The company’s first shipment of 999 City Edition versions of the VF8 arrived. Automotive journalists from SlashGear and other publications drove and evaluated them. In early 2022, VinFast decided on a major change of course. They would stop producing vehicles with internal-combustion engines (ICE) and would instead become a full-line electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer. A first-time EV driver gets behind the wheel of the new Polestar 4.
Driving the 2026 Lucid Air Touring
The compact VF e34 was created for the Vietnamese market, but the larger VF8 and VF9 were built for a global audience. In 2022, VinFast opened showrooms in North America and Europe, just in time for global deliveries of the VF8 and VF9 in 2023. In January of 2024, it announced that the subcompact VF3 SUV would be coming to the US as well, though the timeline of its arrival on American streets is still unclear. A lot of the companies that sell cars in the US are household names with decades of history behind them. However, as electrification moves from the fringes to the mainstream, some new players have entered the game relatively recently.
Plans are in place for smaller VF6 and VF7 crossovers to slot below the VF8 and VF9. Experience the unleashed power of all-electric freedom in the VinFast VF Wild where a new standard of innovative technology will bring you an entirely new driving adventure. VinFast’s EVs are equipped with human-centered tech that seamlessly improves the driving experience by focusing on you. VinFast is the automaking subsidiary of billion-dollar Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, a huge corporate entity in Vietnam.
Meet the all-new VF DrgnFly eBike
On the road, the VinFast VF8 was reported to have unsettled chassis dynamics, causing some testers to get carsick. Throttle response was sluggish in any setting besides Sport, leaving an impression that the car was severely underpowered. While VinFast definitely intends to bring the benefits of EVs to its home country of Vietnam, it also has plans to export them around the world. By May of 2023, VinFast was ready to begin its assault on the U.S.
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. Unless you are among the earliest adopters of electric vehicle (EV) tech or a serious car fanatic, you’ve probably never even heard of VinFast.
Major Milestones
That’s certainly new by American standards, but it’s old enough to make VinFast the first global automotive manufacturer in its home country. VinFast’s international markets include North America, i.e USA & Canada, Europe, the Middle East, India, the Philippines & Indonesia. In its home market, Vietnam, VinFast has become the top car seller, and globally, the brand has crossed one lakh vehicle sales in the first nine months of 2025. 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. As an innovative new electric car company, VinFast prioritizes premium craftsmanship and high-quality parts engineered for safety, reliability, and comfort on every journey.
Lease from $279/mo For 24 months, $0 down
Get the latest news on the best cars, best deals, and more. First off, the “Vin” naming is consistent with VinGroup in general, which also has units such as VinSchool (education), VinHomes (yes, houses), VinBus (mass-transit buses), and even VinBrain (focusing on artificial intelligence). Anyhow, the “Fast” in VinFast is actually an acronym, and roughly translated its letters in Vietnamese mean style, safety, creativity, and pioneering. Kelley Blue Book® Values and pricing are based in part on transactions in your area. Your ZIP code also helps us find local deals and highlight other available offers.
Cash due at signing includes $329 first month’s payment, $695 acquisition fee, $0 down payment and $0 security deposit. Through November 30, 2025, lease offer is available on the new 2025 VinFast VF 8 Plus model leased through authorized VinFast dealers (offer subject to change based upon availability). The purchase option at the lease end, excluding tax, title, and government fees, is $26,738, plus a purchase option fee of $350. Cash due at signing includes $279 first month’s payment, $695 acquisition fee, $0 down payment and $0 security deposit. Through November 30, 2025, lease offer is available on the new 2025 VinFast VF 8 Eco model leased through authorized VinFast dealers (offer subject to change based upon availability).
The company has also gone through several CEOs in the last few years. The VF 8, a mid-size two-row SUV, was the first model launched in the US and has been the subject of many negative reviews. VinFast has announced other models, including the smaller VF 6 and VF 7, for future release.
VinFast made its first big impression in India at the 2025 Bharat Mobility Show, where the VF6 and VF7 were showcased. Crowds were drawn to the futuristic design, the tech-focused interiors, and the promise of a new EV player with serious global credibility. Then, before the launch event, VinFast also displayed the cars at various public spaces in India, like malls and airports, and they got good attention there too.
- A first-time EV driver gets behind the wheel of the new Polestar 4.
- While VinFast has the potential to become a player in the EV market, it faces significant challenges in terms of product quality, brand reputation, and financial stability.
- Then, before the launch event, VinFast also displayed the cars at various public spaces in India, like malls and airports, and they got good attention there too.
- While the company noted that fewer than 1,000 units were sold in North America, another report stated that while VinFast had shipped 3,118 cars to the U.S., only 265 had been sold as of December 2023.
The company is run by Pham Nhat Vuong, who initially made his fortune in instant noodles, then followed that up with another fortune in real estate. The Vingroup empire spans theme parks, resorts, food and clothing stores, cell phones, apartments, hospitals, schools and universities. It also has divisions specializing in AI and Big Data, which will contribute to VinFast’s intelligent driving systems. A week in the Lucid Air finds a lot to like, but also a car with a very particular target audience that may not work for everyone.
The company will have to work quickly to turn things around before the Best cfd trading platform bad first impression becomes a bad reputation, but it has proven in the past that it can indeed work quickly. Only a year before reviewing the production model of the 2023 VF8, MotorTrend published an article describing the experience of test-driving various prototypes. The issues mentioned in the earlier article (like problems with the braking system and crossed wires that make it difficult to adjust the seat) did get fixed by the time of the VF8’s official debut. If VinFast can keep working quickly, then it might just be able to find a place in the competitive American auto market. As a new model from a company that’s brand-new in the States, the VF8 already has a lot working against it.
For now, the only VinFast model you can buy here in the States is the VF8, so let’s take a closer look at what the response has been since its debut. A local ecosystem is getting built with component sourcing, dealership network, parts, service, battery recycling, etc. The VF6 / VF7 are the first two models to be assembled here to ramp up localisation soon. The facility spans 400 acres with an annual production capacity set at about 50,000 EVs, with the ability to scale to 150,000 based on demand and with an investment of around Rs 4,000 Crores or approximately US$500 million. VinFast is also taking reservations on the VF9, a flagship, three-row, 7-seater crossover that delivers up to 330 miles of range with a starting price of $83,000.
- The company recently announced it is investing $2 billion in a factory in North Carolina.
- The VF3 comes with a 32kW motor with 43 horsepower and an 18kWh battery.
- Given the negative reception of early models and the company’s uncertain future, buying a used VinFast would be a significant risk.
- And there are plenty of bright spots to be found in reviews of the VF8, from its real-world range exceeding its EPA numbers to the spacious interior.
- Many functions are controlled through numerous menus and submenus in the large center touchscreen, requiring the driver to look away from the road to operate them.
The VF6 gets a 7-year/1.6 lakh km cover, and the VF7 is covered for 10 years/2 lakh km. 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. Every detail has been considered in the engineering of the 3-row seating all-electric VF 9 from premium interior/exterior design to the latest industry technology innovations for a distinctive driving experience.
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. That being said, an apparent indicator of VinFast’s belief in its future in the U.S. market was its July 2023 groundbreaking for a new $4 billion auto plant located in North Carolina. This factory is slated to produce 150,000 EVs annually when it is completed in 2025. However, as of April 2024, no further work had been done at the site, calling its ultimate completion into question. VinFast was originally going to use a direct-to-consumer sales model, like Tesla.