Vinfast is coming to the Netherlands

Vinfast does not come completely out of the blue. Already in 2018, the Vietnamese brand showed its first two models, the Lux SA2.0 and A2.0, at the Paris fair. Those were in fact older BMWs (X5 and 5-series) with a different face, so not really cars that European buyers were queuing for. In our own country, however, about 25 thousand copies of these models were sold.

In the meantime, Vinfast did not sit still, because a completely new factory was built in 2019, while the R&D department developed its own electric platform. The first two models are almost ready for production and we have already seen and felt the VF e35 in person. We have to keep the photo and video image that we made last Wednesday under wraps until mid-November, but we can tell you that the final car is almost identical to the renders below. A – certainly for a starting brand – very mature-looking SUV, but it also comes from the drawing board of the renowned design house Pininfaria, where, to say the least, they have often chopped with that axe.

The voluptuous shoulder lines are reminiscent of Porsche’s Macan, the rear light units have some Mégane with Mustang traits and you might think of Citroën or Renault when you think of the nose, but that is not correct. Lead designer Kevin Rice tells us when asked that the front is inspired by the rice fields of Vietnam; we’re just quoting. Inside we find a very tidy dashboard, with no instrument cluster behind the wheel, but with a huge, Tesla-esque (but landscape) screen in the middle. A poker is missing, in its place are four (P, R, N and D) large, separate buttons on the center tunnel.

We wonder what Citroën will think of the Vinfast logo. Rotated 180 degrees, it looks very much like the (slid together) double chevron and whoever finds that a bit far-fetched, we want to remind you of the legal riot that started earlier between Citroën and Polestar. This could pose a small challenge for Vinfast’s trademark lawyers.

The VF e35 has a wheelbase of 2.95 meters and that provides a considerable legroom in the back. The car will have a 90 kWh battery pack, which should give it a range of at least 500 km. Vinfast has an electric motor ready that delivers 150 kW and 320 Nm, which comes on only the front axle or in duplicate at the front and rear. The desired configuration is considered from market to market. Smooth loading is a top priority at Vinfast, the people we speak promise us. In any case, the brand will not go for less than 150 kW on the fast charger.

In addition to the VF e35, Vinfast also has the larger VF e36 (106 kWh, at least 550 km) available, which with its enormous dimensions and more pronounced design will probably find more popularity in the United States. Because indeed, in addition to Europe, Vinfast also has the US in its sights. Definitely a challenge, because the older generation of Americans may have less associations with Vietnam.

Anyway, Europe, or more interestingly, the Netherlands: by July next year Vinfast wants to have the first copies in our country, the real renditions should follow in November 2022. For those who are still a bit skeptical about Vinfast: very understandable, but know that Vinfast is a brand of the Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest private company, active in technology, industry and services. In addition to cars, it builds electric scooters (which it claims is the market leader in its own country) and electric buses and even operates holiday parks and hospitals. Also know that Vinfast has managed to attract the former CEO of Opel, Michael Lohscheller, and that the team (also Dutch) managers that will make Vinfast’s European advance have largely earned their spurs at Tesla. A brand to keep an eye on.