The VinFast VF3 Cute Ute Wants to Be the Affordable EV

• VinFast brings the 2023 VF3 concept to CES for its global launch, with plans to start accepting early reservations in 2024.

• The two-door electric model is expected to offer a range of 125 miles, which will make it one of the shorter-range models available.

• The VF3 will be offered stateside, Motor1 reported, though a specific timeline for its market debut has not been announced yet.

Tesla and VW may both have small and affordable EVs in the works, but both have been delayed a number of times. What's more, VinFast could beat them both to market with the VF3.

The Vietnamese automaker, which has just started deliveries stateside a few months ago with a hiccup or two, brought the pocket-sized EV to CES in Las Vegas after its debut in Vietnam back in June, with plans to bring it stateside in production form as Motor1 reported.

And it should end up undercutting just about all other EVs in price, including the Fiat 500e that will land here in a matter of weeks.

Measuring just 125.6 inches from bow to stern, the strictly two-door VF3 makes the Chevy Bolt look like a stretch limo. In fact, the first-gen Chevy Bolt is over three feet longer than the VF3, to give you an idea of just how small this two-door cute ute is.

Even the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, which was not known for its generous interior accommodations, was well over a foot longer than the VF3, measuring 144.7 inches in length.

If the VF3 reminds you of the new Suzuki Jimny, especially in a loud yellow color, you're not alone. But we're also getting some classic Niva vibes from it.

Despite being a foot shorter than the old Niva, the VF3 will still offer two rows of seats, and with the back seats folded down this will buy it 19.4 cubic feet of cargo space. With the second row still up, this means cargo space will be quite minimal.

But after all, cargo space isn't the point of something like this.

A short wheelbase means battery space will also be at a premium, with VinFast having promised a target range of 125 miles without revealing the battery specs.

But we'll likely be talking about something well below 50 kWh once the production version gets here, which should still make it roughly competitive with the 149-mile range of the new Fiat 500e.

We're also not expecting more than one motor despite the generous 16 inches of ground clearance, so the VF3 won't be quite trail-rated and won't be competing with vehicles that are.

When it comes to interior features, VinFast has promised a 10-inch infotainment screen in addition to Android Auto and Apple Carplay connectivity.

It's a little too early to tell if the price will be right for what the VF3 will offer, but the VF3 should face a renewed cast of characters once it lands here including the next-gen Chevy Bolt, which will offer far more range even in base form.

We expect the VF3 may have to lean heavier on pricing well below the $22,000 mark rather than features or range. To be clear, VinFast has not revealed any specifics regarding planned pricing in different markets.

Just like other shorter-range EVs, the VF3 will inevitably end up being the second or third car in a household, so it won't be the vehicle for family vacations or for every local use case for that matter.

But as a local runabout, the VF3 should be able to find an audience that can live with some compromises.

Should automakers offer more affordable electric models below the $25,000 mark, or is most of the demand still for larger vehicles with more range? Let us know what you think.