VinFast Is Challenging Rivian, Ford, and All EV Pickup Makers

• VinFast is back with another bold concept, revealing its VF Wild electric pickup truck at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show.

• With its sights aimed at Rivian's R1T, VinFast only revealed the dimensions of the concept truck, mirroring that of its prime startup competitor.

• Designed jointly by VinFast and Australian firm GoMotiv, the VF Wild takes the rugged pickup ethos and smooths it out for on and off-road duties.

It's really no surprise when pickup trucks top the list of best sellers in the US. Year after year, the Ford F-150 and other pickups (domestic or not) fly off the lot in the hundreds of thousands, new and used. And automakers are not going to let go of this essential sales base just because of electrification, either.

Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors have all committed to producing their legacy nameplate pickups in electric form, with Ford being the first to actually do so. While it's nowhere near as popular as its gasoline-powered siblings, selling 24,165 F-150 Lightnings isn't too shabby.

But the electric pickup truck trend isn't just about electrifying something familiar, either. For startup manufacturers like Rivian, the EV truck is as much about aesthetics as it is about lifestyle. There's a certain panache about the Rivian (thanks to designer Jeff Hammoud), and Vietnamese manufacturer VinFast wants to be a part of the scene.

Predictably, the first showing of VinFast's electric pickup was more about coolness than payload, as the VinFast Wild revealed this week at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show. It's only a concept for now, but VinFast says it is all-in on the electric truck market.

“We are very proud to introduce the VF Wild concept, which encapsulates our mission to make sustainable, high-quality electric vehicles accessible to a broader market. This is not just a new product in our offering. It showcases our aspiration to venture into the fast-paced and thriving electric pickup truck market,” said Tran Mai Hoa, Deputy CEO of Sales and Marketing at VinFast Global.

VinFast has yet to reveal many details about the pickup concept, but we do have the dimensions. Coming in at 209 inches long and 79 inches wide, the VF Wild will slot into the midsize pickup category, closely mirroring the dimensions of a Rivian R1T. By comparison, the Ford F-150 Lightning is nearly two feet longer at 232 inches.

The VF Wild has a fixed 5-foot bed size, but there's some flexibility baked in: A power-folding midgate allows for bed length to expand to eight feet with the rear seats folded down (like a Chevrolet Avalanche). This design also mirrors the Fisker Alaska, another electric pickup that was revealed last summer.

Compared to the Ford and Rivian, the Wild's bed size is 2.5 to 3.5 feet ahead in its maximum configuration, but it's worth remembering this is just a concept at this point. Whether it can pull off this array of folding metal and glass in production has still to be seen. Similarly, VinFast has yet to reveal its battery capacity, power figures, or range.

The VF Wild was strategically revealed for the truck-heavy US market, but there might be a bit of Aussie influence. That's because VinFast shared its design strategy with Abbotsford-based design firm GoMotiv, jointly putting in a claimed 8000 hours of design work.

Its boxy shape and oversized arches fall somewhere between a Hummer EV and Rivian R1T, but VinFast says it's supposed to evoke a “Fluid Dynamism,” like the flowing motion of a superhero's cape in the wind, the release reads in earnest.

Compared to the proven Rivian or Ford examples, the VF Wild will have to climb a tall mountain to prove itself, both figuratively and literally. Unlike Tesla and its questionably capable Cybertruck, the VF Wild won't benefit from a rabid fanbase or any hint of domestically produced favor. Simply put, it will have to be good, very good, to succeed.

How much power and range would you like the VF Wild to have? Please share your thoughts below.