VinFast considers launching $20,000 VF 3 electric car as US dealers show interest
Vietnamese EV maker VinFast (VFS) may launch the cheapest EV in the US soon. VinFast showed off its VF 3 electric car to US dealers, which could launch at under $20,000.
VinFast is mulling adding a fifth electric model to its US offerings that could serve an important market.
The EV maker currently sells the VF e34, VF 5, VF 8, and VF 9, but new models are on the way. VinFast is preparing to launch the VF 6 and VF 7 in Vietnam ahead of global deliveries.
Its most recent addition – the VF 3. Although the electric minicar is specifically designed for Vietnam, it could find another home in the US, among other global markets.
VinFast unveiled the VF 3 in June, a compact but functional electric mini car. The mini SUV is only 10.2 feet long (3,114 mm) but can fit five people.
Although the vehicle is compact, it features plenty of ground clearance and is equipped with 16″ wheels.
VinFast is expected to begin selling the VF 3 sales in Vietnam next year. So, what about the US?
Is VinFast launching a $20,000 electric car in the US?
Representatives from the company told Automotive News that VinFast is considering adding the electric car to its US lineup. The VinFast VF 3 could start at around $20,000 as the cheapest EV in the states.
VinFast is shifting its strategy as it looks to sell models through US dealers. The EV maker has had several meetings already, with overall feedback coming back positive.
VinFast told AN, “We are discussing with a majority of large, well-established dealers across the US, following the positive responses from our dealers.” Adding “Further details will be announced in due course.”
Duke Hale, a VinFast advisor, explained with other A-segment vehicles like the Chevy Spark and Fiat 500 being discontinued, it could leave an opening for VinFast.
Potential VinFast dealers want the VF 3 to attract buyers looking for an affordable EV starting around $20,000.
Hale said the EV maker had two meetings with prospective dealers in the past month. VinFast even brought a life-sized foam model of the VF3 to show dealers.
The advisor said nearly all of the dealers (about 100 of them) wanted to see the VF 3 make its way to the US.
“They liked the whole lineup, but the VF 3, I would say, got an almost 100 percent response.” Hale explained in an interview, “They really liked the VF 3, and the reason is it’s probably sub-$20,000.”
Although pricing has yet to be revealed for the VF 3, VinFast’s larger VF 6 starts at roughly $26,000 in Vietnam.
VinFast revealed four EVs for its US lineup, including the VF 6, VF 7, VF 8, and three-row VF 9. It also broke ground on its first US EV plant in July. But, a $20,000 electric car would offer something unique and in demand.
Electrek’s Take
Although the US market is known for its large trucks and SUVs, there’s a growing segment of buyers looking for smaller, more efficient vehicles.
In this segment, price is generally a big concern (in addition to efficiency). At $20,000, the VF 3 could offer “something no other automaker can likely touch,” according to Hale.
The VF 3 could also qualify for the $7,500 EV tax credit through leasing, potentially bringing prices as low as $12,500 for shoppers.
VinFast is struggling to gain traction in the US market, with EV leader Tesla slashing prices all year, forcing other automakers to follow. When asked why US dealers would want an electric minicar, Haley pointed to being a “price leader” and attracting younger buyers.
The company has already lowered prices to compete, but without an established brand, the road ahead could be even more challenging.
A $20,000 electric car would be the perfect addition to VinFast’s US portfolio. The brand could establish itself in a segment poised to keep growing.
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![Yangwang U9 Xtreme cracks 300 mph to become fastest production car EVER [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/09/Yangwang-U9-Xtreme.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Move over, Bugatti! The new Chinese Yangwang U9 Xtreme electric hypercar just blasted its way to a staggering, 308.4 mph top speed on a German test track, seizing the “world’s fastest car” crown and busting the last traces of the myth that electric cars are slow.
Just weeks after BYD announced that the nearly 3,000 hp, all-electric Yangwang U9 Track Edition model set a new global speed record for electric vehicles after hitting a ridiculous 472.41 km/h (~293 mph), the Yangwang crew returned to Germany’s Automotive Testing Papenburg GmbH (ATP) test track with the U9 Xtreme with its sights set on a new goal. They didn’t want the world’s fastest EV title – they wanted the world’s fastest production car title. Period.
The BYD Yangwang crew got that record, rocketing all the way to 496.22 km/h – that’s 308.4 mph to you and me!
“This record was only possible because the U9 Xtreme simply has incredible performance,” explains German GT racing driver Marc Basseng, who piloted the Chinese EV on its record-setting run. “Technically, something like this is not possible with a combustion engine. Thanks to the electric motor, the car is quiet, there are no load changes, and that allows me to focus even more on the track.”
The Yangwang U9 features the world’s first mass-produced 1,200V ultra-high-voltage vehicle platform. Developed by BYD, the car is powered by the company’s latest li-ion phosphate batteries in BYD’s now-familiar “blade” configuration.
The U9 Xtreme’s record-setting run dethrones the previous Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, which managed 304.8 mph back in 2019. The Bugatti now has to settle for the lesser “world’s fastest combustion-powered production car” title, which is objectively lame.
Definitely NOT lame
The company says it’s selling “no more than 30” of the Xtreme U9 EVs, presumably to customers with incredibly long driveways. The Xtreme version features smaller, 20″ wheels (instead of 21s), and gets wider, 325 mm tires (up from 275 mm) to match the rears. The fronts also ride on a narrower track.
