VinFast has just received European approval for its VF8 electric SUV and plans to deliver the first vehicles to France, Germany and the Netherlands before the end of 2023.

Around 3,000 units of the Vinfast VF8 will be shipped from the company's factory in northern Vietnam to Germany, France and the Netherlands in the fourth quarter of 2023. Reuters learned this from an unnamed source, confirming plans previously revealed by Vinfast CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy.

The Tesla Model Y, Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen ID.4 rival is priced in France from 50,990 euros for the Eco version and from 59,390 euros for the Plus version. It looks expensive when you can buy a Model Y for €45,990, although the dual-motor VF8's claimed 471 km electric range is marginally better than the single-motor Y's 455 km and its 5.5 second 0-100 km/h time is closer to the 5.5 seconds achieved by the dual-motor, Lond Range Model Y (costs €52,990) than the 6.9 seconds of the base car.

Vinfast VF8

For now, the VF8 has received the scathing reviews from American motoring magazines. The VF 8 has been lambasted in print and online for everything from strange noises to a harsh ride, uncomfortable seats, a frustrating infotainment system and a short range.

Vinfast VF8

No new car in recent years has received such a beating, and while VinFast claims to have software fixes for some of these bugs, not all of the problems are the kind that can be fixed with a few keystrokes. Not surprisingly, U.S. sales have fallen short of Vinfast's expectations, with only 128 cars registered in the first five months of this year.

Source: Reuters, Carscoops