“I want to use VF 8 because it is a Vietnamese car”
Many Vietnamese and American users were pleasantly surprised when they learned about the special journey of VF 8 owner Nguyen Duc Thinh. On October 15th, Mr. Thinh officially began his 15,000 km journey across the United States, starting from Orange County and heading towards North San Francisco.
The VF 8 that Mr. Thinh used for his journey (Photo by the character’s Facebook)
With knowledge about cars and being a former showroom owner in Vietnam before moving to the United States, Mr. Thinh shared that he had envisioned a plan to drive around the US three years ago but was unable to do so due to the pandemic. This year, his plan became even more special and meaningful with the company of the VF 8 electric car.
“I also have a Tesla in the US, but I want to use the VF 8 because it is a Vietnamese car,” Mr. Thinh said. He and many of his friends believe that driving a Tesla is no different. Moreover, choosing Tesla for his journey is no different from “advertising for a foreign brand,” he jokingly added. Hence, Mr. Thinh asked himself: “Why don’t I drive a VinFast car to advertise a brand from our country?”
Through this trip, Mr. Nguyen Duc Thinh aims to test the endurance of the VF 8 as the 15,000 km journey is very long, with continuous operation for hundreds of kilometers over a month. Furthermore, the journey across the United States is expected to challenge the VF 8 with various terrains and harsh weather conditions, especially in the cold areas in the northern part of the country.
Mr. Thinh’s planned journey (Photo by the character’s Facebook)
Mr. Thinh has high hopes for this journey. According to him, driving a VinFast will undoubtedly attract a lot of attention, and if the trip is successful, he will prove to the world that the quality of Vietnamese cars is not inferior to other brands.
Confidently conquering the United States with the VF 8 as his companion
In preparation for the long journey, which is ten times longer than crossing Vietnam, the first thing Mr. Nguyen Duc Thinh did was to meticulously plan the battery charging. This included determining the charging station locations, coordinates, number of charging stations, distance to be traveled on each day, and charging power required. This task was made easier as VinFast cars can be charged at various partner systems throughout the United States.
The remaining tasks for Mr. Thinh included equipping his VF 8 with a rooftop tent for resting, as well as bringing along food, drink, a laptop, 5G router, camera, and handheld mobile hotspot. Many areas in the US have limited cellular signal coverage, with sections of hundreds of kilometers without signal, so he needs to be fully prepared before hitting the road.
On his birthday (October 15th), Mr. Thinh officially embarked on this unprecedented journey. He will be the driver in this fulfilling journey, but he’s also open to friends from other areas who wish to join him along the way.
Mr. Nguyen Duc Thinh taking a rest at a charging station on the first day of the journey (Screenshot)
Having had the opportunity to experience many electric cars in Vietnam, such as the VF 5 Plus, VF 8, VF 9, Mr. Thinh stated that the electric cars exported to the US have the same quality, from driving experience to build quality and finishing.
Regarding his “companion,” the VF 8, Mr. Nguyen Duc Thinh seems particularly interested in the advanced driver assistance features (ADAS) such as lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control, which enhance the comfort of his long journey. He believes that with software updates, the VF 8 will be equipped with even more advanced technologies and features.
“In addition to ADAS, I highly appreciate the beautiful interior and exterior design of the car, as well as the premium interior. The body quality is excellent. As it is an electric car, the acceleration ability is undeniable, very fast and powerful. In general, it is a stable and reliable vehicle to use,” said the Vietnamese car owner.
As of the latest update (morning of October 17th Vietnam time), Mr. Thinh’s VF 8 has arrived in Bishop, a city in California. He awaits the magnificent locations in the US, from Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Idaho, Indiana, Ohio to New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and especially North Carolina – where VinFast’s factory in the US is located.
“After this journey, I hope to gain more information and experiences with the VF 8 to share in greater detail,” Mr. Thinh shared.
Anh Quan (forum.autodaily.vn)