Bangkok 2024: Vinfast enters Thailand – VF e34 June launch; VF3, VF5, VF6, VF7, VF8, VF9 EVs previewed

Vinfast had its brand launch for the Thailand market at the 2024 Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS), and the Vietnamese carmaker said it signed partnership agreements with 15 dealers at the show. They must have been impressed by the range of EVs – Vinfast brought out everything it had, from a Suzuki Jimny-style city car to a wild (literally) concept truck, with some production SUVs in between.

According to local media, the brand’s launch model for Thailand is the VF e34, which is set for a June debut. The compact SUV will be followed by the VF 5 two to three months later, while the VF 6 and VF 7 are planned for the end of 2024. That’s four models in half a year, an aggressive strategy that is perhaps vital to keep up with the Chinese carmakers in Thailand’s EV market.

But the model mix is not set in stone. “Our initial focus is to gauge the response of the Thai market. We are keen to understand which of our car models resonates most with Thai consumers. Flexibility is key to our distribution plans, and we are prepared to adapt based on the feedback and demands of the Thai market,” Vinfast Thailand CEO Vu Dang Yen Hang told Khaosod. There will also be electric scooters.

Vinfast VF e34Let’s take a look at a couple of EVs from Vinfast’s BIMS booth, starting with the VF e34. The B-segment SUV (about the size of a Honda HR-V, although Vinfast markets it as a C) was unveiled in 2021 as the company’s first electric-powered car, and the first EV to be made and sold in Vietnam. Domestic deliveries started in December 2021, so the VF e34 has had two full years of sales now.

 

 

The VF e34 is powered by a 147 hp/242 Nm motor that takes juice from a 42 kWh battery. Range is a modest 285 km, and that’s in the older NEDC cycle. Vinfast says that 18 minutes of fast charging can yield 180 km of range.

Looking more modern and interesting is the VF 5, which is an A-segment crossover that’s smaller than a Perodua Ativa. It went on sale in Vietnam last year as Vinfast’s most affordable EV. Powered by a 134 hp motor and a 37.23 kWh battery, range is quoted as 326 km on the NEDC cycle and DC fast charging from 10-70% SoC takes 30 minutes. With the battery, the VF 5 is priced at 548 million VND in its home market, which is RM104,854.

Vinfast VF 5 top, Vinfast VF 6 bottomNext up is the VF 6, which kicks off Vinfast’s electric SUV range in the US. Under that eye-catching B-SUV body is a motor with 201 hp/310 Nm, and a 59.6 kWh battery that provides 381 km of range, this time in the more realistic WLTP cycle. Features include available vegan leather, a panoramic glass roof, Level 2 ADAS, head-up display and a 12.9-inch touchscreen that’s heavily tilted towards the driver. Interestingly, gear selection is piano key-style below the screen.

The VF 7 is a C-segment SUV with sharper lines. At 4,545 mm long and 1,890 mm wide, it’s about the size of a Mazda CX-5 but slightly wider and a fair bit lower. It looks good, with Vinfast’s signature ‘V’ LED light bars at both ends, flush door handles and the same cockpit style as the VF 6, but with plusher materials and a larger 15-inch screen.

The higher Plus version of the VF 7 has a 75.3 kWh battery that’s good for 431 km WLTP range. Paired to a 348 hp/500 Nm motor, 0-100 km/h is done in a brisk 5.8 seconds.

Vinfast VF 7Next up is the VF 8, which unlike the other SUVs you see here, is already on sale in the US. Launched there last year, the Pininfarina-designed VF 8 swiftly gained notoriety for being the ‘worst reviewed car ever’ in the States, and it was an unanimous voice too. Anyway, the VF 8 has a 87.7 kWh battery and two motors – in the more powerful 402 hp version, range is 391 km, measured by the US EPA. 0-100 km/h is done in 5.5 seconds. What stands out there is the lengthy 10-year/200,000 km (125,000 miles) warranty.

The Vietnamese firm’s largest SUV is the VF 9, which is a three-row behemoth with a 123 kWh battery. With two motors and 402 hp, the 5,115 mm flagship gets to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and has a range of 468 km (US EPA).

We saw plenty of Chinese EVs at BIMS and it became confusing after awhile, as many of the sedans and SUVs have very generic design – swap badges and park one in another booth and not many would realise, we feel. Vinfast is not guilty of same-same though, as its cars have a distinct front and rear look, replete with V-shape LEDs. The latest generation design seen on the VF 5, 6 and 7 is an improvement over previous efforts too.

 

 

Vinfast VF 8What I like best from the stand is the VF 3, a tiny city EV that looks like a scaled-down Suzuki Jimny. Designed specifically for the Vietnam market, the two-door VF 3 measures just 3,114 mm long (the Japanese kei car limit is 3.4m) but Vinfast says that there’s sufficient space for up to five people. Truly for the local market then – have you seen anyone who isn’t slim in Vietnam?

Vinfast talks about the VF 3’s potential to become a ‘national vehicle’ for Vietnam, putting millions of families into a car and helping to boost EV adoption in the country – what a cool-looking car to push the national agenda! Vinfast plans to start delivering VF 3s in the third quarter this year. By the way, those 16-inch rims look suspiciously similar to the R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R factory alloys…

Finally, the Vinfast Wild. The concept electric truck was unveiled at CES 2024, hinting at the ambitious carmaker’s range expansion plans beyond SUVs. At 5,324 mm long and 1,997 mm wide, the Wild’s dimensions places it in the mid-size pick-up truck category in the US.

Vinfast VF 3 top, Vinfast Wild concept bottomJointly developed by VinFast and Australian design studio GoMotiv, the Wild features a flexible bed that combines the practicality of a power-folding mid-gate to provide class-leading bed length, which can expand from five to eight feet with the rear seats folded down automatically. No specs yet, this is just a concept.

What a range! Interestingly, all the SUVs at BIMS save for the VF 3 (which is not yet in production) are in right-hand drive. That means that the EVs are ready for Thailand and Indonesia, the two RHD markets Vinfast is entering in ASEAN this year. Speaking of Indonesia, the republic is the first country to receive RHD cars from Vinfast with the just-launched VF e34. The other promised models are the VF 5, VF 6 and VF 7, covering A to C segments.

More than just selling EVs there, Vinfast has announced an EV plant in Indonesia with a projected capacity of 50,000 units per annum. When operational, the plant will be a key link in VinFast’s global EV supply chain, the company says. In Asia, Vinfast also has plans for India and the Philippines, but not Malaysia. What do you think of the Vietnamese firm’s products and design?

GALLERY: Vinfast VF 3

GALLERY: Vinfast VF 5

 

 

GALLERY: Vinfast VF 6

GALLERY: Vinfast VF 7

GALLERY: Vinfast VF 8

GALLERY: Vinfast VF e34

GALLERY: Vinfast Wild concept

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