Vinfast shows off VF Wild electric pick-up concept at CES 2024

Vinfast Auto, the Vietnamese carmaker, is a company in a hurry. Just 6 years old, it has already charged into the highly competitive US market and is even building a factory there to make some models.

Following its US debut in 2021, Vinfast announced that it will stop producing vehicles with combustion engines by the end of 2022 and become an all-electric carmaker. It’s a bold move which only a few legacy carmakers want to make but then again, Vinfast is a newcomer so it is still nimble enough to change course quickly if necessary.

The Vinfast range has SUV models in the A to E segments so it has just about every sector of the market covered. But it is also looking at broadening its range and at CES 2024 this week, it is displaying an electric pick-up truck concept – the VF Wild.

With an overall length of 5324 mm and a width of 1997 mm, the VF Wild’s dimensions place it in the mid-size pickup category where models like the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-MAX do battle.

The flexible bed size is complemented by a power-folding mid-gate. Depending on the configuration, the bed length can be anything from 1.5 metres to 2.4 metres, with the rear seats able to fold down automatically.

With the functionality of the expanding bed (which would be the largest in its segment), work and play can be done comfortably, The design also integrates a panoramic glass roof and digital side mirrors to improve aerodynamics.

The VF Wild concept was jointly developed by VinFast and Australian design studio Gomitiv. The design, developed over 8,000 hours, has a striking ‘Fluid Dynamism’’ aesthetic that is unique. It is said to be inspired by the flowing motion of a superhero’s cape in the wind.

The choice of ‘wild’ in the concept’s name 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’.

“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 pick-up truck market,” said Tran Mai Hoa, Deputy CEO of Sales and Marketing, VinFast Global.

Depending on what public response is, Vinfast is likely to then take the feedback to develop a production model. The radical appearance may be toned down and the powertrain probably adapted from one already used by the other models. One thing for sure – Vinfast has shown that it operates very fast (like its name) and we could see a pre-production model by the next CES.

2024 North American Car, Truck & Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards