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Vietnamese automaker VinFast plans to expand to North America with two new electric SUVs.The compact VF e35 and VF e36 look attractive with styling by Pininfarina.Claimed electric range for the smaller e35 is as high as 310 miles per charge while the larger e36 is supposedly good for up t0 422 miles.After announcing Los Angeles as its home base for a new North American operation, Vietnamese automaker VinFast is turning its sights on launching two new electric SUVs. The company’s ambitious plans include production models of the compact VF e35 and the mid-size VF e36. Both wear stylish bodies designed by Pininfarina and boast claimed driving ranges as high as 422 miles per charge.
Two different sized battery packs will be available on each model. The compact VF e35 will come standard with a battery that should deliver around 285 miles per charge but a larger battery with up to 310 miles of range will be optional. The mid-size VF e36 will come with either a 301- or 422-mile range.VinFast Global CEO Michael Lohscheller told Car and Driver that the company’s first two EV models will initially be produced in Vietnam and imported to the U.S. and Canada, but that there is a plan to localize production in North America starting in the second half of 2024.

Lohscheller also detailed the company’s European plans, which includes launching these battery-electric models in Germany, France, and the Netherlands. While he wouldn’t comment on sales goals for either continent, Lohscheller acknowledged the plans are ambitious.”More important is we launch a brand and I think that is a very important and also careful exercise,” he said. “Obviously everybody has ambitious volume including ourself, but for me most important is that we position the brand right. Get our first customers very excited, very happy about that. That matters more than any sales volume.”As shown at the 2021 Los Angeles auto show, the VF e35 and VF e36 look fairly complete, but similar to other upstart automakers showing production-intent concepts, they need a bit more polish before heading to production. The interior of the e35, also styled by Pininfarina, appears to be stylish and comfortable–although we were unable to sit inside it at the show. The e36 doesn’t appear to be as close to being production ready as the smaller model, as it was displayed without an interior at all.
“Our biggest push initially will be on simplification and safety, said David Lyon, Director of Design for VinFast. “We don’t have a traditional gauge cluster like most OEMs, our vehicles all have a full color, windshield projection head-up display. It’s a very open, spacious interior. You interface with the steering wheel controls to operate the vehicle, your hands are on the wheel, and your eyes are on the road.” VinFast won’t have a traditional dealership sales model; instead it’s looking to adopt a direct-sales model as pioneered by electric-vehicle rival Tesla. Reservations open in spring 2022 and deliveries are said to be on track for fall 2022. Early adopters can also expect a sort of concierge-style servicing model for their cars where a traveling technician can meet up to perform repairs or maintenance.
“We will hire lots of service people who will come to your house, said Lohscheller. “If you have a problem obviously we will fix it digitally if it can be done, if not we come to your house and either fix it there or we give you a replacement car and we fix it in our service shops.”Pricing has not been announced but Lohscheller explained that one of the purchasing options will involve a battery rental program which will allow buyers to swap to a more advanced battery in the future when one becomes available. “So you buy the car, but if you’re worried that maybe the next generation battery is much better, you can just rent your battery and go to the next generation battery after that,” he said.The company will focus first on the California market before expanding to other states and plans to eventually open as many as 60 showrooms so prospective customers can come see the SUVs for themselves and consider their options.
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Kia has revealed the EV9 concept, a three-row electric SUV.There will eventually be a production model that will share components with the Hyundai Ioniq 7.Kia promises a driving range of up to 300 miles but hasn’t provided details on the battery or electric motors.Kia already builds our favorite gasoline-powered three-row SUV, the Telluride, and the company is looking to build on the success of that model in the electric-vehicle space with a new model called the EV9. Previewed by this concept car revealed at the L.A. auto show, the EV9 is similar in size and shape to the Telluride but with an even sharper, more angular, and modern design ethos.
Although it’s built on the same e-GMP platform as the EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, the EV9 will feature a significantly stretched version of those underpinnings. It’s slightly shorter in length than the Telluride but features a longer wheelbase and a taller height. Hyundai will also build its own version of this SUV, likely to be called the Ioniq 7, that will share components with the EV9.

