VinFast VF 8 EV arrives in the US - 288km range enough to satisfy Americans?

The first batch of VinFast VF 8 EV units has arrived in the US, but does it have what it takes to stack up against the stiff competition?

A total of 999 units of the VinFast VF 8 City Edition braved the seas from Vietnam to California. This will be followed by deliveries to customers which are set to begin before the year ends. Just in time for the new year.

288km EPA range a 'boo' factor for the US?

An article posted by Carscoops seems to indicate that the VinFast VF 8's EPA range of 288km is not nearly competitive enough for its price tag which starts from $59,000 or around RM261,000.

Within that price range, those living in the country can opt for other EVs from the likes of Cadillac, Audi, and even Tesla where all of them offer significantly higher EV driving ranges from 380km (Audi G4 50 e-tron quattro) to 531km (Tesla Model Y dual Motor Long Range).

402hp with 471km WLTP range?

With good looks and great power options that go up to 402hp and 620Nm of torque thanks to its dual-electric motor and AWD setup, the VinFast VF 8 actually carries a WLTP range of up to 471km thanks to its 87.7kWh battery pack.

VinFast representatives in the US have stated that the range it offers is more than enough to cover the usual daily travels but to make the VF 8 even more desirable, each unit comes with a class-leading 10-year warranty or 125,000 miles (just over 200,000km). Its battery pack also gets 10 years of warranty but with unlimited mileage.