The first VF8s being at the export ceremony held at Hai Phong Port (photo from Vinfast)
AS promised, Vinfast is delivering the first VF8s to the United States, the first of an expected five or six deliveries to meet the initial 5,000 units reservation in California. After this initial export there is another the 60,000 global orders for VinFast’s VF 8 and VF 9 to fill.
Vinfast held a simple ceremony at the MPC Port in Hai Phong, Vietnam as 999 vehicles were being loaded into the Silver Queen, and will leave for California. It is expected to arrive in about 20 days. Upon arrival each vehicle will go through a second rigorous pre-delivery inspection before being delivered to the first American customers by the end of December 2022.
“The export of the first 999 VF8s is a significant event for VinFast and Vingroup and a proud historical milestone for the Vietnamese automotive industry. It affirms that Vietnam has successfully produced high-quality standards electric vehicles that are ready to compete in the international market,” Nguyen Viet Quang, Vice Chairman and CEO of Vingroup said.
In a media gathering last September, Vinfast global CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy outlined the production and delivery plan. The first batch of vehicles are aimed for the American market, followed by a shipment of VF8s to Canada by the first month of 2023 and customers in Europe for customer deliveries towards the end of the first quarter of 2023.
The first VF9s will be handed over to customers in Vietnam and international markets also the first quarter of 2023.
Interestingly, the shipment is exactly 999 cars. Apparently, for the Vietnamese the number 999 is considered to be to most luckiest number. Exporting the first batch VF 8 units has now opened a new era for the country’s automotive industry–which is quickly catching up to Thailand and Indonesia in the ASEAN region.
Already Vietnam has overtaken the region’s car assembly capital, the Philippines, and now it has established itself as a feasible and close source of quality electric vehicles too. Thus, in addition to affirming Vietnam’s capability, Vinfast’s 999-car export actualizes the country’s passion for mastering automotive production held by many generations–further raising its position as an automobile maker on the global stage.
“The relatively short development, production and testing time for the Vinfast smart electric vehicles is nothing short of remarkable,” comments Greg Morrison, an automotive analyst and industry expert and host of the show Bumper2Bumper TV in the US “The original announced production target was 5,000 cars and seeing the current production run, it is safe to assume that Vinfast can meet this target by the first quarter of 2023.”
At the recently concluded Los Angeles Auto Show, Vinfast introduced the VF5, VF6 and VF7 for the A, B and C segments respectively. The displays got a lot of attention because of the design and technology behind the cars. However, the biggest catch was the availability of the battery subscription option–an appealing offer that applies to individual and fleet buyers. The VF8 is the first of several Vinfast models to be sold in North America.
The VinFast VF 8 is a 5-seater electric SUV in the D segment with overall length, width, and height dimensions of 4,750 mm x 1,934 mm x 1,667 mm, respectively. Vehicles are equipped with advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), including a series of advanced features that will be added and updated regularly, such as highway assist, automated lane changing assist, smart parking assist, smart summon mode, remote parking assist, and many more. In addition, a suite of Smart Services with integrated in-car entertainment and utility features such as vehicle voice control, remote vehicle management via the VinFast application, online shopping, playing video games on the car screen that sync passenger phones, and much more to bring an immersive experience to users.
Also at the LA Autoshow, Autonomy, America’s largest electric vehicle subscription service has made an order for 2,500 Vinfast cars. Autonomy operates like a leasing program but instead of latching on to a vehicle until the end of a leasing period, the company allows for a 3-month minimum, after which subscribers can continue paying month-to-month and drive as long they need or like. Currently, Autonomy is focused on Teslas in their fleet but with the addition of Vinfast, customers are given even more choices.
By 2024, if plans materialize as scheduled, Vinfast will not need to export vehicles as these will be built at a plant in North Carolina.
“We hope that, when VinFast’s smart electric vehicles roll out on the streets around the world, it will help promote the image of a new, dynamic and progressive Vietnam to the global audience,” Quang concluded.
