Faraday Future, the electric car start-up that has pitched itself as a top challenger to Tesla, is set to miss its shipping¹ deadline for its first vehicle, amid production delays and financing questions surrounding its main backer in China.

电动汽车初创企业Faraday Future的首款汽车将不会按时出货，该公司面临量产推迟以及围绕其在中国的主要投资者的资金问题。该公司一直将自己定位为特斯拉(Tesla)的最大挑战者。

Problems at Faraday could add to a growing backlash against the recent wave of Chinese investment in the US and Europe.

Faraday的困境可能会加剧针对中国最近一波在美国和欧洲的投资浪潮日益增强的反对声浪。

Last week, a congressional panel recommended that Chinese state-owned companies be barred from acquisitions in the US.

上周，美国国会一委员会建议，应禁止中国国有企业收购美国企业。

California-based Faraday was launched at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, with the glitzy unveiling of a Batmobile-style concept car, dubbed² FFZero1.

总部位于加州的Faraday在今年1月的国际消费电子展(Consumer Electronics Show)上亮相，展示了其炫目的蝙蝠车(Batmobile)风格的概念汽车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月斥资10亿美元的生产厂在内华达破土动工后，该公司承诺将在2017年初下一届国际消费电子展上展示其首款量产汽车。

Teasers on social media say that Faraday will unveil the future at the technology event in Las Vegas.

社交媒体上的广告片称，Faraday将在拉斯维加斯的国际消费电子展上揭开未来的面纱。

Short enigmatic videos of the shrouded³ car whizzing around desert roads bear captions⁴ such as Who said don’t reinvent the wheel? and Can’t hear the engine? You’re not supposed to.

网上一则有关这辆汽车的谜一般的短视频显示，这辆外形神秘的汽车正在沙漠道路上飞驰，配有诸如这样的字幕：谁说不要再造车轮？以及听不到引擎的声音？那就对了。

However, with little over a month to go before the gadget⁵ extravaganza begins, the future may have to wait a little longer.

然而，在距离这辆汽车揭幕的日子只剩一个多月之际，未来可能还要稍晚一点才来。

After promising⁶ two years ago in interviews that its first cars would be on the road and available to buy by 2017, a target it reiterated⁷ in January,

两年前，该公司在采访中承诺，到2017年，首批汽车将上路并面向市场销售，今年1月，该公司重申了这个目标。

that deadline now looks unachievable, according to people close to the company, given financial difficulties at its main investor⁸, the Chinese entertainment and technology group LeEco, and the halt to construction of its Nevada car factory.

据一位了解该公司的人称，这个截止日期目前来看是无法赶上了——该公司主要投资者、中国娱乐和科技集团乐视(LeEco)出现财务问题，同时其内华达汽车生产厂的工程建设暂停。

One former Faraday employee reckoned that a 2017 delivery was not possible, even if it does show off a working prototype at CES.

Faraday一名前员工认为，尽管在国际消费电子展上展示了概念车，但2017年量产是不可能的。

If CES goes badly, it’s all over, this person said.

如果在国际消费电子展上表现失利，那么它就全完了，这名前员工表示，

It will be a long while before there is a production car.

量产汽车将要等上很长时间。

Jia Yueting, the billionaire founder⁹ and chief executive of privately¹⁰ owned LeEco, wrote to employees earlier this month acknowledging that the company had burnt through cash as it expanded.

本月早些时候，民营企业乐视的亿万富翁创始人兼首席执行官贾跃亭致信员工，承认该公司一直在烧钱扩张。

The letter singled out the electric car business as a major source of funding stress.

这封信将电动汽车业务列为融资压力的主要来源。

Nevada has offered Faraday hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks to build its facility there.

内华达州为Faraday在内华达建厂提供了数亿美元的税收优惠。

However, the state’s treasurer¹¹ Dan Schwartz told the Financial Times that Faraday is overdue¹² on tens of millions of dollars worth of payments to Aecom, its general contractor¹³.

