Vinfast VF 8 Disappoints With Low Driving Range (PDF)

Vinfast, a Vietnamese automaker, delivered its first 999 fully electric vehicles to the U.S. in late December, but the EPA range is much shorter than that advertised.

In contrast to the 260 miles advertised on the Vinfast website, the newly arrived VF 8 City Editions made for the U.S. market have a disappointing range of 179 miles.

While the EPA estimate comes in around 80 miles short of what was advertised, Vinfast’s even bigger problem is that its range is much shorter than similarly priced competitors. Starting at $59,000 for the five-passenger VF 8, customers have come to expect luxury vehicles with EPA ranges well above 300 miles within that price range.

With a starting price of around $58,000 and an estimated range of 358 miles, the Tesla Model 3 2023 comes at a reasonable price. Nissan and Hyundai also offer electric SUVs with ranges of at least 300 miles, but at a much lower price tag, such as the $47,190 Nissan Ariya Venture or the $41,000 Hyundai IONIQ 5.

Putting its best foot forward, Vinfast announced the EPA’s 179-mile range estimate on its website but added that, according to several public research studies, “this range is several times better than the average daily range of a typical driver in California. It will be improved with a software update and the new range is expected to be announced by the end of January 2023.”

To soften the blow of a less-than-advertised range, Vinfast is offering a bumper-to-bumper warranty and promising to replace batteries that fall below 70% of their original capacity.

It would not be unreasonable to question whether VinFast’s initial investments in North America will be successful. Consumers are used to seeing products created by large American companies and may hesitate to buy a car from a foreign company, even more with this disadvantage in relation to its competitors.

In early 2023, the company will continue to export VF 8s to Canada and Europe.