Yahoo Autos VinFast VF9 Earns 330-Mile EPA-Estimated Range, Deliveries Start This Year
VinFast, an EV startup from Vietnam, revealed EPA range estimates for its second model, the three-row VF9 SUV.
The VF9 Eco is rated at 330 miles of range per charge, while the Plus model has a 291-mile estimate.
Deliveries are planned for the fourth quarter of this year, with the Eco starting at $83K and the Plus at $91K, before destination fees.
UPDATE 8/24/23: VinFast confirmed to Car and Driver that the range estimates for the VF9 correspond to the 123.0-kWh battery pack. The automaker also stated that the VF9 will no longer be offered with the 92.0-kWh "Standard Range" battery.
CLARIFICATION 8/24/23: VinFast told Car and Driver that the range estimates stated on the media website and quoted in this article were actually estimates based on the European WLTP test cycle, which tends to be more optimistic than the EPA's ratings. The automaker did not clarify what it had originally predicted for EPA range, making it difficult to verify VinFast's claims that the official EPA figures beat its estimates.
VinFast is on a roll. The Vietnamese automaker delivered the first 45 VF8 SUVs to Californian customers in March. Last week, VinFast completed a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company, allowing the company to be listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Its stock has since soared, giving the EV maker a market capitalization greater than Ford and General Motors combined at the time of writing. VinFast is now readying its second model for the United States, announcing official EPA range estimates for the VF9 SUV.
VinFast VF9 Estimated Range
The VinFast VF9 Eco trim level is expected to travel 330 miles on a charge, and the Plus model is expected to go 291 miles. The company previously said the VF9 would be offered with two battery sizes, a Standard Range pack and an Enhanced Range unit. It didn't specify which battery was responsible for the EPA-estimated figures, but since VinFast claims it outperformed its own estimates, we presume the data is for the Standard Range, which VinFast initially predicted would provide between 262 and 272 miles.
The preliminary guesses for the Enhanced Range model were between 360 and 369 miles, and VinFast's consumer website now only lists one battery option. Confusingly, the pack listed on the consumer site is a 123.0-kWh unit, which the official press site lists as the Enhanced Range battery. Car and Driver reached out to VinFast for confirmation on which battery pack returned these range estimates. We'll update this story if we hear back.
VF9 Pricing
VinFast also revealed updated pricing for the VF9, which will start at $83,000 for the Eco and $91,000 for the Plus, before destination fees. This is roughly $6000 more than the previously revealed prices for both models, and puts it on par with the three-row Rivian R1S, which returns either 260 or 352 miles per charge, depending on the battery pack. The segment will be joined by the pricier 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ, which is targeting a 450-mile rating and will also have to contend with the significantly cheaper three-row Kia EV9 that should get up to 300 miles of range.
The VF9's battery feeds to two electric motors churning out a combined 402 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. VinFast claims a zero-to-62-mph time of 6.5 seconds and says the VF9 will charge from 10 to 70 percent in 35 minutes on a DC fast-charger. VinFast has already begun deliveries of the VF9 in Vietnam and aims to start putting North American customers behind the wheel of the three-row EV in the fourth quarter of this year.
This story was originally published August 22, 2023.
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