Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast will begin exporting the longer-range, Standard version of its VF 8 zero-emissions crossover to the United States in April 2023, according to the company’s CEO, Le Thi Thu Thuy.
Deliveries of the larger, three-row VF 9 SUV will follow, but it’s unclear when the more upmarket model will reach US shores. In its home market, VinFast has already delivered the first 27 units of the VF 9 EV in a six-seat configuration with two captain’s seats in the second row. The larger SUV also has a seven-seat option, which is expected to be delivered to customers in Vietnam soon.
As for the smaller VF 8, the two trims currently available in North America offer a driving range of 207 miles (333 kilometers) for the City Edition Eco variant and 191 miles (307 km) for the Plus edition, respectively.
Gallery: VinFast VF 8 and VF 9 electric SUVs
The upcoming Standard version is supposed to offer a WLTP-rated range of 293 miles (471 km) on a single charge, but that’s a “targeted estimate,” according to the brand’s US website. As always, we expect the range figure to drop once the vehicle is EPA-certified.
“We expect to export the VF 8 standard edition models to the U.S. and Canadian markets in April 2023 and expect to soon deliver the VF 5 Plus model to customers in the Vietnamese market. Following that, we expect to export the VF 9 and open reservations for the VF 6 and VF 7 in the coming month,” the company’s CEO said during the VF 9 delivery event in Vietnam.
The all-electric VF 9 is available in its home market with an all-wheel drive setup consisting of two electric motors that make a total of 402 horsepower. A 92 kilowatt-hours battery is the only option available and provides a targeted estimated range of 272 miles (438 km) for the Eco trim and around 262 miles (423 km) for the Plus variant.
VinFast also plans on selling two additional, smaller EVs in the US – the VF 6 and VF 7 – and wants to build an electric vehicles and batteries factory in North Carolina. Its North American expansion has been plagued by several delays, layoffs, and even a recall for vehicles that hadn’t gotten to customers, so maybe with this latest development, VinFast will pick up the pace and increase its footing in the United States. The Vietnamese carmaker delivered its first cars in California on March 1.
As always, we’d like to know what you think about this, so head over to the comments section below and tell us your thoughts.
