Ambitious Vietnamese automaker VinFast had four of its five SUV and crossover models on display at this year’s Paris Motor Show, and is gearing up to challenge big-name European brands on their home turf.
Between the VF 5, 6, 7 and 8 EVs, VinFast has the B to E segments covered, while the smaller VF 5 not present at Paris extends the company’s reach down to the A-segment. That means legacy brands like Volkswagen, which only has a couple of different-sized electric cars on its books, really needs to take VinFast seriously.
The VF 8 and VF 9, the first of the brand’s cars to launch, were designed by Pininfarina, while the VF 6 and VF 7 slated to arrive in 2023 were co-developed by VinFast and Torino Design (and look far better, in our opinion). But each model features a characteristic wing-shaped LED lighting motif that makes them instantly recognizable as belonging to the same family.
VinFast first unveiled its family of electric cars at the 2022 CES back in January, and the VF 8 and VF 9 are already available to order for delivery late this year. Buyers have the choice of buying the car outright, or paying a lower price and then adding a monthly subscription fee for the battery.
Related: VinFast Unveils VF5, VF6, and VF7 Electric SUVs At CES, Announces Pricing For VF8 And VF9
The $42,200 ($57,000 with battery) VF 8 comes with a 402 hp (408 PS) power pack that sends it to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 5.3 seconds, and has enough batter power for a 292-mile (471 km) electric driving range. The bigger, seven-seat VF 9 flagship is priced at $57,500 / $76,000, gets the same power, but its heavier body pegs the range back to 369 miles (594 km) and the 60 mph time to 6.3 seconds.
But what about the smaller VF 6 and VF 7 cars you see here? We’d love to tell you more about them, but despite the vehicles supposedly making their European debut at the Paris Motor Show and the 2023 on-sale date rapidly approaching, VinFast seems to have no readily available technical info for either car that we could find.
What we can say is that the handsome exterior and minimalist interior design will certainly turn heads. The FV 7’s cabin (seen above) is dominated by a large center touchscreen that’s subtly angled towards the driver, but it’s good to see that VinFast has fitted some handy hard keys for major functions further down the console. We also know that the company plans to build cars in North Carolina, and its range will come with an impressive 10-year aftercare package.
