Vietnam’s VinFast is the latest automaker to succumb to the charm of mini electric vehicles that are all the rave in China at the moment.
We’ve seen recently the GM-backed Baojun Yep mini electric SUV making a splash in China, and now it’s time to take a look at a similar vehicle VinFast has unveiled in Vietnam, the VF3. Designed specifically for its home market, the VinFast VF3 measures just 122.6 inches (3,114 millimeters) in length, making it some 10 inches smaller than the Baojun Yep.
Despite that, VinFast says the VF3 offers sufficient interior space to accommodate up to five people and some luggage in the rear trunk – that may be the overstatement of the year. As with the Baojun Yep, the VF3 adopts a two-door boxy SUV design with a tall body for decent ground clearance.
Highlights include the square headlights and side mirrors, the bulged hood, stylized V-shaped bird logo on the front and rear bumpers, the chunky plastic wheel arches, and the floating roof treatment. The tiny EV rides on 16-inch wheels and will be available with a wide range of body colors.
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Inside, the VinFast VF3 adopts a minimalist approach to maximize passenger space. The shallow dashboard features a single information display behind the steering wheel and no visible physical buttons or a center console. VinFast says basic smart features are fully integrated to ensure a “comfortable and convenient user experience.”
Under the skin, the VinFast VF3 features an electric motor and battery that are said to offer “impressive travel distance” tailored to the needs and daily usage patterns of most Vietnamese drivers. Unfortunately, the automaker did not reveal any specifications, but it would seem that the VF3 has a single-motor 2WD powertrain.
The VF3 will be available in two trims, Eco and Plus, and will be accessibly priced to appeal to the masses. VinFast says the tiny EV has the potential to become the new “national vehicle” for the Vietnamese people, helping fulfill the car dreams of millions of families and serving as a powerful catalyst for the widespread adoption of electric cars in the country.
Unfortunately, Vietnamese buyers will have to wait more than a year for the VF3’s launch. VinFast expects to start taking orders for the mini EV in September 2023 and begin deliveries in the third quarter of 2024.
The VF3 will become VinFast’s seventh all-electric model after the VF5 Plus, VF e34, VF6, VF7, VF8, and VF9.
