Could VinFast be launching in Malaysia soon? There’s no official word for now but it looks like the Vietnamese carmaker is testing its vehicles on our roads. Recently, paultan.org reader Haritharan Gunasegaran spotted an uncamouflaged VF5 (previously known as the VF e32) wearing local trade plates in Negeri Sembilan, which suggests VinFast is planning to make an entry here.
The sighting of the VF5 comes several weeks after another VinFast electric vehicle (EV), the VF e34, was also spotted wearing trade plates. The brand has already been launched in neighbouring Indonesia and Thailand, with a number of models announced for those markets.
The VF5 first made its debut at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) as an A-segment crossover that is positioned below the VF e34, VinFast’s first EV. In terms of dimensions, the VF5 measures 3,965 mm long, 1,720 mm wide, 1,580 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,513 mm, which makes it slightly larger than the current Perodua Myvi.
In its home country, the VF5 is offered as the VF5 Plus priced from 458 million Vietnamese dong or about RM85k. The powertrain features a front-mounted electric motor rated at 136 PS (134 hp or 100 kW) and 135 Nm of torque, enabling a 0-100 km/h time of 10.9 seconds.
The motor is powered by a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with an energy capacity of 37.23 kWh, which provides a NEDC-rated range of up to 326 km. With DC fast charging, the battery can get from a 10-70% state of charge in just 30 minutes.
The VF5 is currently listed on VinFast’s Thailand website with a reduced output of 95 PS (94 hp or 70 kW) and less range at 260 km (also NEDC), the latter likely due to a smaller battery. Thailand media outlets report the VF5 will be launched there sometime in August or September, after the VF e34 goes on sale this month.
Given the current RM100,000 minimum price cap for imported EVs in Malaysia, the VF5, if it were to be sold here, can’t be priced below that amount. This is also the case for the Neta V, which is about the same size as the VF5 and with similar outputs. Would you want to buy a VinFast EV in Malaysia? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
GALLERY: Vinfast VF 5
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