For the past couple of months, we saw the arrival of several new brands. That said, most of these new brands have come from China. It’s not much of a surprise given than the Chinese auto industry is hell bent on global expansion.
This time around, yet another new player has entered the arena. In a breath of fresh air, the said automaker is Vietnam. Yes folks, after months of teasers and preparations, VinFast has officially landed in the Philippines.
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VinFast Philippines enters the local market with a four-car strong lineup, all of which are EVs. On top of that, there’s another new model we can anticipate soon.
VinFast VF e34
The first in this list is the VF e34, the entry-level model in VinFast’s lineup. This model is notable for being the first in-house chassis developed by the automaker. The subcompact crossover gets juice from a 42 kWh battery with its single electric motor putting out 148hp and 242Nm to the front wheels. Reange is estimated at 285km per the NEDC cycle.
VinFast VF5
Moving up a notch (but down in size) is the VF5. Like the VF e34, it’s also a subcompact crossover and, at under four meters long, the smallest in the lineup. Charged by a 37.23 kWh battery, the VF5 has a range of approximately 326km (NEDC cycle) and has an output of 134hp and 135Nm of torque.
VinFast VF7
For those looking for a larger model, there’s the VF7. It’s a bit on an in-betweener, this crossover. At just over 4.5 meters long, it’s on the larger end of the subcompact class and creeping in on the compact market. Based on information during the launch, there are two versions available.
There’s the single-motor variant that makes 174hp and 250Nm, while the other is a dual-motor all-wheel drive model with 349hp and 500Nm. VinFast reckons a range of 375km and 431km for the single and dual-motor models respectively.
VinFast VF9
Serving as the flagship model of the VinFast lineup is the VF9. It’s easily the largest model in the range at over 5.1 meters long and exactly 2 meters wide. Like the VF7, there are two versions potentially available for the Philippines.
The first variant is the Base while the other is the CATL Plus. Both use a dual-motor arrangement to give it all-wheel drive. Each of its electric motors produce 150kW each for a total of 300kW. In terms of horsepower and torque, we’re looking at 402hp and 620Nm of torque. There are no official range numbers for the Base yet, although the CATL Plus is rated up to 602km
It’s also worth pointing out that VinFast is dead serious about its commitment in the Philippines. As early as now, there are six established dealers that are ready to serve by June. Also, for extra peace of mind, VinFast is even offering a 10-year warranty on its vehicles.
At the time of writing, VinFast Philippines did not give any price estimates for any of its offerings. Also, the specifications and equipment levels for the Philippine market are yet to be finalized. However, the company says that it aims to make electric mobility ‘as attainable as possible’. We’ll hold on to that promise and try out their EV crossovers as soon as these are available.
