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VinFast, the Vietnamese automotive company established in 2017, announced that the first batch of its US-bound VF 8 electric cars will get to customers starting late February 2023, after the vehicles will have their software updates.
The automaker also wants to build an EV plant in North Carolina, which would qualify its models for the current federal tax credits offered to US-made electric vehicles, and is awaiting final regulatory approval from local officials. VinFast pledged to invest $4 billion in the new battery and EV plant in Chatham County and plans on making the VF 8 and VF 9 SUVs there, with production expected to begin in July 2024.
VinFast can’t seem to make up its mind about how, when, and for how much to sell its vehicles.
Recently, the automaker announced that the first round of U.S.-bound vehicles had left its home country of Vietnam. That was after it backtracked on a decision to sell vehicles with a battery subscription instead of pricing them outright. Most recently, Automotive News reported that VinFast is holding onto the 999 vehicles it shipped here last year for software updates.
Almost 1,000 VinFast VF8s have been in a holding pattern, awaiting software updates. The company said the process is complete and noted that deliveries would start in the second half of February.
VinFast claims 55,000 orders and said that 12,000 are from customers in the U.S. Though the first round of American EVs is on hold, the company delivered 4,000 vehicles to Vietnamese customers in December.
Though it’s a giant company with tons of resources, there’s no such thing as a bottomless wallet, raising questions about the chances for success following VinFast’s less-than-exciting launch in the U.S. The VF8 also didn’t do much to wow reviewers that visited the company’s base in Vietnam, with some saying it’s not ready for primetime.
By Chris Teague.
Source: thetruthaboutcars
