With Earth Day just around the corner, it’s an electric week at Auto123 as we turn the lights towards noteworthy developments in the EV segment.
On the eve of the opening of the Montreal Electric Vehicle Show, Vietnamese automaker VinFast announced a significant price reduction for the three-row VF 9 SUV, its second model coming to Canada.
The company also confirmed that the first units of the all-electric VF 9 will arrive in Canada this month.
An e-mail sent to buyers who had reserved a VF 9 brought the news to everyone's attention. The electric SUV will now be offered at a starting price of $74,890, down from $103,750. The VF 9 Plus variant, which offers additional equipment, will start at $78,890.
With all applicable fees, total prices are now $77,321 and $81,321, respectively.
The company is doing this because, well, it simply had no choice. Priced at over $100,000, the VF 9 would have had no chance of competing with a product like the new Kia EV9 making its debut this year at a much more reasonable price of $59,999, which makes it eligible for added EV discounts from both levels of government.
"We believe this new price offers a more competitive option for Canadian VinFast enthusiasts," said the company via an (under) statement.
While the VF 9 looks good, how it handles and how reliable it is both remain to be determined. The EV boasts a range of up to 531 km, and a dual-motor configuration means its 402 hp are sent to all four wheels. The fact that it seats seven makes it attractive, since there’s definitely more demand than supply currently in the electric 7-seater segment.
VinFast is present this weekend at the Salon du véhicule électrique de Montréal with its VF 9, should you happen to be in the area and want a closer look.
VinFast, which delivered nearly 35,000 vehicles last year, hopes to sell 100,000 worldwide this year. The company will have to roll up its sleeves though because in the first quarter of 2024, it delivered around 10,000 units.