VinFast VF e34 EV Goes on Sale in Indonesia – Malaysia Next?

The VinFast VF e34 EV is now officially on sale in Indonesia, priced from IDR 315 million.

Burgeoning Vietnamese automaker VinFast Auto is rapidly expanding its ASEAN regional presence, as the firm recently made its official market entry in Indonesia by launching the VinFast VF e34. This introduction also marks the first time the Vietnamese automaker has ventured into a right-hand drive (RHD) market, favouring the neighbouring republic over the more ‘popular’ regional EV market, which is Thailand.

Unlike many other EV SUVs out there, the VF e34 comes with a unique battery subscription program that helps reduce the upfront costs of EV batteries, which are often the most expensive component in an EV. Instead, customers will need to pay a monthly subscription for their EV batteries, with each package featuring varying range caps.

Priced at IDR 1.5 million (RM448) per month, the baseline package allows customers to use the battery pack for up to 3,000 KM. Those who need to go beyond 3,000 KM can opt for the extended package instead, priced at IDR 2.6 million (RM776) per month.

More importantly, this battery subscription service also ensures that your EV batteries are being kept and maintained by VinFast, with the automaker even offering a 1-to-1 free battery swap if your current unit’s battery health dips below 70%.

The VF e34 EV is powered by a single FWD motor rated at 148 HP and 242 NM.

Regardless of which package you’ve subscribed to, all Indo-spec VF e34s get a 42-kWh battery pack, which is good enough to supply the EV SUV with up to 318 KM of range. According to the more stringent NEDC standard, however, the maximum range dropped to only 285 KM. Power-wise, the VF e34 gets its motivation from a single, front-mounted (FWD) electric motor setup rated at 148 HP (110 kW) and 242 NM.

On the charging front, VinFast claims that the VF e34 can be charged from 10% to 70% in about 27 minutes. However, the Vietnamese automaker does not provide the exact output for both the AC and DC charging for the VF e34.

Positioned as a compact EV SUV, the VF e34 measures 4,300 MM long, 1,793 MM wide, 1,613 MM tall, with a wheelbase of 2,611 MM and a decent ground clearance of 180 MM. Despite its C-segment moniker, the VF e34 is actually more comparable in size with other Chinese B-segment EV SUVs in Indonesia, like the Chery Omoda E5.

On board, the VF e34 comes with standard modern equipment such as the 10-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen that supports remote software updates, as well as both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay mobile connectivity. Other standard amenities present here include the fully digital instrument cluster, a rotary-style gear shifter, fabric upholstery, and many more.

Excluding the battery subscription mentioned above, the all-new VinFast VF e34 EV is priced from IDR 315 million (RM94,108), with first deliveries slated to begin as early as Q2 this year. Included with said price tag is a standard 10-year vehicle warranty, which understandably won’t stipulate coverage for the battery pack.

With VinFast Auto now officially arriving in Indonesia, it begs the question of when this burgeoning EV marque will enter our local market. In recent times, numerous Chinese EV automakers have flocked into our market, with the latest entry being MG Motor, which recently debuted both the MG4 and MG ZS EV locally.