VinFast Aggressively Pursues The Micro-EV Market – CleanTechnica

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Last Updated on: 12th February 2025, 12:21 pm

Last week, VinFast unveiled the first images of its new electric minicar, the Minio Green. This highly anticipated model has immediately captured the attention of Vietnamese consumers.

According to the manufacturer, the Minio Green measures 3,090 mm in length, 1,496 mm in width, and 1,625 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,065 mm. It comfortably seats four passengers, offering an optimized interior space.

Compared to other mini electric cars available in the market, the Minio Green is slightly smaller than its “big brother,” the VinFast VF 3 (3,190 x 1,679 x 1,622 mm), but surpasses the Wuling Mini EV (2,920 x 1,493 x 1,621 mm) in both size and wheelbase.

The Minio Green features a two-door and one-trunk design, with softer lines compared to the VinFast VF 3. Based on the released images, it sports a sleek and modern look.

Under the hood, the Minio Green is powered by an electric motor with a maximum output of 20 kW, offering a range of up to 180 km on a single charge. Additionally, it supports fast DC charging (up to 12 kW) and slow AC charging (up to 3.3 kW), ensuring convenience and flexibility for users.

VinFast emphasizes that the Minio Green, with its high economic efficiency and agile performance, is an ideal choice to replace motorcycles for intra-city commuting. It is especially well-suited for transportation and delivery services.

The Vietnamese market for ride-hailing and traditional taxi services is currently undergoing a green transformation. Notably, the business model of mini electric taxis, with fares as low as half of traditional taxis and comparable to motorcycle taxis, is revolutionizing the transportation industry.

At present, the Wuling Mini EV, a product of the SGMW joint venture, is being utilized by several transportation companies, offering fares as low as 8,000 VND per kilometer. However, with a motor output of 17.4 horsepower, only slightly more powerful than a Honda Sh150i motorcycle (16.9 horsepower), the Wuling Mini EV has a maximum speed of 100 km/h. In reality, its optimal speed ranges between 60 and 80 km/h, despite a claimed range of 120 km on a single charge for the standard model.

In the global market, other mini electric cars have also been adopted by businesses for transportation and delivery services. Examples include the City Transformer CT-2 (20 kW, 120-180 km range) and the Nissan Sakura (47 kW, 180 km range), among others.