The world of electric-car startups is more like Silicon Valley than Detroit, with company after company arriving with big promises, optimism, and a handful of prototypes — only to took a short time afterwards as something even less of a wonder.
But there is some reason to believe that VinFast can forge a different path than its predecessors, as it is not really a startup. This is just the latest branch of Vingroup, a major Vietnamese company that has a presence in a multitude of businesses from hospitals and hotels to smartphones and even vehicle manufacturing. Think of Vingroup like Amazon, only if Amazon does more.
That’s hard to dismiss VinFast as the flavor of the week, as the company moves towards its strong goal of selling cars in the US for the year.
Yes, that is the arrival of the market in 2022. As for the models that they have just launched for the first time in 2021.
Prototype VinFast VF 8
Prototype VinFast VF 9
VinFast invited us to take a closer look at the early prototypes of the VF 8 and VF 9, in fact, they look suspiciously similar to the similar VF e35 and VF e36 prototypes — closer to the real thing. concept car in full swing — we’ve seen it in the Los Angeles Auto Show 2021 (although they have been improved to accommodate Vinfast’s new nomenclature). At this level, only the VF 8 has an interior; The larger VF 9 still has a carpeted interior down to the window sills with no detailing.
Official specifications beyond what has been announced in Los Angeles are still hard to come by. We know that the two SUVs run on the same platform, extending 7.9 inches below the VF 9. Ours. initial report indicates that the VF 8 will come with a single electric motor setup, but on VinFast’s reservation website any mention of that model has been dropped. The only specs mentioned are a 402hp equivalent for both models, suggesting that both will only come with a dual-engine all-wheel drive setup.
Prototype VinFast VF 8
Prototype VinFast VF 8
At the car showroom I visited, the spec sheets of both vehicles were on display providing much more insight. VinFast tells us those specs are still far from perfect, and we’ve put us on their website for official numbers. But we think these provide some indication of VinFast’s plans for both vehicles, as they are visible to the public and potential buyers. So take the following with a grain of salt and don’t be surprised to see some changes.
The spec sheet only mentions Eco and Plus versions for both models, removing the previously announced Premium version that will include level 3-4 autonomous driving features — Eco and Plus only has level 2+ features. Both models offer a pair of 150 kw engines as the sole setup, with Eco versions of the VF 8 delivering 349 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The Plus versions of the VF 8 and both variants of the VF 9 have 402 hp and 472 lb-ft, in line with what was previously rumored.
Oddly, there isn’t any mention of battery size, just that each will offer a pair of battery options. Range estimates for the VF 8 are 286 miles and 317 miles on the WLTP cycle, while the VF 9 has gone beyond that figure to an estimated 301/423 mile range with its battery options. Quick charge times are listed as 24 minutes from 10-70% battery for the VF 8 and 26 minutes for the VF 9.
Prototype VinFast VF 8
Both Eco and Plus versions have a central 15.6-inch touchscreen, and there are some slight differences in features between the two versions on both models. The Eco version gets heated and faux-leather front seats, while the Plus model gets genuine leather upholstery, ventilated front seats and additional speakers (13 vs. 8).
We can confirm that at launch, the VF 8 and VF 9 will initially be powered by batteries from an external supplier. While the company’s ultimate goal is to supply all the batteries for its own vehicles, the company can’t afford to do that at the moment. VinFast declined to say who the supplier(s) would be, but said that information would be available in the next few months.
More information will also be provided on the company’s battery subscription model, which will be the first of its kind to be offered in the US and allow you to purchase a vehicle but subscribe to a battery pack based on driving levels. You will do. We know there will be two tiers: a “Flexible” plan that will cover 300 miles per month with an additional cost for each mile thereafter, and a “Fixed” plan that offers unlimited range.
VinFast tells us that under this program, subscribers’ batteries will be replaced free of charge when the charge/discharge capacity drops below 70% – basically the same as other EVs in the US market in terms of battery warranty , usually eight years.
Prototype VinFast VF 9
The company is also trying to attract early adoption through an attractive set of perks for what VinFast calls “VinFirst – A pioneer’s tribute to a pioneer”. For those who preorder a vehicle and make a $200 reservation with a commitment to buy it on arrival, they’ll receive a $3,000 voucher for a $3,000 discount off the purchase price of the VF 8 and 5,000. dollars off VF 9. In addition, advanced safety and smart service plans will be provided free of charge along with a portable charger. VinFast says the additional safety feature will help Level 3-4 self-driving cars (compared to Level 2+ for other cars), but declined to say specifically which features will be added to do so. that. And for the travel-oriented, it also includes a week in a 3-bedroom beach villa at one of Vinpearl’s hotels in Vietnam, and unlimited tickets to the zoo and golf course. Looks like business diversification helps.
All of this makes it difficult for people to understand VinFast. It would be easy to lump it with other failed American projects from Asia, like Byton and BYD, and there are a number of reasons for skepticism. The company’s timeline is very active, and there are few details regarding all the steps on the road to compliance, sales, service, support, and navigating the state’s rules. There will probably be some delays along the way.
That said, VinFast showrooms are starting to pop up in malls around the country, and the company said it is considering locations across the US to build another factory, but has not yet. Is there any announcement about this?
What we see at the 2022 New York International Auto Show in April will provide further clues about the company’s progress and viability. If we only see similar concepts appearing in Los Angeles and at CES, it’s hard to see what VinFast will sell this year. But if there are significantly more pre-production prototype units, and if more powertrain/battery information is locked in, things will become more concrete very quickly.
