VinFast electric vehicles. Present and future
At the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the world saw how a young but very ambitious Vietnamese company, VinFast, confirmed its aspiration of becoming the world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer. The company made many important statements and proposals, and also demonstrated the present and future of VinFast electric vehicles. But first things first.
Firstly. The company has a new CEO. The former head of VinFast, Michael Lohscheller (Germany), who previously worked for Opel, left the company in December 2021 without explanation. VinFast’s new CEO is Le Thi Thu Thuy (Vietnam), who has been working for the parent concern VinGroup since 2008.
Secondly. At the end of December 2021, the construction of a plant for the production of traction batteries began in Vietnam. In Las Vegas, Le Thi Thu Thuy announced the company’s intention to switch completely to the production of electric vehicles by the end of 2022. This means that all non-electric models will be discontinued (the VinFast Fadil hatchback, a clone of the Opel Karl Rocks, the VinFast Lux A2.0 sedan, a transformed BMW 5 Series and the VinFast Lux SA2.0 SUV, which is based on the BMW X5). The model range will only keep electric vehicles, namely two SUVs: the VinFast VF8 (formerly named VinFast VF e35) and the VinFast VF9 (formerly named VinFast VF e36). Both models were designed by Pininfarina studio. You can already preorder these models with a deposit of 200 dollars (or 150 euros), while the deliveries should begin before the end of 2022. Moreover, VinFast promises to replace the batteries with new ones when the effective capacity drops to 70% of the initial one.
Find out when they will be available in Israel
**The VinFast VF8 ** is a mid-size SUV with a length of 4,750 mm, equipped with two motors with a total capacity of 408 hp and a battery pack with a capacity of about 90 kWh. The driving range reaches 510 km. There is a simple version with one motor with a capacity of 204 hp and 320 Nm.
The VinFast VF9 is a full-size, three-row SUV with a length of 5,118 mm and a wheelbase of 3,150 mm (watch out, the Tesla Model X!). It has only two motors and, accordingly, all-wheel drive (the same 408 hp), and batteries with a capacity of 106 kWh will provide a driving range of up to 680 km. The electric vehicle boasts a multimedia system with a 15.4-inch screen, matrix LED headlights and a level 3 autopilot.
Thirdly. The company presented three VinFast concept cars (VF5, VF6 and VF7 SUVs) at the motor show in Las Vegas. They differ in size, but their technical characteristics are also not yet known. But it is known that they were created on a single modular platform, and two Italian studios participated in their design: Pininfarina and Torino Design. In addition, production models will receive a level 2 autopilot (advanced cruise control), which can be upgraded to the level 3 and even 4. Production of the new VinFast electric SUV is expected to begin in 2023.
