Vietnamese EV automaker VinFast to open first 6 showrooms in US this week

Vietnamese Electric Vehicle (EV) automaker VinFast is scheduled to open six U.S. showrooms on Jul 14 and 30 more by the end of 2022, all of which will be located in the Golden State.

The company reported that it would be opening stores in Berkeley, Commerce, Corte Madera, San Diego, San Mateo and Santa Monica this Thursday, starting with two EV models.

The first is a five-seater VF8 electric SUV, priced at around $40,700, and the second is a larger, three-row, seven-seater VF9 priced at $55,000.

VinFast also boasts an interesting business model, with its batteries being for lease and not for sale. The company plans to have consumers subscribe to a battery plan rather than purchase one, arguing that EV battery performances degrade over time.

The two options include one with unlimited mileage, starting at $110 per month for the smaller model and $160 for the larger, and one good for 310 miles of driving per month, with a flat monthly fee plus per-mile charges ranging from $0.11 to $0.15.

Earlier last month, VinFast made preparations to begin construction of a $4 billion, 2,000-acre factory in North Carolina, where it promised to create 7,500 jobs.

VinFast was founded in Hanoi in 2017, and initially declared its intentions in 2021 to bring its vehicles to the States by March 2022.

Featured Image via Supercar Blondie

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