VinFast's expansion into North America has been lackluster, to say the least. Its main product, the VF 8 electric crossover, wasn’t exactly a finished product, prompting the journalists who drove it to use words like “Stinks” and “Yikes.” However, the company’s fortunes have been better overseas, and now the second generation of the VF 8 is here to try and boost VinFast’s sales numbers even further.
Compared to the previous model, which is still on sale in the United States, the second-gen VF 8 ditches the Pininfarina-designed body for something that still shouts “VinFast,” but in a smaller package. That’s because the new crossover is 1.9 inches shorter than before, while the wheelbase alone measures 4.3 inches less, leading to less room for the battery.
As a result, the new VinFast VF 8 is powered by a 60-kilowatt-hour pack that’s good for a claimed 226 miles on the EPA cycle. For reference, the current VF 8 has an EPA-rated range of 256 miles, courtesy of an 87.7 kWh pack.
View Price on AmazonBut most of the outgoing model’s problems have to do with the way it drives, and here’s where VinFast claims it did a lot of work to improve the ride and handling. The new car sits on a fresh Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) architecture and uses a revised chassis with frequency-selective dampers front and rear. Power is provided by a single, front-mounted electric motor that makes 228 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque.
Inside, the new VF 8 now has two screens instead of just one—a 12.9-inch central touchscreen and a smaller digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. A dual-zone climate control system with air ionization, an eight-speaker sound system, and reclining rear seats come as standard. Adaptive cruise control, highway driving assistance with lane-keeping, and a 360-degree camera are also available.
It’s not a bad-looking car by any means, but its arrival in the U.S. is wrapped in mystery. VinFast debuted the new model in Vietnam, where it costs less than the model it replaces, but it’s unclear if the second-generation VF 8 will ever arrive stateside.
Source: insideevs.com
