Vinfast, an electric vehicle manufacturer based in Vietnam and part of the Wing group, is bringing two of its new battery electric cars – the VF8 and VF9 – to the US.
Recently, the company has opened 6 new showrooms in California with plans to open a total of 30 in the state by the end of 2022. And the company also plans to start deliveries in the US by the end of the year, which will certainly be impressive if they meet that goal.
Now the company is all set to launch its first two new electric car models, namely VF8 and VF9 with the battery as a service business model, this means that the electric car will be sold in addition to the battery, and The battery will be on the lease.
Table of Contents
VinFast VF9 Price, Range, and Specs
| Price | From $55,500 (Without Battery) |
| Range | Up to 369 miles |
| Max Power | Up to 402HP |
| Max Torque | Up to 457 ft-lb |
| Acceleration | 0–60 mph in 6.3sec |
| Models | Eco & Plus |
VinFast VF8 Price, Range, and Specs
| Price | From $40,700 (Without Battery) |
| Range | Up to 292 miles |
| Max Power | Up to 402HP |
| Max Torque | Up to 457 ft-lb |
| Acceleration | 0-60 mph in 5.3 sec. only |
| Models | Eco & Plus |
VinFast Electric Cars Images:
VinFast Battery as a subscription Cost?
the company will also be selling the VF 8 and VF 9 models not including the battery, for which customers would pay a monthly subscription, called Battery as a services (Baas) Business model.
The unlimited mileage subscription is $110 and $160 and the flexible subscription which is capped at 310 miles per month, will cost $35 and $44 respectively for the VF 8 and VF 9.
While NIO in China leases their batteries, they also do so because the company has a unique battery swapping approach, rather than owners relying on DC fast charging or home charging.
But VinFast’s approach simply separates the cost of the battery from the cost of the vehicle and charges a subscription fee—with the idea that this approach lowers your upfront purchase cost.
The smaller battery pack (82 kWh) costs around $10,000 – $12,000 which would theoretically put the original cost of the VF 8 around $51,000 – $53,000.
With the Unlimited Mileage plan, you would need to own the car for about 10 years, with an estimated cost of about the same as a regular purchase. Most new cars in the US today have been owned for about 8 years, and so if you’ve owned a car for 3-5 years, the subscription approach can clearly save you several thousand dollars.
but, American consumers like to make things simple. And VinFast being an unknown brand in the US is selling EVs with separate batteries as subscriptions – could this approach take off and confuse many buyers? When product decisions become overly complex or confusing, most American consumers will opt for simplicity and what they know and understand.
Read More: Renault 5 Electric Price, Range, and Performance
But perhaps Vinfast knows that the tech-savvy, early-adopting California EV consumer will do the math and keep the car for only a few years.
the question is simple? is the Vinfast Battery subscription approach a stroke of genius that will attract analytical-minded buyers; Or is it an additional and unnecessary obstacle to a new and unknown brand?