但该州财长丹.施瓦茨(Dan Schwartz)告诉英国《金融时报》，Faraday应支付给其总承包商Aecom的数千万美元款项逾期未付。

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.

在完成北拉斯维加斯工厂的土地平整和地基准备工作后，Aecom表示：Faraday Future暂时调整了建设计划，打算在2017年初重新开工。

Aecom said it remains¹⁴ fully committed to the project.

Aecom表示，仍全心致力于这个项目。

That’s certainly one explanation, said Mr Schwartz of the suggestion that production is merely delayed.

对于生产只不过是推迟了的说法，施瓦茨表示，这当然是一种解释……

My explanation is that Faraday Future didn’t pay its bills.

我的解释则是Faraday Future没有付清账单。

Aecom declined to comment on whether Faraday had missed payments.

Aecom拒绝就Faraday是否拖欠款项置评。

Richard Otto, spokesman at Faraday, also declined to comment on that issue.

Faraday发言人理查德.奥托(Richard Otto)也拒绝就此事置评。

Faraday has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, almost exclusively from LeEco.

Faraday已筹集数亿美元资金，几乎完全来自乐视。

That has enabled it to increase its headcount to 1,200 people, including talent from Tesla and BMW.

这令Faraday得以增员至1200人，包括从特斯拉和宝马(BMW)招来的一些人才。

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，最近几个月，该公司出现一系列高管离职，包括今年5月刚从特斯拉挖来的总法律顾问詹姆斯.陈(James Chen)。

As well as being the largest backer at Faraday, Mr Jia runs a separate electric vehicle project inside LeEco, dubbed LeSEE,

贾跃亭是Faraday的最大投资者，还在乐视内部管理一个独立的电动汽车项目——乐视超级汽车(LeSEE)。

and invests in another automotive start-up in the US, Lucid¹⁶ Motors (formerly known as Atieva).

他还投资了美国另一家创业型汽车企业Lucid Motors（前身为Atieva）。

A spokesman for his auto¹⁵ division referred questions to Faraday.

乐视汽车部门发言人未回答记者提出的问题，建议记者去问Faraday。

Last October, Mr Jia pledged 85 per cent of his personal shares in LeEco’s Shenzhen-listed affiliate¹⁷, Leshi Internet Information & Technology Corp, for loans to support various projects by unlisted LeEco, according to a Leshi exchange filing.

去年10月，根据乐视向证交所递交的文件，贾跃亭质押其个人在乐视下属公司、在深圳上市的乐视网信息技术公司（Leshi InternetInformation & Technology Corp，简称乐视网）所持股份的85%换取贷款，以支持未上市的乐视的各种计划。

Since then, Leshi’s share price has fallen 25 per cent.

此后，乐视网股价已下跌25%。

LeEco has announced a dizzying array of new investments over the past year.

过去一年，乐视宣布了一系列令人眼花缭乱的新投资。

In July, the company spent $2bn to acquire US television manufacturer Vizio.

今年7月，该公司斥资20亿美元收购美国电视制造商Vizio。

Last month, LeEco raised its stake in Chinese smartphone producer Coolpad, becoming its largest shareholder¹⁸.

上月，乐视增持中国智能手机制造商酷派(Coolpad)股份，成为后者最大股东。

Analysts¹⁹ have warned that many Chinese companies pursuing foreign acquisitions are heavily indebted, casting doubt on the sustainability of their ambitious projects.

分析人士警告称，很多寻求赴海外收购资产的中国公司负债严重，令外界质疑它们雄心勃勃的计划能否持续。

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.

上周，乐视宣布，贾跃亭以前的一些MBA同学同意为该公司提供6亿美元的新融资。

Mr Jia ranked 31st on the 2016 Hurun Report China Rich List with estimated wealth of $6.3bn.

贾跃亭在2016年胡润中国富豪排行榜(Hurun Report China Rich List)上位列第31位，总财富估计达63亿美元。