2023 VinFast VF 9

The VF 9 measures 201.5 inches in length, with a 124.0-inch wheelbase. That lands right between the Palisade and the R1S. Like the slightly smaller VF 8, Italy’s Pininfarina took the lead role in designing the VF9, though final details were refined by an in-house styling team. For such a large vehicle, the overall look is refined and sporty, almost wagon-like.

As with the VF 8, the bigger crossover was originally intended to use a gas engine. The strategy was shifted to all-electric power midway through the development process. One benefit was the addition of a frunk, or front trunk, under the hood. 

The VF 9 features three rows, the versions shown so far configured for six passengers, though a mid-row bench option allowing room for seven will also be available. The back row sits slightly higher, due to the layout of the electric crossover’s battery pack, but it appears to have enough head and legroom for two adults.

Like the smaller VF 8, there’s a degree of eccentricity to the layout of the instrument panel. Both vehicles forego a conventional gauge cluster. Like Teslas, both SUVs use a big central screen for almost every function, but also get a head-up display. Drivers can also use buttons on the steering wheel or the VF 9’s voice control system.

The infotainment package incorporates an Alexa-style personal voice assistant. You simply have to say, “Hey, Vinfast,” and issue a plain English command to set a destination, change the cabin temperature, even operate the oversized sunroof. The automaker plans an extensive array of features using the infotainment system, from cloud-based navigation to streaming video, among others.

Also, like the VF8, expect the bigger crossover to incorporate a variety of advanced driver assistance systems, such as active cruise control, forward collision warning with auto-braking and blind-spot detection. The automaker is working up a semi-autonomous driving package, as well, but it may not be available at launch.

American-spec VF 9s will be all-wheel-drive, with separate motors on the front and rear axles. VinFast officials say they will make a combined 402 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque, enough to launch from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds—roughly the same as the smaller Toyota bZ4X.

The crossover is expected to feature a 110 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack which, the automaker estimates, will yield as much as 369 miles per charge. That figure is based on the global WLTP test cycle, however, and is likely to drop anywhere from 10 to 25% once tested by the EPA for the American market. Even then, that would appear to make it one of the longer-range options in its class. The launch edition of the Rivian R1S relies on a 135-kWh pack to get an EPA-rated 316 miles per charge.

VinFast claims you’ll be able to go from a 10 to 70% state-of-charge in around 30 minutes using a high-speed public charger offering at least 150 kW of power. Charging times using a home 240-volt Level 2 charger have not been revealed—but, due to the size of the pack, it is likely to take 8 hours or more with a drained battery.

When Will the VinFast VF 9 be Available?

VinFast initially planned to launch the VF 9 (and the VF 8) in the U.S. late this year. It has signaled the debut may be pushed back into 2023, however. Either way, it’s planning a staged roll-out beginning in California and other markets with high BEV sales. It eventually plans to offer the electric crossover in all 50 states.

How Much Will the VinFast VF 7 Cost?

The base price for the 2023 VinFast VF 9 will be $55,500. The electric crossover will be eligible for a U.S. federal tax credit of up to $7,500, as well as state and other incentives, where applicable. There won’t be many other nine-passenger fully-electric SUVs on the market in 2023, but the Kia EV9 is one potential competitor that might be cheaper than the Rivian R1S.

VinFast also offered a $5,000 voucher for those who signed up for its advance reservation program, dubbed the Pioneer Club—but that program ended in April. The $200 up-front deposit also got you the full suite of ADAS safety gear—and a 6-night stay at a 5-star resort in Vietnam run by the automaker’s parent, the VinGroup.

The really unusual part of the plan is that you’ll be buying the vehicle sans batteries. The pack will be leased, instead. Two plans will be available, including a base option at $44 a month that provides a free 310 miles of use each month. After that, you’ll pay 15 cents for each additional mile. The alternative is an all-you-can-drive package at $160 a month.