Vinfast has unveiled the VF8 and VF9 electric SUVs that it has designed with Pininfarina. They fall into the D- and E- segments respectively and they will first go on sale in Europe, in the second half of the year, before also reaching US shores sometime before 2022 concludes.
The smaller of the two, the two-row VF8 will cost in Europe (first in Germany, France and the Netherlands) from €36,133 (equivalent to around $39,400), with the three-row VF9 starting at €49,280 (about $53,700). Pricing for the US market has not been announced, but Vinfast did say it is currently not planning to enter the UK market with its current range of models.
We know these vehicles from the Los Angeles Auto Show where they were revealed last year as the Vinfast VF e35 and e36.
For the VF8, Vinfast says the maximum range is up to 313 miles (500 km) for the bigger of the two available batteries (estimated to be around 90 kWh). The smaller battery pack drops the range to 285 miles (460 km).
Gallery: Foto - VinFast VF 8 e VF 9 2022
Vinfast says the VF8 will offer up to 402 horsepower and 457 pound-feet (620 Nm) of torque with a dual motor configuration, but a single motor version with 201 horsepower will kick off the range. The manufacturer has not confirmed these powertrain options for the larger VF9, but they will probably be carried over.
The VF9 could come with larger battery packs, though, and a range of up to 423 miles (680 km). It will take the VF8 24 minutes and the VF9 26 minutes to charge from 10 to 70 percent, according to the spec sheet shown during the vehicles’ recent European debut.
Both vehicles feature what the manufacturer calls a modern design language to optimise aerodynamics and have completely closed-off grilles, as well as flat, mostly covered wheels. It is worth noting that while the VF8 is roughly the size of a BMW X3, the VF9 is closer in size and scope to an X7, a vehicle that theoretically sits two size classes above the X3.
Inside they feature a 15.6-inch central display (landscape orientation) and no digital driver's display but an available color head-up display. Base examples will come with artificial leather and heated seats, with optionally available real leather and seat cooling; the manufacturer expects both will achieve the top five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
