mobile-menu-icon
GM Authority

Upcoming GM Rival VinFast Now Actively Testing Vehicles In Michigan

Vietnamese EV startup VinFast has begun testing vehicles in Michigan, GM Authority has just learned.

VinFast has some GM-related history, since the firm had acquired the GM plant in Hanoi a few years ago. Since then, The General and the Vietnamese EV company have entered a strategic partnership that allows VinFast to have exclusive distribution rights of Chevy products in Vietnam. Now, VinFast is actively testing vehicles in what is essentially GM’s backyard.

As a reminder, VinFast is part of a larger conglomerate, called Vingroup. Formerly known as Technocom Corporation, Vingroup was founded in 1993 before moving to Vietnam in the early 2000s.

As an EV startup, VinFast has announced several models that it plans to manufacture. GM Authority reported on the first batch of potential vehicles in January 2021, which consisted of three electric crossovers. The first was the VF31, a subcompact crossover with a 43 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, 114 horsepower electric motor and an estimated range of 186 miles. Next up was the VF32, a slightly larger electric crossover with a 201 horsepower electric motor and 90 kWh battery. And finally, the VF33, which featured a dual motor powertrain and a maximum range of 342 miles.

VinFast VF9.

VinFast VF9

However, the VF31, VF32 and VF33 never found their way to production. Since then, VinFast unveiled a new lineup in April 2022. Scaling the selection down, the Vietnamese EV company introduced the VF8 and VF9. The VF8 is about the size of a mid-size crossover, while the larger VF9 is roughly on-par with a midsize plus three-row. Both models will be sold in dual-motor Eco and Plus variants.

Eco models are rated at 348 horsepower and the Plus models are rated at 402 horsepower. The two models are also offered with their own regular and long-range battery packs. The longest-range battery pack in the VF8 Eco provides an estimated providing 292 miles of range, while the longest-range pack in the VF9 eco provides 360 miles of range.

Pricing before destination freight charges for the VF8 starts at $40,700 for the Eco and $47,700 for the Plus, while pricing for the VF9 starts at $55,000 for the Eco and $60,500 for the Plus.

Unique to VinFast is the battery subscription program for the lithium-ion battery pack. This subscription allows VinFast to lower the entry price of the vehicle by having the customer pay a monthly fee for depending on how far they drive. By separating the price of the battery from that of the vehicle, VinFast hopes to attract more customers by removing the worry of the battery’s condition.

VinFast VF8 testing in Michigan in November 2022.

VinFast VF8 testing in Michigan in November 2022

VinFast is offering two plans. Designed for customers “who travel infrequently,” the Flexible Plan is priced at $35 per month for VF8 and $44 per month for VF9, and allows for a maximum of 310 miles of travel. Meanwhile, the Fixed plan offers unlimited mileage and will cost $110 per month for VF8 and $160 for VF9. At the time of this writing, the VF8 and VF9 are available for reservation only, and are not yet on sale.

As far as GM competition goes, right now only the Cadillac Lyriq serves as a direct rival. This will change in the near future, as GM plans to field 30 EVs by 2025, including the upcoming Blazer EV and Equinox EV.

Subscribe to GM Authority for more GM competition news, GM EV news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.

As a typical Florida Man, Trey is a certified GM nutjob who's obsessed with anything and everything Corvette-related.

Subscribe to GM Authority

For around-the-clock GM news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest GM news. It's totally free.

Comments

  1. STRANGERS

    Reply
  2. Its styling already looks dated before it even gets off the ground and running.

    Reply
  3. Vin fast is building a factory in North Carolina, expected to start VF8 and VF9 production in summer of 2024.

    At the LA Autoshow, they also had the VF7 and VF6. But not a lot of tech details or where they plan to build them. Seems the VF7 might be blazer size and VF6 Equinox size?

    Reply
    1. All facts are incorrect in this article. The pricing is way off and so is the battery subscription rates. Please update.

      Reply
  4. Kind of ugly in an Aztec like way

    Reply
  5. I doubt Vinfast will be around in five years.

    Reply
  6. People love ugly cars look at Toyota their SUVs look like they got into a knife fight and lost. I would be embarrassed to drive a vehicle with a big ugly grille. How about the Nisson cube car people actually bought that thing. SOME PEOPLE HAVE ALL THEIR TASTE IN THEIR MOUTH.

    Reply
  7. GM already beat vinfast, because vinfast is dead, sooooooooooooooooooooo

    Reply

Leave a comment

Cancel