As electric vehicle start-up Faraday Future edges closer to production of its first model, the FF91, all of the engineering decisions made during the car’s development will be tested. Component packaging is a key factor, as EVs seek to optimize the space freed by the absence of bulky combustion drivetrains, while accommodating the requirements of bulky battery packs.

Faraday Future’s manager of vehicle packaging is Nicolas Constantine, a longtime company employee who left the company and returned in his current role, providing him with broad experience to gauge Faraday’s progress toward manufacturing Job One.

Design News: What is your day-to-day routine as manager of vehicle packaging for Faraday Future’s electric vehicles?

Nicolas Constantine: My day to day really involves making sure that every part in the car has a place to be. That it has the correct amount of space and orientation to fit within the constraints of the design surfaces and the ergonomic package of the vehicle.

Design News: How does working at a startup like FF compare to working for legacy carmakers?

Nicolas Constantine: It is really exciting. What we don’t have is a lot of design legacy that we’re stuck with, so we get to come up with a lot of unique solutions to current, modern problems providing a unique user experience.

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Design News: Does this require talking to many different departments in the company?

Nicolas Constantine: Absolutely. Packaging for the complete vehicle as an integrated unit that ensures the product is as it is supposed to be at the end requires daily collaborative efforts with all of the engineering domains; body, electrical, manufacturing, service, to make sure that we don’t paint ourselves into a corner.

Design News: What is your favorite part of your job?

Nicolas Constantine: My favorite part is working with a team of brilliant and dedicated people. We’re a good cohesive team. We all are working diligently for the same goal. It is just a great experience. As far as being a startup, there’s no limit to what we can do to aid and assist any department. Really, it is wonderful learning experience every day.

Design News: What is your favorite part of the car you’re building?

Nicolas Constantine: I think my favorite part is the seamlessness of the user experience. From approach to the vehicle, unlocking, opening the door, getting in, and interfacing with all the different systems. It is amazing and it is a unique, seamless experience.