2023 VinFast VF 8 First Drive Review: Testing Vietnam’s First EV for America

Our independent experts test the best in cars, tech, home, outdoors, style and watches. What is a whipsaw We combine hands-on testing, decades of experience and original photography to craft reports, reviews and guides. Thanks to a wildly fluctuating stock price, you may have seen the name VinFast in the news lately. In case you wondered just what it is — and whether Dom Toretto is involved — here’s everything you need to know. There is seemingly no industry in which VinGroup will not involve itself. Announced prices are subject to change and do not include destination charge or any applicable tax, title, registration, and license fees. While the VF8 was nicely styled by Pininfarina, with prominent V elements front and rear, its design was not distinctive when compared to other vehicles of its type. Even before the company has sold a single vehicle in the US, officials have already announced plans for a multibillion-dollar EV plant and battery factory outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. She graduated with a double major in political science and journalism from Northeastern University. Thanks in part to import duties on vehicles from outside Vietnam, VinFast’s first vehicles were local best-sellers. The first car on sale is the VF8, a midsize, five-seater crossover. An early VF8 city edition achieved around 200 miles of range with less sophisticated battery tech. The VF 9 is positioned above the VF 8 and is intended to compete with family-orientated electric SUVs such as the Kia EV 9 or the Cadillac Vistiq. It is a three-row, all-electric SUV for seven people with a length of 5.12 metres, a width of 2.25 metres and a height of 1.70 metres. The Plus can be ordered with seating for six as well as seven. Both trims come with a 123-kWh battery pack delivering up to 330 miles (531 km) of range by the Eco and 291 miles (468 km) by the Plus. Wheels, which impacts the range differential between the two. Plugging it into a DC fast charger will replenish the battery from 10% to 70% in 35 minutes, according to the company. Vietnamese automaker VinFast is launching its 3-row, 7-seat battery-electric CUV at its fledgling U.S. dealer network with a discounted lease deal. What we don’t yet know is how VinFast’s second North American model is to drive. 2025 VinFast VF9 3-Row CUV Hits Dealerships2025 VinFast VF9 3-Row CUV Hits Dealerships Also revealed at CES 2024 was the production model of the cute VinFast VF3, a mini SUV. At just over ten feet long, it is designed to be an entry-level EV. The VF3 comes with a 32kW motor with 43 horsepower and an 18kWh battery. The VinFast VF3 was initially offered in Vietnam at a special promotional price of the local equivalent of $9,248 excluding battery, or $12,390 with battery included. The math is complicated, but for now, you should know that even if gas prices come down substantially, the value equation looks promising (if obscure). The two electric crossovers unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday, the VF e35 and VF e36, were designed by Italy’s Pininfarina, which has also designed other gasoline-powered cars for VinFast. Cash due at signing includes $249 first month’s payment, $695 acquisition fee, $0 down payment and $0 security deposit. Lessee responsible for insurance during the lease term, excess wear and tear as defined in the lease contract, $0.25/mile over 30,000 miles, plus disposition fee of up to $395 (not to exceed an amount permissible by law) at lease end. Through November 30, 2024, lease offer is available on the new 2024 VinFast VF 8 Plus model leased through VinFast Auto, LLC (offer subject to change based upon availability). America Electrive has been following the development of electric mobility with journalistic passion and expertise since 2013. As the industry’s leading trade media, we offer comprehensive coverage of the highest quality — as a central platform for the rapid development of this technology. With news, background information, driving reports, interviews, videos and advertising messages. However, VinFast’s service network in the US is still relatively small. It currently comprises 15 shops and four service centres in California, and partnerships with 36 dealers in 15 the 5 major stock investing strategies for value investors states. In Canada, on the other hand, there are ten showrooms and 57 certified workshops. What’s Going On With VinFast Auto Stock Today? Being an EV, acceleration is predictably smooth, but with the 19-inch Goodyear Eagle Touring tires under load in the final turn, the steering’s power assistance has brief moments where it feels oddly nonlinear. Given VinFast’s damn-the-torpedoes corporate pace, it should come as no surprise that the two VF 8 prototypes I’m testing are decidedly unfinished. In fact, they’re not even operating on the same development software versions, and many of the vehicles’ software functions… Combine that with a makeshift drive loop that’s perhaps a couple of kilometers long, and it’s all but impossible to draw concrete conclusions about whether or not this EV belongs on your shopping list. Having said that, what my drive points out clearly is the promise baked into the VF 8. Follow Roeloffs for continued coverage of streaming wars, pop culture news and trending topics. Pham Nhat Vuong has an estimated net worth of $55.9 billion, making him the richest person in Vietnam and the 23rd richest in the world. He is the chair of Vingroup, the largest conglomerate in Vietnam, with units in the real estate development, EV, technology and retail sectors. Monday, just two weeks after its debut on the Nasdaq Global Select Market with a share price of $10 and a valuation of $23 billion following a merger with Black Spade Acquisition Co. in a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) deal. Latest Automotive News (201,168-km) warranty, with the battery pack covered pros and cons of a passive buy and hold strategy by a 10-year unlimited-miles warranty also applied to the VF9, as a big positive. The warranty could come in handy as CR, which rented the vehicle for an extended evaluation, complained about power delivery, regenerative braking programming, ride, steering and suspension tuning. It also is critical of the interior materials, which its testers doubt will hold up well over time against rough-and-tumble kids. The latest cuts bring it down to $69,800 for Eco and $73,800 for Plus. To help move initial products, VinFast is offering a monthly lease of $529/mo for 24 months, which includes a $7,500 tax incentive, $7,000 in discounts, and a $2,000 down payment. They opened at $22, more than double the initial price of $10, and closed at $37 apiece. If VinFast is able to fix the VF8’s problems and re-introduce the vehicle, they might be able to resume their upward trajectory. The company’s slate of upcoming EVs seems to be well thought-out and right for the U.S. market, but only time will tell how the VinFast story plays out. Inside the VF8, the interior was drab, with a Tesla-like center screen and no instrument panel in front of the driver — although a heads-up display (HUD) was used to project information onto the windshield. The front seats looked good and had many controls, but lacked support and comfort.