Explosion, Vehicle Fire Rock Faraday Future’s LA Headquarters

A Faraday Future electric SUV caught fire at the startup’s Los Angeles headquarters early Sunday morning, leading to an explosion that blew out part of a wall, the fire department told TechCrunch.

The blaze was extinguished in about 40 minutes, and no injuries were reported. However, damage to the building — a smaller two-story structure adjacent to the main headquarters — was severe enough that the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety has “red tagged” it, meaning the structure may require significant repairs before it can be safely occupied again.

“We are aware of a fire at our facility yesterday, there were no injuries to FF staff, and no evacuation was required, and the specific cause and origin of the fire is under investigation,”
— John Schilling, Communications Director, Faraday Future.

In a statement posted to X following the incident, Faraday Future said the vehicle’s battery pack “remains largely undamaged” and that investigators found “no evidence that the battery pack was the cause.” The company suggested that the fire may have resulted from “an electrical short circuit in the showroom wiring or a loose connection in the vehicle’s 12V low-voltage system.”

Faraday Future added that the burned vehicle was an early engineering prototype with “interior materials [that] do not meet the flammability standards of production vehicles.”

Lease Uncertainty and Financial Struggles

The fire comes at a delicate time for Faraday Future, as its ongoing lease at the headquarters, which it has occupied for a decade, remains uncertain.

The company sold the property in 2019 to raise cash amid financial struggles and has since leased it back. In February 2024, the current owner, Rexford Industrial, sued the company to evict Faraday Future over alleged late payments. The two parties later settled in April 2024, setting the lease to expire at the end of September 2025.

When asked about the current status of the lease, Schilling said he was unsure. The property, including the affected building, is now listed for lease by CBRE, though representatives for both CBRE and Rexford have not yet responded to inquiries.

Fire Details and Response

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) received the first report of the fire at 4:37 a.m. local time on September 28. According to LAFD spokesperson Brian Humphrey, the 911 call came from a nearby eyewitness. Building sprinklers helped contain the fire until firefighters arrived.

An explosion during the blaze caused a significant bulge in one of the walls, as seen in a photo obtained by TechCrunch.

Firefighters had to force entry to access the vehicle and extinguish the flames. The fire was fully contained by 5:17 a.m. Investigators have not yet determined the specific cause or origin of the fire, but have found no evidence of human involvement.

After the fire, the Department of Building and Safety inspected the site and declared the structure unsafe for occupancy.

Faraday Future’s Ongoing Turbulence

Faraday Future first introduced its FF91 luxury SUV in 2017, promoting it as a cutting-edge electric vehicle with exceptional range. However, the company quickly faced financial turmoil, delaying mass production until 2023.

Since then, Faraday Future has delivered only a handful of FF91s — reportedly just over a dozen — to high-profile buyers, though internal whistleblowers have accused the company of misrepresenting sales data.

In recent months, the company has shifted focus toward launching a more affordable electric van (reportedly imported from China) and has also hinted at building a crypto-related business.

Faraday Future’s troubles have also drawn attention. Earlier this year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued Wells Notices to Faraday Future and its founde,r Jia Yueting,signallingg a potential lawsuit following a three-year investigation.

This story has been updated with new information from Faraday Future.