This New Car Brand Is Coming To India – Should Tata And Mahindra Be Worried?
Electric cars and SUVs are becoming a thing in India. The EV space has been spooling up so well that more manufacturers are now waiting for their India entries. However, the leaders here have been Tata Motors and JSW MG Motor India. Mahindra has lately joined the game with their electric-origin SUVs- the BE 6 and XEV 9e. A new car brand is now preparing to enter the Indian EV market with two compelling products. Vinfast, the Vietnam-based auto manufacturer will make its India debut at the Bharat Mobility Expo next week.
Vinfast India has shared a number of teasers and videos on its official YouTube channel, hinting at details of its market entry, what products are to be expected and so on. The manufacturer will showcase two of its electric SUVs at the Bharat Mobility Expo- the VF 7 and the VF 9. There could be more models/ concepts as displays, but these two are definitely heading to India soon. We’ll get to know details of the other showcases closer to the Expo. Let’s now take closer looks at the India-bound VF7 and VF9 electric SUVs.
Vinfast VF 7
The VF7 is a Hyundai Tucson-sized electric SUV that can seat five. It gets an interesting design comprising an almost swoopy, crossover-like silhouette, sporting light units at the front and rear that form VinFast’s V motifs. The SUV is being sold in two trims in many global markets- ECO and PLUS.
Both get the same 75.3kWh battery pack. However, the ECO gets a single motor setup that produces 204hp and 310Nm while the PLUS gets a dual motor configuration ( meaning AWD) which makes 354hp and 500Nm.
The manufacturer claims a WLTP range of 450km for the VF 7 Eco and 431km per charge for the Plus. The two trims also differ in their wheel sizes. The Eco wears 19-inch wheels while the Plus comes with 20- and 21-inchers, depending on buyer preferences. Another notable difference is the size of the touchscreen infotainment unit- the Eco has a 12.9-inch screen while the Plus gets a much larger 15-inch unit. Both trims will come with Level 2 ADAS features. The videos shared online hints at ( read confirms!) the same.
VinFast VF 9
The second product that we know is coming is the VF 9 e- SUV. This is a much larger, three-row electric SUV that can seat six or seven, depending on the seating configuration. Going by dimensions, the VF 9 is bigger than the Audi Q7! It is in fact, the largest electric SUV in the manufacturer’s global lineup and is now making it to India, possibly to battle the KIA EV 9.
Like its smaller sibling, the VF 9 will also come in Eco and Plus variants- both will have a massive 123kWh battery pack with a claimed WLTP range of up to 531km ! The dual motor setup on the Plus trim will produce 408hp and 620Nm. According to manufacturer claims, the VF9 Eco will be able to do the 0-100 kph sprint in just 6.6 seconds. The AWD-equipped Plus variant will do the same in 6.7 seconds.
In global markets, the VF9 Eco gets 20 inch wheels, while the Plus comes with 21 inchers. The VF9 Plus also gets roof rails and features like auto-dimming outside rearview mirrors, powered, heated and ventilated first- and second-row seats with a massage function, an 8-inch rear infotainment screen, 13 speakers with a sub-woofer and a panoramic sunroof.
VinFast’s India Plans
VinFast seems to have promising plans for the Indian market. We’ll get more information on their game plan and strategies at the Expo next week. Vinfast began building its India manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu, in February 2024, and even appointed ex-Skoda India director Zac Hollis as its Asia head. Things could brew up well in the coming months…