VinFast has officially entered the North American market with the first deliveries of its VF 8 electric SUV in California. Forty-five examples were delivered to customers across the state, marking a milestone for the automaker. VinFast had originally planned to have 21 more showrooms in California by the end of 2022, but encountered setbacks.
All 999 units of the VF 8 City Edition were exported to the US from their origin of manufacture in Vietnam last December. VinFast hopes to eventually open a production plant in North Carolina that can produce up to 150,000 vehicles per year, with the factory expected to begin production in 2024.
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The VF 8 initially had a maximum range of 179 miles, but a software update has increased it to 207 miles. Despite this improvement, the SUV still lags behind competitors in a segment where most achieve 300 miles or more. The pricing for the VF 8 has also been adjusted, with VinFast bringing the cost of the City Edition Eco to $399 per month with $5,174 down and the cost of the City Edition Plus to $513 per month with $5,413 down.
The VF 8 City Edition Eco features a dual-motor all-wheel drive system, which produces 349 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, allowing for a 0-62 mph time of around 6.5 seconds. The City Edition Plus has an increased output of 402 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque, reducing the 0-62 mph time to 5.5 seconds but also reducing the range to 191 miles.
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VinFast’s Deputy CEO for Global Sales & Marketing, Gareth Dunsmore, expressed satisfaction with the milestone, saying, “It’s extremely gratifying to fulfill our delivery promise and to witness the excitement our customers have for the VinFast brand. This is a great moment for all of us and more motivation to continuously strive to exceed the expectations of our valued customers.”
