_ BRAND STORY

Vietnamese electric car manufacturer VinFast, member of the Vingroup, has ambitious goals to enter the European market. VinFast, founded in 2017 wants to revolutionise the way people move around by making electric vehicles more accessible for everyone. They have established their own state-of-the art automotive manufacturing complex in Hai Phong which features up to 90% automation. They are strongly committed towards a mission for a sustainable future for everyone – ensuring both affordable prices as well as seamless customer experiences by offering high-quality, smart products. 

Recently VinFast announced the opening of more than 50 stores in Germany, France and the Netherlands with 25 stores only to be built in Germany. The first confirmed locations are Frankfurt, Berlin, Cologne, Oberhausen and Hamburg.

Last week we paid VinFast a visit at their booth at the IFA Berlin and had a closer look at the VF8. Besides the VF8, VinFast is launching the bigger brother of the VF8, the VF9 which is a seven seater. Both cars are already available for reservation for deliveries from the end of the year. All customers who reserve the VF 8 or VF 9 will receive a 1-year free package of VinFast Smart Driving with Level 2+ Advanced Driver Assistance System and Smart Services suite for a smarter, safer and more enjoyable driving experience. Besides you will also receive a free of charge home delivery service, which comes with a full handover by an electric vehicle expert, making sure that customers get to know their VinFast perfectly. Pre-orders can be done here.

The all-electric VF8

The VF8 is a midsize SUV which comes in two versions, Eco and Plus. For the design of the vehicle in the exterior and interior, VinFast has partnered with none other than the renowned Italian design house Pininfarina to ensure a high level of aesthetics, aerodynamics and efficiency.

VinFast's signature V bumper is prominently featured on the front of the car with a wide light bar that extends out across its width. The vehicle’s design is modern and quite sleek.

We haven’t driven the VF8 yet, but VinFast says the Plus variant has a power of up to 300 kW / 408 ps and a maximum torque of 620 Nm. The VF8 is offered in two battery sizes – the bigger one with 87.7 kWh has a range of up to 447 km (according to WLTP). Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is set to be in 5.5 seconds. Both the Eco and Plus model comes with a dual motor and an all-wheel drive. Charging time from 10 to 70% is done in 24 to 31 minutes of course depending on the battery size.

Inside the vehicle, VinFast dispenses with playfulness, many buttons and dashboards, which makes the interior quite sleek and futuristic. The VF8 is equipped with a large 15.6-inch touchscreen in the center console that minimises the number of physical buttons while simplifying the interface. The interactive display has over 30 AI-powered infotainment features. The VinFast AI voice assistant makes a natural language conversation possible. There is no dashboard behind the steering wheel. The full-color Heads-Up Display technology projects onto the windshield to provide smart solutions that track the vehicle's essential information while ensuring the drivers keep their eyes on the road.

The VF8 starts at a price of 45.700 € without battery. Reservations can now be made for 150 € here.

We can’t wait to test drive the VF8 ourselves. And as VinFast is researching the application of eco-friendly materials for the interior, we are excited to see, where the brand is heading in the coming years in terms of materials and also sustainable production.

Pictures: Marvin Pelny for ellectric
Text: Britta Reineke