VinFast Wows CES Crowd With 3 New EVs - VF5, VF6, VF7 On Stage

Despite some protestations about public health and safety putting a damper on audience turnout and booth counts, the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) went ahead in Las Vegas. It was a particularly important event for Vinfast, which detailed some big plans and several vehicles there.

The Vietnamese automaker, who in 2018 had only 2 models in its tentative line-up which were derived from past-generation BMWs, has now blossomed into a brand that’s very quickly on the rise. Its hunger for expansion has brought it to the United States, a key market upon which its broader ambitions hinge.

Aside from their domestic market offerings and their first-ever production fully electric model, the VF e34, Vinfast unveiled the VF5, VF6, and VF7 to the crowds at CES - a trio of all-new EVs that will form the backbone of its global line-up alongside the previously unveiled VF e35 and VF e36 (however, the latter two in the US will be renamed the VF8 and VF9, respectively).

Unfortunately, information is rather scarce on these 3 newest models, probably since the company is still in the midst of its development. They do look impressively sleek and contemporary, it must be said, with the twin light bars upfront making for a distinctive fascia.

Two incoming large electric crossovers are already open for pre-order to US customers with prices starting at $41,000 (RM172k) for the VF8 and $56,000 (RM235k) for the VF9. Both share identical architectures and a dual-motor electric powertrain with as much as 402hp and 640Nm with even the D-segment VF8 boasting a range up to 510km. The even larger VF9, however, comes equipped with an even beefier battery that’s good for up 680km, claims Vinfast.

For reference, a comparable Tesla Model X in dual-motor AWD guise starts at just over $100,000, or around RM420,000.

Going forward, a crucial aspect of their business plan and what will set them apart from most other EV makers is their battery leasing program. Buyers can choose a more affordable ‘Flexible’ plan that affords them 500km per month (with extra fees for additional mileage) or a pricier ‘Fixed’ plan that allows for unlimited monthly mileage.

Either way, Vinfast will cover the maintenance cost and even the outright replacement of said battery in the event of a malfunction, performance degradation, or if its maximum capacity - eventually, inevitably - falls below 70%.

With such aggressive pricing thanks to its battery-as-a-service approach, Vinfast is aiming to undercut the majority of EV offerings from rivals with their portfolio of 5 incoming models, which should be fully realised within the next 5 years, all with a minimum of Level 2 autonomous driving capability as standard while maintaining premium levels of build, features, and materials.

It’s in EV-friendly California where Vinfast obviously sees the most growth potential. Sales are slated to begin in latter 2022 with construction nearing completion on its 15,000 square-foot regional headquarters in Los Angeles to support an expected 50+ showrooms and service centres to be opened this year alone.

Further down the line, the company is reported to have more of its production and manufacturing infrastructure moved to North America with plans to expand vehicle production to the US by 2024 and construct a ‘gigafactory’ to churn out its own batteries with a peak annual output of 1 million lithium-ion packs.

Meanwhile, Vinfast are also in talks to expand into Europe with the company keen to tackle Germany first. Five locations are being shortlisted for an EV factory there, which will only move forward once its US manufacturing and assembly reaches its first phase of completion.

Closer to home, the Vietnamese brand is also looking into neighbouring countries as reports have been consistently pointing to an eventual entry into ASEAN starting with Thailand and Indonesia.