You can watch Marc Messang put the 3,000 hp Yangwang U9 Xtreme electric hypercar to the test in the video, below, then let us know what you think of China’s first-ever world record-setting vehicle in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
Fastest production car EVER
SOURCE: CarNewsChina.
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With dual electric motors pumping out 776 hp, over 400 miles of all-electric range, and a relatively low MSRP, the new AUDI E5 Flagship Quattro electric wagon is electrifying the Chinese wagon market – scoring over 10,000 orders in its first thirty minutes on sale!
First launched last fall, the new Audi-backed AUDI sub-brand kept the sexy wagon aesthetic but ditched the Germans’ interlocking rings and Auto Union heritage in favor of a simple, all-caps AUDI logo on the E concept wagon. Now seen in production trim, the production AUDI E5 Sportback is surprisingly true to the original concept – except in the horsepower department, that is.
But, while a production car having lower horsepower figures than the concept car that preceded it is pretty typical, the production AUDI E5 is different: it actually offers more peak power than the 765 hp concept!
That’s right, kids! the range-topping Flagship Quattro version of the new AUDI E5 Sportback offers buyers 776 horsepower (that’s 11 more than the concept), and gets 402 miles (CLTC) of range from its 100 kWh battery. And, while that version is a monster, even the base-level Pioneer version at just 235,900 yuan ($33,000, as I type this) offers a 76 kWh battery pack sending power to a 295 hp rear-mounted electric motor and over 600 km of range (~385 miles).
It’s a solid achievement in value and tech, and the Audi people seem pretty proud of themselves. “The AUDI E5 Sportback is our first model based on the Advanced Digitized Platform, and it delivers on our brand promise: the best of both worlds,” says Fermín Soneira, CEO of the Audi and SAIC Cooperation Project. “Audi’s DNA and engineering excellence is blended with China’s digital ecosystem and innovations, specifically tailored for our tech-savvy customers.”
And it’s pretty.
AUDI E5 Sportback
The wagon’s exterior, while not necessarily shouting “Audi” in the conventional, Western sense, is still proportioned well enough to carry the four rings (or, looked at another way, a VW logo). But, while it’s a great-looking wagon on the outside, it’s on the inside that the all-new E5 AUDI Sportback really sets itself apart.
The interior of the AUDI E5 Sportback is noticeably different from any Audi model, being much more inline with similar entry-luxe EVs sold in China. The E5 dash also sports a 59″-inch” wide screen that stretches across the entire dash, digital side mirrors, Alcantara seating surfaces, and wireless phone chargers.
All that tech is powered by the QUALCOMM Snapdragon 8295 automotive chipset with 5-nanometer precision and the ability to perform 30 billion operations per second, and the Chinese-market AUDI OS offers what its makers call, “an intuitive experience designed to make the vehicle occupants’ lives easier.”
You can take a look at the new E5 Sportback’s interior, below, then let us know whether or not you think an Audi AUDI like this (and its purple mood lighting) would be a hot seller Stateside in the comments.
E5 Sportback interior
SOURCE | IMAGES: AUDI.
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While Tesla has struggled to deliver on the hype of its self-driving promises, Einride has been quietly developing a Level 4 self-driving electric truck. Now, that quiet effort is paying off. For the first time, the company is operating a fully autonomous, heavy-duty EV on public roads in Europe.
The Einride Level 4 autonomous HDEV is being operated under a relatively new Belgian regulatory framework, and showcases how Einride (and Europe) might hope to take the lead in advancing autonomous freight technology. Now in service at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, one of the most complex logistics centers in the world, Einride believes its autonomous trucks can move goods with more efficiency and lower emissions than human-driven, diesel-powered rivals.
“Antwerp is more than a logistical hub,” explains Johan Klaps, an alderman at the port of Antwerp. “(Antwerp) is also a place where the mobility of tomorrow is tested and concretized. Autonomous and sustainable applications such as Einride’s proves that innovation is a driver for competitiveness and economic growth.”
Einride autonomous HDEV
The Einride truck itself is an impressive piece of engineering, fitted with a robust 320 kWh li-ion battery pack that promises more than 650 km (405 miles) of all-electric range, thanks to a combination of slippery aerodynamics, energy-efficient electric drive motors, and (of course) the energy-smart driving tactics employed by its impressive self-driving software.
Einride says its autonomous driving system (backed by a remote operator, Waymo-style, to help deal with edge cases) processes over 5 million data points per second, using radar and LiDAR to feed AI that generates real-time driving instructions for seamless navigation and freight delivery. And, thanks to its purpose-built, cab-less design and 82,000 lb. GVWR, each electric truck can operate with fewer than one remote operator per vehicle, paving the way for far more cost-efficient and expansive logistics operations without the need for many more operators.
“What we are seeing today in Antwerp perfectly aligns with European ambitions,” says Andrea De Candido, Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM) DG RTD – European Commission. “(We’re) developing innovative technologies that are efficient, safe, sustainable and scalable. Through pioneering projects like this, we strengthen Europe’s position in future-oriented automated mobility solutions.”
With driver shortages still hitting the industry and electric semi fleets already running across Europe, the Middle East, and even here in the US, it’s only a matter of time before Einride rolls out its autonomous trucks in more markets.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Einride; via LinkedIn.
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