All Kia is saying so far about the powertrain is that the EV9 promises a driving range of 300 miles and will be able to charge at up to 350 kilowatts. We reckon it will need a big battery to achieve that number given the vehicle’s size and boxy shape that can’t be good for its aerodynamic silhouette. Dual electric motors are likely to provide all-wheel drive, although it’s possible Kia could offer a rear-wheel-drive single-motor version like the EV6 offers.The interior is somewhat fanciful but not as otherworldy as some concept cars. We could see the 27.0-inch widescreen display making it to production, but probably not most of the recycled materials including fishnets for the flooring. The concept is a six seater with three rows that are configurable in many different arrangements.
We expect to see a production version of the Kia EV9 within the next year or so, and we think it will arrive in the U.S. for the 2024 model year.
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The Kia Sportage debuted with a distinct new design earlier this year, and now it gains an efficient Hybrid model.The Sportage Hybrid has the same powertrain as the Tucson Hybrid, with a turbo 1.6-liter four teamed with a 44-kW electric motor.Kia says it’s aiming for a 39-mpg rating from the EPA, and the Sportage Hybrid will come with either front- or all-wheel-drive.This summer, the fourth generation of Kia’s Sportage compact crossover debuted with a polarizing new front end design and larger dimensions than the outgoing model. Closely related to the striking Hyundai Tucson, the Sportage arrived with the same naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four found in the Tucson. Now the Sportage is borrowing another powertrain from its crossover sibling, with Kia revealing the 2023 Sportage Hybrid at the Los Angeles auto show.
The Sportage Hybrid uses a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder paired with a 44 kW permanent magnet electric motor, which draws juice from a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion battery. The combined 226 horsepower is routed through a six-speed automatic, just like in the Tucson. Kia didn’t quote a torque figure, but we assume it will make the same 258 pound-feet as in its Hyundai counterpart. The Tucson Hybrid can get up to an EPA-estimated 38 mpg combined; Kia says it is targeting 39 mpg for the Sportage Hybrid. Kia also claims a class-leading 2000 pound towing capacity. Visually, the Hybrid is distinguished by new 17- and 18-inch wheels and badges reading “HEV,” for “Hybrid Electric Vehicle.”

The hybrid powertrain will be available in three trim levels: the LX, EX, and SX-Prestige. The LX can be had with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, while the EX and SX-Prestige get the Active AWD system as standard, which employs electro-hydraulic coupling with a center-locking differential to divide power between the front and rear wheels. The Sportage Hybrid will go up against the Tucson Hybrid, as well as the Honda CR-V Hybrid—rated at 38 mpg by the EPA—and the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which earned an EPA-estimated 40 mpg. Kia didn’t say when the hybrid Sportage will go on sale or how much it will cost, but we expect it to arrive around the same time as the gasoline model early next year and mirror the Tucson’s pricing, starting at around $30,000.
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The Hyundai Seven concept is the latest member of the electric Ioniq sub-brand.The concept features a sleek design and rides on Hyundai’s dedicated Electric-Global Modular Platform.The SUV, roughly the same size as the Palisade, previews a production model due in 2024.With the Hyundai Ioniq 5 crossover due to hit showrooms this winter, the South Korean automaker is ready to expand its electric Ioniq sub-brand, introducing the new Seven concept at this year’s Los Angeles auto show. The Seven concept continues the retro-futuristic design themes seen on Ioniq 5 and previews an upcoming electric SUV sized similarly to the Palisade.
The Seven rides on Hyundai’s dedicated Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), also found under the Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Genesis GV60. The wheelbase stretches nearly ten and a half feet, a foot longer than that of the Palisade, since the electric architecture allows the wheels to be pushed to the corners of the vehicle. The design is smooth and elegant, and continues Ioniq’s distinctive Parametric Pixel lighting design, which looks like it came straight out of an old-school video game.
Pillar-less coach doors swing open to reveal a flat floor and what Hyundai says is a “more fluid interior layout.” There are three rows of seating, with swiveling lounge chairs up front and a curved bench for the third row, although the arrangement can be customized. The driver steers the Seven via a retractable control stick, and the minimalist center console stretches the width of the cabin. There is a built-in mini fridge and shoe-care compartments that “refresh passengers’ footwear,” although Hyundai did not elaborate on what that means. (We’re picturing our sneakers sipping margaritas on the beach.) The Seven’s roof features a panoramic OLED screen that can display content for the passengers or help set the ambience for a relaxing journey. The interior makes heavy use of recycled and renewable materials, such as mineral plaster and bamboo. Hyundai also fitted the Seven concept with a Hygiene Airflow System, which can isolate airflow between front and rear passengers and draws on airflow management systems in commercial airliners. Sanitizing UVC lights that clean the interior when the passengers exit.

