VinFast wins first US customer for electric cars shown at CES
Not even a week after making its CES debut, VinFast announces its first fleet customer to buy electric cars. Artemis DNA, a biotech company dealing in genetics, has reserved 100 EVs from the Vietnamese company and expects delivery in late 2022 when VinFast will turn into an all-electric car manufacturer.
VinFast had announced it would cease to include internal combustion engines in the line-up before the year’s end when showing the complete line-up of electric cars in Las Vegas.
The Artemis DNA order at hand will include the VF 6, VF 7, VF 8 and VF 9 models, but VinFast has not said how many of each will comprise the fleet. This means Artemis opted for all but the smallest EV, the V5.
The model logic is quite simple: the VF 5 is the smallest model in the A-segment, the VF 6 in the B segment, etc. The VF 9 is, therefore, the largest model in the E segment. The VF 8 and VF 9 were already introduced LA Auto Show in November ’21.
Artemis DNA expects to take delivery of the VinFast EVs starting in the fourth quarter of this year and operates a target to replace its entire fleet with zero-emission vehicles eventually. The company is VinFast’s first corporate customer in the US with the reservation placed.
“It is with the help of innovative companies like VinFast that we can continue our work transforming healthcare around the world while still being a good corporate citizen,” said Ms Emylee Thai, Founder and CEO of Artemis DNA.
Her counterpart Madam Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vingroup Vice-Chair and VinFast Global CEO, shared the sentiment and said, the order showed “the trust of US customers with VinFast’s brand and the quality of our electric vehicles.”
While further details of the deal were not spelt out, VinFast confirmed that Artemis DNA would buy at a price announced at CES, that is, for the VF 8 and VF 9. The smaller models have yet to be listed.
The VinFast VF 8, however, can be reserved globally, and pricing starts at $41,000 in the US and €36,133 in Europe. For the VinFast VF 9, buyers in the US can expect to pay $56,000 or €49,280 in Europe.
At CES, Le Thi Thu Thuy pointed out that battery leasing was helping to keep the price comparably low. The VF 8 in the D segment is supposed to compete with the Tesla Model Y, for example, and the VF 9 in the E segment with the Model X. Note, however, that the basic tariff only includes 500 kilometres and incurs additional charges from the 501st kilometre onwards. Only the ‘Fixed’ package has no monthly limit, but VinFast has yet to disclose pricing for the tariff.
The VF 8 measures 4.75 metres and has an electric all-wheel drive with 300 kW power. There is no information on the size of the battery yet, but the range is supposed to be 504 kilometres. The VF 9 is 5.12 metres long and uses the same 300 kW all-wheel drive with two electric motors. Its battery of 106 kWh claims a range of 550 kilometres. VinFast offers a ten-year warranty or 200,000 kilometres on all five models.
Reservations require a $200 deposit to receive a $3,000 e-voucher toward the potential purchase of VF 8 or a $5,000 e-voucher to purchase a VF 9 in the US. Customers in Europe can make a reservation by paying €150 to receive a €2,500 voucher for the VF 8 or a €4,200 voucher toward buying a VF 9. In addition, the company promises a free mobile charger and a luxury holiday in Vietnam.
VinFast expects to deliver the larger electric cars starting in Q4 2022.
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