EV Startup VinFast is Offering 3 Years of Free EV Charging and Advanced Driver Assist System for Customers That Reserve a Vehicle Through Sept 30

author: FutureCar Staff    

VinFast plans to build the VF 9 and VF 8 electric SUVs starting in July 2024 at its factory to be built in North Carolina.

Buyers of electric vehicles are often provided with additional perks, such as free charging sessions, in order to entice new customers to switch to an EV. Lucid Motors, for example, offers its customers two year of complimentary charging sessions from Electrify America with the purchase of the Lucid Air sedan. Now Vietnamese EV startup VinFast announced a similar deal designed to entice customers to reserve one of its new electric SUVs.

VinFast announced on Wednesday that all customers reserving the VinFast VF 8 or VF 9 SUV between now and September 30 will receive complimentary charging for three years and a one-year VinFast Smart Driving package, which includes Level 2+ ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) and a "Smart Services"' suite.

In addition, for reservations made before May 31, 2022, this new program will be automatically applied.

VinFast's "Charged-Up" program offers customers a choice of two attractive options. Option 1 provides customers with complimentary access to unlimited charging sessions for three years at Electrify America's coast-to-coast charging network.

Option 2 provides a free VinFast Level 2 Home Charger plus a $1200 credit that can be used towards home installation from one of VinFast's service partners.

For both options, VinFast is offering a "Smart Driving Package '' as part of the Charged-Up Program. 

Customers who reserve a VF 8 or VF 9 under the program will receive a free one-year VinFast Smart Driving package, including a SAE Level 2 advanced driver assist system (ADAS) and Smart Services suite with the purchase of their vehicle. 

This premium package includes, automated lane changing assist, smart parking assist, remote parking assist, smart summon mode, Amazon Alexa voice assistant, geo-fencing, live traffic, satellite view,  in-car shopping, mobile home and office enabling virtual assistant, streaming apps, games, web browsers, smart home control, and many more.

All customers that purchase a VF 8 and VF 9 electric SUV in 2022 and 2023 will also enjoy a permanent battery subscription cost for the entire service life of the vehicle that never increases.

The incentives are part of VinFast's goal of making premium EV ownership attainable for everyone. But its also aimed at getting drivers to switch to zero emissions, battery-powered vehicles.

A year ago sources told Reuters that VinFast was considering a U.S. IPO that could value the EV startup at $60 billion and make it attractive to investors.

In April, VinFast's Singapore-based holding company filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with U.S. securities regulators as the company makes preparations to enter the U.S. market.

The strong interest in electric vehicle stocks has helped make segment leader Tesla the world's most valuable automaker. Tesla's runaway success is paving the way for new companies like VinFast, along with China's electric vehicle startups XPeng and NIO Inc, to expand globally.

The IPO plans come after VinFast signed an MoU in April to build its electric vehicle factory in North Carolina. The company is investing up to $4 billion in the plant to build its electric vehicles in the U.S.

Global vehicles slated to be produced in North Carolina include the 7-passenger VF 9 and the 5-passenger, mid-size VF 8 SUV.

VinFast already owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex in Hai Phong, Vietnam that will have the capacity to produce around 950,000 EVs per year by 2026. 

VinFast unveiled the VF 8 and VF 9 at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Nov 2021, which were co-designed with Italian car design firm Pininfarina.The two electric SUVs will first go on sale in Europe, but are scheduled to reach the U.S. by the end of the year.

The company said prices for its VF8 electric SUV will start from $41,000 in the U.S. VinFast is targeting global sales of 42,000 vehicles this year. 

VinFast was founded in 2017. The EV startup says its strongly committed to a sustainable future of smart electric mobility. The company has already established global operations, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the U.S. 

VinFast completed construction of its EV factory in Vietnam and developed its first three car models in just 21 months, which is unprecedented in the auto industry. 

The electric automaker launched its VF e34 compact electric SUV for the Vietnamese market in 2021.

FutureCar Staff