VinFast has just released its first 100 VF8 all-electric SUVs to customers in Vietnam, paving the way for a the release 5,000 VF8s globally. Starting this November, initial markets to receive the EVs to be exported from US, Canada, and Europe. The first international customers who made reservations are expected to receive their vehicles as early as December 2022.
This week’s event marks a turning point for Vietnam’s auto industry. “In this historic moment, we are extremely happy to deliver the first batch of VF 8 all-electric vehicles to our pioneering customers in Vietnam. And very soon, the enthusiasm will be realized by more than 65,000 pioneering customers world wide,” Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Vingroup and Global CEO of VinFast, said.
A turnover ceremony was made especially for the first Vietnamese customers. The event, livestreamed on VinFast’s social media pages, was held at VinFast’s manufacturing complex in Hai Phong, which is located north of the capital city of Ho Chi Minh. The stream also featured selected videos of the production process as well as how Vietnam’s first global electric vehicles officially rolled off the production line.
VinFast is the youngest automaker in the global automobile marketplace, starting only in 2017. With technology tie-ups with Pininfarina, BMW, and Magna Steyr, the company was building gasoline-powered cars up until August 2022, when after suffering losses of over $1 billion over a 3-year period and making rapid progress in its EV development, it made the quick shift to making only electric vehicles.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Field | CleanTechnicq
One of the strongest attractions to VinFast is its battery subscription policy, which also keeps its price low, as the battery cost is excluded from the suggested retail price. Instead, customers pay a monthly subscription fee. VinFast bears responsibility for the battery itself and all maintenance and replacement costs.
In addition to this battery subscription scheme, the company officially offered an option to purchase batteries with cars to meet the diverse needs of customers. Customers who made reservations to purchase a VF 8 or VF 9 before September 1, 2022, can keep their original battery subscription option and enjoy a permanent rate for the lifetime of their vehicle.
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