Faraday電動汽車夢想可能受挫
Faraday Future, the electric car start-up that has pitched itself as a top challenger to Tesla, is set to miss its shipping deadline for its first vehicle, amid production delays and financing questions surrounding its main backer in China.
電動汽車初創企業Faraday Future的首款汽車將不會按時出貨，該公司面臨量產推遲以及圍繞其在中國的主要投資者的資金問題。該公司一直將自己定位爲特斯拉(Tesla)的最大挑戰者。
Problems at Faraday could add to a growing backlash against the recent wave of Chinese investment in the US and Europe.
Faraday的困境可能會加劇針對中國最近一波在美國和歐洲的投資浪潮日益增強的反對聲浪。
Last week, a congressional panel recommended that Chinese state-owned companies be barred from acquisitions in the US.
上週，美國國會一委員會建議，應禁止中國國有企業收購美國企業。
California-based Faraday was launched at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, with the glitzy unveiling of a Batmobile-style concept car, dubbed FFZero1.
總部位於加州的Faraday在今年1月的國際消費電子展(Consumer Electronics Show)上亮相，展示了其炫目的蝙蝠車(Batmobile)風格的概念汽車FFZero1。
After breaking ground on a $1bn production facility in Nevada in April, Faraday promised to reveal its first production car at the next CES in early 2017.
在今年4月斥資10億美元的生產廠在內華達破土動工後，該公司承諾將在2017年初下一屆國際消費電子展上展示其首款量產汽車。
Teasers on social media say that Faraday will unveil the future at the technology event in Las Vegas.
社交媒體上的廣告片稱，Faraday將在拉斯維加斯的國際消費電子展上揭開未來的面紗。
Short enigmatic videos of the shrouded car whizzing around desert roads bear captions such as Who said don’t reinvent the wheel? and Can’t hear the engine? You’re not supposed to.
網上一則有關這輛汽車的謎一般的短視頻顯示，這輛外形神祕的汽車正在沙漠道路上飛馳，配有諸如這樣的字幕：誰說不要再造車輪？以及聽不到引擎的聲音？那就對了。
However, with little over a month to go before the gadget extravaganza begins, the future may have to wait a little longer.
然而，在距離這輛汽車揭幕的日子只剩一個多月之際，未來可能還要稍晚一點纔來。
After promising two years ago in interviews that its first cars would be on the road and available to buy by 2017, a target it reiterated in January,
兩年前，該公司在採訪中承諾，到2017年，首批汽車將上路並面向市場銷售，今年1月，該公司重申了這個目標。
that deadline now looks unachievable, according to people close to the company, given financial difficulties at its main investor, the Chinese entertainment and technology group LeEco, and the halt to construction of its Nevada car factory.
據一位瞭解該公司的人稱，這個截止日期目前來看是無法趕上了——該公司主要投資者、中國娛樂和科技集團樂視(LeEco)出現財務問題，同時其內華達汽車生產廠的工程建設暫停。
One former Faraday employee reckoned that a 2017 delivery was not possible, even if it does show off a working prototype at CES.
Faraday一名前員工認爲，儘管在國際消費電子展上展示了概念車，但2017年量產是不可能的。
If CES goes badly, it’s all over, this person said.
如果在國際消費電子展上表現失利，那麼它就全完了，這名前員工表示，
It will be a long while before there is a production car.
量產汽車將要等上很長時間。
Jia Yueting, the billionaire founder and chief executive of privately owned LeEco, wrote to employees earlier this month acknowledging that the company had burnt through cash as it expanded.
本月早些時候，民營企業樂視的億萬富翁創始人兼首席執行官賈躍亭致信員工，承認該公司一直在燒錢擴張。
The letter singled out the electric car business as a major source of funding stress.
這封信將電動汽車業務列爲融資壓力的主要來源。
Nevada has offered Faraday hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks to build its facility there.
內華達州爲Faraday在內華達建廠提供了數億美元的稅收優惠。
However, the state’s treasurer Dan Schwartz told the Financial Times that Faraday is overdue on tens of millions of dollars worth of payments to Aecom, its general contractor.
