VinFast may release electric pickups in the future

According to foreign media reports, an executive of Vietnameseelectric vehiclestart-up VinFast said on June 23 that the company may eventually enter the electric pickup market.

VinFast, which is part of Vietnam's Vingroup Group, will launch an electric SUV in the U.S. market later this year, but its platform will also be available in the U.S., said Craig Westbrook, chief service officer for the company's U.S. division, at an Automotive Press Association event in Detroit. to produce other types of vehicles.

Responding to a question about whether VinFast would launch an electric pickup, Westbrook said: "We want to serve a market need. If we think that's what the market needs, and it's a particular fit for our brand, I think it's absolutely possible. Yes, it's Something we should think about.” Both Ford and GM are selling electric pickups, and Tesla plans to start producing its Cybertruck electric pickup in mid-2023.

Image credit: VinFast

VinFast started producing electric vehicles in Vietnam late last year, with a goal of producing only electric vehicles by 2023.Westbrook said production at the company's North Carolina plant remains on schedule, with production expected to start in July 2024.VinFast plans to build a150,000-vehicle plant in the United States to produce the VF8 and VF9 SUVs.

The VF8 and VF9 start at $40,700 and $55,500, respectively, but that price doesn't include battery lease fees.The final price for battery leases has yet to be determined, but Westbrook said it expects prices to be around $100 a month.

Westbrook also said that starting in 2024, VinFast will also offer the option to buy out the battery on-board.The company expects a 50/50 mix of consumers who choose to buy out and lease batteries.