I Drove The VinFast VF8. It's Even Worse Than I Remember

"Back near the end of 2021, COVID-related panic was subsiding and the vibe around new EV startups was still very much optimistic. Almost every other week, a new brand was vying to be the next Tesla, as if that company's sky-high stock price could be anyone's for the taking. VinFast, like other small car brands with larger-than-life plans, wanted a piece of that pie and quickly pivoted its plan from gas-powered BMW-based sedans and SUVs to self-developed EVs meant to take the world by storm."

"In 2022, I flew to Vietnam to see what they were up to, and well, the rest was history. The cars were bad. The brand was weird, and that's putting my experience very lightly. Most importantly, I didn't see a way forward for VinFast to gain any sort of success in markets outside of Vietnam, given what I had learned from the brand on such an over-the-top program for an absolutely terrible car."

"Still, my less-than-glowing, borderline Kafkaesque experience in Vietnam didn't stop the brand from pressing through and unleashing its electric crossovers onto the American public. Reviews, initially cautiously optimistic (even if some of those opinions may have been completely at the behest of payola from VinFast for some influencer and influencer adjacent personalities), the sentiments quickly soured to bad when the cars finally reached American soil."

Rapid evolution of the electric vehicle market in late 2021 led many startups to pursue Tesla-like success. VinFast shifted from planned gas-powered BMW-based sedans and SUVs to self-developed electric crossovers aimed at global markets. A 2022 visit to Vietnam revealed poorly executed vehicles and unconventional brand presentation, casting doubt on international prospects. VinFast proceeded to launch VF8 and VF9 crossovers in the U.S. after mixed early reviews and later critical assessments when vehicles arrived stateside. Despite quality concerns and confusing branding, some consumers purchased VinFast models, with VF8s observed near the brand's planned U.S. factory in Cary, North Carolina.

Read at insideevs.com