are still able to be here and show you this car ... I am so emotional,” said Yueting recently.
Photo / LeEco
It's been reported by Reuters that the LeSEE will also form part of a car-sharing service, with Yueting claiming that the service would one day become free to consumers.
At the same event, LeEco added that the car would be “smart”, “connected”, and “automated self-driving”.
Sounds good to me. Hopefully something comes of it.