VinFast displays 4 electric SUV models at the exhibition LA Auto Show This week, the cars it has been showing and discussing for a long time. But now it even hints at a sport caras the Vietnam-based automaker ramps up its plans to enter the US market.
Four EVs, ranging in size from as small as five passengers cross to full-size seven-seat SUVs, as part of the company’s efforts to resonate with U.S. consumers. In an EV market that now includes nearly every automaker involved, it may take more than just offering SUVs. Although the selection is part of the plan, according to Craig Westbrook, service manager of VinFast US
VinFast’s plan is to fill the space with plenty of options for Americans to familiarize themselves with the new brand, Westbrook said TechCrunch. The CEO also hinted that by this time next year, VinFast could launch a sports car for the US market.
“We needed an offensive product,” Westbrook said in an interview at the LA Auto Show. “We need strong market access. We don’t need to reduce or reduce models and buying opportunities for a few. So maybe in less than 12 months you will there are four models in all, all of which are SUVs in this key size and price segment.”
VinFast is expected to bring two SUV models, VF6 and VF7, to the market in early 2023.
VinFast SUV
Vinfast VF6 (Kirsten Korosec)
VinFast demonstrated the VF6, VF7, VF8 and VF9 at the LA Auto Show, and provided accompanying services in the VF8 for 5 passengers outside the convention center. Not like last year car showwhere the company showcases the VFe36 and VFe35 global vehicles without interiors, the VF6 and VF7 have interiors that customers and the media can peruse to get a feel for what the new company to the US can bring. .
In two short laps around the small test track in front of the LA Convention Center, the VF8 feels like any other EV crossover – the weight of the battery The package, which VinFast estimates will have a range of up to 292 miles, is obvious, especially on bumpy uneven roads. The vegan leather interior and large central display feel luxurious and surprisingly spacious. The large two-panel roof creates a feeling of spaciousness and ventilation for the rear seats, and the journey in the back is equally attractive.
Westbrook said the VF8 and VF9 vehicles are currently on their way to the US and will be delivered to buyers in early 2023. Globally, VinFast says there have been 65,000 orders for the VF8 and VF9, but the company doesn’t have numbers. specific to North America at the time of our interview.
Most of those orders are going to California, and customers, as Westbrook observes, are mostly those making the leap in EVs for the first time, according to Westbrook.
California focus
“Most of the pre-orders took place here [California],” Westbrook said. “California is easy. This is where our headquarters and port are located, so we will serve these customers first. Obviously we want to look at all of our customers, but that would be the first way we can try to enter the market as efficiently as possible.”
VinFast currently has six retail locations open in California, all located in shopping malls, where people can come and check out their vehicles, like a store. Tesla shop. Westbrook says that some of the first cars to get off the boat from Vietnam will arrive in stores so more potential customers can get on board and test drive.
Westbrook says many of those who booked didn’t get to the point in their buying journey where they had to decide between choosing the company’s controversial battery lease program, or buy their car outright. When asked about pre-bookers’ reception of the battery rental option, Westbrook said, “We’ve seen a growing acceptance and interest in this option.”
During his presentation at the LA Auto Show, Westbrook noted that VinFast recently took orders for 2,500 vehicles from car registrar Autonomy, which normally only deals with Teslas.
New service and warranty options
Westbrook said VinFast’s goal is to make the transition to electric batteries as barrier-free as possible for new customers. And to achieve that, the company has announced more details about its case product guaranteeoffers industry-leading 10-year and 125,000-mile coverage and a 10-year, unlimited-mile battery warranty that the company says is designed to give EV customers peace of mind as they transition to driving electricity.
The company also announced a mobility service that will come to customers or offer a carpool option if customers get stuck.
“I would say that when it comes to quality, people have expectations and we have to meet those expectations,” says Westbrook. “We understand that when you buy a car here and our service point is over there, you might not want to come to our place. So we can help you, right? And that’s one thing. part of our model. It doesn’t force anything. We realize that’s what you want as a customer.”
