Vietnamese automaker VinFast is pulling a late demand lever in 2024 to entice US customers to get behind the wheel of its VF 8 SUV. Designed for SUV-loving families in the US, the VinFast VF 8 is now available to lease for well under $300 a month with $0 down.
The VF 8 is VinFast’s ($VFS) flagship EV, hitting the US market two years ago as a 2023 model. We drove the VF 8 early on, and it was fine, but there were some clear bugs that needed to be sorted out. We noted that 2024 would be a pivotal year for the Vietnamese automaker looking to raise revenues and make up for missed delivery targets in 2023.
This year, the automaker turned to its parent company, Vingroup, and its founder for additional funding while launching two new models, including the three-row VF 9.
Although it faced early software hiccups, VinFast pushed forward to get more of its VF 8 SUVs on US roads, pulling demand levers while expanding its stateside dealer network. Today, VinFast has announced an enticing new lease program for the VF 8 that requires $0 down at signing.
VinFast is offering a VF 8 lease for $279/month
VinFast published a press release today that is more of a love letter to its flagship VF 8 SUV, which includes a little tidbit about a new lease deal. Once you get through the paragraphs of the Vietnamese automaker shilling its innovation and nod to its spot on TIME’s 2024 list of influential companies, there’s a juicy little bonus for any customers interested in a super cheap EV lease from a relatively unknown and unproven automaker.
VinFast hailed its new VF 8 lease offer as one of the most competitive in the US, and that’s hard to argue. Right now, you can lease a base-level ECO trim of the SUV for $0 down and $279 a month thereafter. The VinFast VF 8 lease term is 24 months and includes 10,000 miles a year.
Note that VinFast does not have showrooms in all 50 states yet, so if interested, it’s best to see if the VF 8 and subsequent lease are even possible in your area. What do you think? Would you test out a VF 8 for two years and save some green?
Electrek’s take
The value of this lease offer for a VF 8 from VinFast can’t be denied, but it’s still a tough sell for a number of reasons. As someone who has driven the VF 8, I think it’s more than adequate and can do the job for many people, especially those new to EVs who don’t have anything to compare it to.
My first ride was far too early on in the development process, and there were too many issues for me to forget, so I’d personally pass on this offer. However, VinFast has done a lot of work to resolve those software issues for other consumers.
I still think the biggest hurdle here is brand awareness. The average US consumer has no idea VinFast exists and is not seeking out more information on it to perhaps stumble upon this VF 8 lease deal. It’s a steal for those who are aware of the brand and feel comfortable committing to two years of driving one, but that feels like a niche segment in an already small market sample.
I also think this demand lever shows evidence that VinFast is not making the impact on the US market it had hoped with the VF 8. I’ll be interested to see where their 2024 financials land and how those compare to a year ago, when deliveries were lower than expected. We will keep an eye on that and report back.
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