Vinfast’s first EV is almost ready for the world

If you want to lose a lot of money, become an automobile manufacturer. Cars are incredibly difficult to build and scaling up manufacturing is nearly impossible. It took Tesla several years to bring the Model 3 to market after the Model S and Model X hit the road. So Vietnam’s Vinfast’s decision to become an EV automaker after spending a few years building vehicles based on BMW’s platforms is insane. And yet, this week we had the opportunity to drive the VF 8, the first VinFast EV to land in the United States.

Driving the VF 8 in San Diego was a reminder of the difficulty of building a vehicle. While we were impressed with what the company did, we also have to report that the VF8 electric SUV needs work if it’s really going to compete with the rest of the US EV market.

Oddly, VinFast drove us a lease-only California version that’s actually only available in the Golden State. It has a shorter range than its competitors and the standard version of the vehicle that’s hitting US shores right now.

However, overall, we found that the car needs tweaks (most of which are software) for a few more months in the increasingly competitive mid-size electric SUV market. But don’t count them out: VinFast has the foundation to become a major player sooner than you think. Check out our first drive video below for the full story.