Hyundai says the Seven has a range of over 300 miles and that, when connected to a 350-kW charger, it can charge from 10 to 80 percent in around 20 minutes. We expect the production version of the Ioniq Seven to arrive for the 2024 model year. Although the nifty pixel lighting elements should make the cut, expect details like the coach doors and interior gimmicks to get scrapped before production.
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Ford, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen

American consumers want crossovers, and automakers are adding electric vehicles to their lineups, so it only makes sense for them to offer electric crossovers. Toyota’s bestseller in the U.S. is the RAV4, so it’s no surprise that its newest electric car, the upcoming 2023 bZ4X, nearly resembles the vehicle it sells the most of. Toyota isn’t the only automaker doing this; others have already added electric crossovers to their lineups. So when the bZ4X arrives next year as a 2023 model, it’ll have some competition from the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model Y, and Volkswagen ID.4, which are all on sale now. RangeRange is the all-important number when it comes to EVs. The bZ4X offers the least amount of range of the group, based on Toyota’s initial estimates (official EPA numbers have yet to be announced). Toyota says that front-drive models will reach 250 miles on a single charge, but we expect the all-wheel-drive model’s range to be closer to 200 miles, though Toyota has not yet given an estimate. The other electric crossovers have more range, with the Volkswagen ID.4 offering up to 260 miles, the Ford Mustang Mach-E up to 305 miles in its California Route 1 trim, and the Tesla Model Y up to 326 miles in its Long Range AWD model. DrivetrainsToyota has two lithium-ion battery packs for the bZ4X. Front-wheel-drive models use an approximately 64.0-kWh battery pack and a single electric motor making 201 horsepower, while all-wheel-drive models have a roughly 66.0-kWh pack and two electric motors combining for 215 horsepower. The Mustang Mach-E has either a 68.0-kWh or 88.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and anywhere from 266 to 480 horsepower on the high-performance GT model. Tesla also offers a high-performance Model Y Performance model along with the Long Range, and they both use a dual-motor drivetrain. The battery pack on the Long Range is 77.7 kWh, and the pack on the Performance is 81.1 kWh. VW ID.4s use a 77.0-kWh pack with either single-motor rear-wheel-drive or dual-motor all-wheel-drive setups. InteriorAll bZ4X models come standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen using Toyota’s simplified new Audi Multimedia infotainment system and a digital gauge cluster mounted high above the steering column with a shift dial. Mustang Mach-Es have a 15.5-inch vertically oriented touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and Ford’s universal shifter dial. The Tesla doesn’t offer either of those connectivity features, but it uses a 15.0-inch touchscreen and a steering column-mounted shifter. Volkswagen offers either a 10.0-inch or 12.0-inch screen on the ID.4, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. PriceToyota has yet to release pricing details for the new bZ4X electric crossover. Only XLE and Limited models are available at launch, and we expect the XLE to start at approximately $37,000 when it goes on sale next year. Whatever the bZ4X costs, it’ll need to compete with the Mustang Mach-E’s $43,995, the Tesla Model Y’s $59,190, and the Volkswagen ID.4’s $41,190 starting prices.

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