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. There’s a lot of work to be done in a very short time, but critically, the fundamental ingredients are all present.
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I say “strangely” because the separate ranges and prices aren’t well differentiated. For the base Eco Battery Version 1, the company is targeting 260 miles on Europe’s more-lenient WLTP test cycle at a cost of $40,700 (plus a yet-to-be determined destination fee). The enhanced-range Battery Version 2 Eco is slated to deliver 292 miles for $41, just $300 more. The more luxurious (and consequently heavier) VF 8 Plus is expected to achieve 248 miles of range in Battery Version 1 guise ($47,700) and 277 miles in its $48,000 Battery Version 2 spec. US mileage estimates on the EPA’s more-stringent test cycle figure to be somewhat lower.
Its dashboard is dominated by a landscape-oriented 15-inch infotainment touchscreen. There’s a color head-up display, but notably, there’s no traditional gauge cluster — you either look at the HUD or glance at the main screen to see how fast you’re going. The center console is dominated by a push-button gear selector, and the three-spoke steering wheel’s most noteworthy feature is a tiny driver-facing camera atop the column, a hint that VinFast plans to offer some kind of hands-free driving assist. It’s too early to judge the VF 8’s fit and finish, as there are some preproduction and ill-fitting parts in evidence (including a power seat controller wired in reverse).
A more recent example is Rivian, which sprung up to beat traditional brands such as Ford and Chevy to the punch by introducing its electric truck to market first. If the VinFast VF 9 were on the road today, it would be the first mainstream 3-row electric SUV. Depending how things shake out, it might just still be when it arrives around the end of this year or early next year (exact timing is still TBA).
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VinFast broke ground on its North Carolina plant to build EVs cooperneff volatility arbitrage strategies cayman fund l p stock news earnings and call transcripts in America. Per the website, the company has opened up 13 showrooms — all in California. VinFast says it has shipped 3,000 vehicles to North America.
Are VinFast’s cars any good?
We combine hands-on testing, decades of experience and original photography to craft reports, reviews and guides. Certain Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and smart service technology features may be subject to delayed availability and be made available as part of a future software update to your vehicle and may be subject to subscription. VinFast, the innovative new electric car company, prioritizes premium craftsmanship and high-quality parts in crafting its EVs.
For one thing, this company has the financials to see things through. More to the point, Vingroup also appears to have a slew of helpful related technologies How to day trade tesla in its portfolio, including divisions focused on AI, cybersecurity and cloud computing. The organization even built a new university from scratch to cultivate homegrown talent.
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- The brand quickly followed this news by disclosing it has filed for a US IPO.
- They are also nearly brand new, built from scratch in less than two years’ time.
- VinFast recently invited Kelley Blue Book to its home country to see what the company is all about, tour its factories, and hear about its ambitious plans for introducing its cars to the United States.
- VinFast worked with famous Italian design house Pininfarina on the models.
- Through September 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).
- This is before any potential EV tax credits or incentives such as the federal credit of up to $7,500.
Interestingly, chief engineer Huy Chieu tells me that in developing the VF 8’s driving performance, the company recently benchmarked Hyundai’s excellent Ioniq 5 EV, a how to become a mobile app developer great bogey. If VinFast simply wanted to bring traditional gas-powered vehicles to the U.S., it would be an extremely difficult task. There is already so much competition, especially in the bread-and-butter segments of midsize SUVs. But VinFast will only be making electric vehicles for sale in the U.S., and while more and more EVs are showing up or planned every day, it’s still a segment that’s ripe with potential. We need only look at Tesla as Exhibit A. In about a decade it went from startup to being the best-selling luxury automaker in America. 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).
It will be very interesting to watch this new company from Vietnam as it finds its footing in the US. If VinFast can manage to tick all of these items off its to-do list in anywhere near their promised timeframes, I humbly suggest it considers renaming the company “VinFaster.” VinFast promises a full range of connected services, including e-commerce functions and gaming.
However, VinFast does not appear to be selling many vehicles so far. The company recently revealed that 7,100 of its 11,300 global sales in the first half of 2023 were to Green and Smart Mobility, a Vietnamese taxi firm controlled by Vingroup. Images and videos shown contain pre-production level vehicles. It’s a tough game, for sure, and automaking in general is not for the weak or short-funded. For every Tesla or even Lucid, there are multiple brands that have failed or merely teeter on the brink of bringing electrified cars to life, touting grandiose plans but never making them happen. Instead it is following what other EV startups such as Tesla and Rivian are doing by selling directly to customers.
The VF 8’s exterior is contemporary, with standard LED illumination and a V-shaped grille with integrated daytime running lamps that echo the brand’s logo. The nose is the single most expressive and potentially controversial aspect of the exterior, but even if the face isn’t your favorite, the design isn’t so out there as to be a turn-off for most buyers. In profile, the VF 8 looks rather nondescript — its most interesting details are the tapered indentation along the door bottoms and a raked rear window. But the reviews we’ve read have been perhaps the most brutal we’ve seen for a modern car. Motortrend called the VF8 “nowhere near ready for public consumption.” Inside EVs described riding in the VF8 as “unbearable.” These are not exactly promising signs.
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