但該州財長丹.施瓦茨(Dan Schwartz)告訴英國《金融時報》，Faraday應支付給其總承包商Aecom的數千萬美元款項逾期未付。
After completing grading and foundation prep work at the site in North Las Vegas, Aecom said: Faraday Future is temporarily adjusting their construction schedule with plans to resume in early 2017.
在完成北拉斯維加斯工廠的土地平整和地基準備工作後，Aecom表示：Faraday Future暫時調整了建設計劃，打算在2017年初重新開工。
Aecom said it remains fully committed to the project.
Aecom表示，仍全心致力於這個項目。
That’s certainly one explanation, said Mr Schwartz of the suggestion that production is merely delayed.
對於生產只不過是推遲了的說法，施瓦茨表示，這當然是一種解釋……
My explanation is that Faraday Future didn’t pay its bills.
我的解釋則是Faraday Future沒有付清賬單。
Aecom declined to comment on whether Faraday had missed payments.
Aecom拒絕就Faraday是否拖欠款項置評。
Richard Otto, spokesman at Faraday, also declined to comment on that issue.
Faraday發言人理查德.奧托(Richard Otto)也拒絕就此事置評。
Faraday has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, almost exclusively from LeEco.
Faraday已籌集數億美元資金，幾乎完全來自樂視。
That has enabled it to increase its headcount to 1,200 people, including talent from Tesla and BMW.
這令Faraday得以增員至1200人，包括從特斯拉和寶馬(BMW)招來的一些人才。
However, the company has seen a series of senior departures in recent months, including its general counsel, James Chen, who was only hired from Tesla in May.
然而，最近幾個月，該公司出現一系列高管離職，包括今年5月剛從特斯拉挖來的總法律顧問詹姆斯.陳(James Chen)。
As well as being the largest backer at Faraday, Mr Jia runs a separate electric vehicle project inside LeEco, dubbed LeSEE,
賈躍亭是Faraday的最大投資者，還在樂視內部管理一個獨立的電動汽車項目——樂視超級汽車(LeSEE)。
and invests in another automotive start-up in the US, Lucid Motors (formerly known as Atieva).
他還投資了美國另一家創業型汽車企業Lucid Motors（前身爲Atieva）。
A spokesman for his auto division referred questions to Faraday.
樂視汽車部門發言人未回答記者提出的問題，建議記者去問Faraday。
Last October, Mr Jia pledged 85 per cent of his personal shares in LeEco’s Shenzhen-listed affiliate, Leshi Internet Information & Technology Corp, for loans to support various projects by unlisted LeEco, according to a Leshi exchange filing.
去年10月，根據樂視向證交所遞交的文件，賈躍亭質押其個人在樂視下屬公司、在深圳上市的樂視網信息技術公司（Leshi InternetInformation & Technology Corp，簡稱樂視網）所持股份的85%換取貸款，以支持未上市的樂視的各種計劃。
Since then, Leshi’s share price has fallen 25 per cent.
此後，樂視網股價已下跌25%。
LeEco has announced a dizzying array of new investments over the past year.
過去一年，樂視宣佈了一系列令人眼花繚亂的新投資。
In July, the company spent $2bn to acquire US television manufacturer Vizio.
今年7月，該公司斥資20億美元收購美國電視製造商Vizio。
Last month, LeEco raised its stake in Chinese smartphone producer Coolpad, becoming its largest shareholder.
上月，樂視增持中國智能手機制造商酷派(Coolpad)股份，成爲後者最大股東。
Analysts have warned that many Chinese companies pursuing foreign acquisitions are heavily indebted, casting doubt on the sustainability of their ambitious projects.
分析人士警告稱，很多尋求赴海外收購資產的中國公司負債嚴重，令外界質疑它們雄心勃勃的計劃能否持續。
Last week, LeEco announced that a group of Mr Jia’s former MBA classmates had agreed to contribute $600m in new financing for the company.
上週，樂視宣佈，賈躍亭以前的一些MBA同學同意爲該公司提供6億美元的新融資。
Mr Jia ranked 31st on the 2016 Hurun Report China Rich List with estimated wealth of $6.3bn.
賈躍亭在2016年胡潤中國富豪排行榜(Hurun Report China Rich List)上位列第31位，總財富估計達63億美元。
