VinFast Unveils VF Wild Electric Pickup Concept, Wins Tech Award at CES 2024
Challenging the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian RT1, Tesla Cybertruck, and a host of other trucks from other American carmakers is the VF Wild, a concept electric pickup from Vietnamese EV maker VinFast was just introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
Only a concept vehicle for now, the VF Wild concept was jointly developed by VinFast and Australian design studio Gomitiv. Sources at VinFast, however, told CleanTechnica during the VinPrize awards last December that, though there is no official announcement of when the pickup is to be released, it may be slated for production towards early 2025, with exports possibly starting in the latter part of that year. This schedule is very fluid because the “acceptance at the CES, with the US being the intended market, may move the schedule earlier.”
“We are very proud to introduce the VF Wild concept, which encapsulates our mission to make sustainable, high-quality electric vehicles accessible to a broader market. This is not just a new product in our offering — it showcases our aspiration to venture into the fast-paced and thriving electric pickup truck market,” said Tran Mai Hoa, Deputy CEO of Sales and Marketing at VinFast Global.
The technical specifications are still unconfirmed at this time, but our sources say that the vehicle may come with an already developed and tested, switchable, four-wheel drive system with two motors and will have VinFast’s energy technology that has a tougher battery containment unit.
The VF Wild’s design, developed over 8,000 hours, is based on the idea of “Fluid Dynamism,” which is an aesthetic that is unique to this vehicle — inspired by the flowing motion of a superhero’s cape in the wind.
This rugged and futuristic design, with a muscular stance, a standout set of alloy wheels, chiseled lines, a prominent front grille, and the proprietary VF headlights and finisher combine to create the ubiquitous pickup silhouette. The truck is also equipped with large off-road tires and plenty of ground clearance.
It sites itself in the US mid-size pickup category with an overall length of 209 inches (5324mm) and a width of 79 inches (1997mm). VinFast describes this size as an “efficiently packaged footprint” that can change with its unique “flexible bed size” feature.
The flexible bed size — the most unique feature of the VF Wild — can be attained by a power folding mid-gate where the rear wall of the cabin folds down, the rear seats along with it, creating a seamless extension of the cargo bed. This gives the truck a lot of versatility for hauling cargo of different shapes and sizes. This expands the rear cargo space from 5 to 8 feet at a touch of a button, effectively equipping the VF Wild with the largest bed in its segment.
“With the functionality of the expanding bed, work and play can be done in style and comfort. The design also integrates a panoramic glass roof and digital side mirrors to improve aerodynamics,” VinFast says in a press release.
The VF Wild is VinFast’s first attempt at a pickup truck.
In 2022, CleanTechnica asked VinFast engineers if the company was looking towards creating vehicles in other categories like sports cars, pickups, and small SUVs and crossovers. They said that with VinFast’s flexible manufacturing facilities and design, it was very easy to go into every segment — even commercial trucks and vans. They already launched, for release later in 2024, the VF3, a small crossover that may soon reach the US if reports are accurate.
The same source from VinFast said that in the product concept development, the US market was the intention for the pickup. But he said that there are other very strong pickup markets just close to Vietnam. He was referring to Thailand and Indonesia, in particular. Both are right-hand drive markets, but with the current engineering processes of VinFast, locating the driver side is “very simple to do.”
According to VinFast, the VF wild exemplifies its “commitment to broadening its product range and promoting sustainable mobility by making smart, safe, exciting electric vehicles accessible to everyone adding that the concept highlights VinFast’s innovative efforts to create a pickup truck with exceptional performance, catering to the new generation of consumers looking for innovation and eco-friendliness without compromising on performance and durability.”
VinFast’s brand-new electric vehicle concept was marked with a pivotal naming convention. “Wild” represents “the force of nature” and embodies the brand’s ethos of breaking boundaries to venture beyond and signifies its ongoing commitment toward a green future for everyone.
According to the designers, the name envisions a future where electric mobility is universally accessible and suitable to difficult terrain. “The VF Wild encourages customers to break free from the urban routine and fully immerse themselves in the beauty of nature.”
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