VinFast VF 8 Charging Problems
VinFast is in the spotlight again, but this time due to problems that the automaker would probably have liked to avoid. The Vietnamese company is facing a new lawsuit in the USA, adding another obstacle to its already challenging path. Owners of the VF 8 Plus AWD electric crossovers complain that charging their cars takes almost a full day.
Main Allegations
Lawsuit Details
The lawsuit was filed in the Central District Court of California and concerns customers who leased or purchased the VF 8 Plus AWD over the last four years. The electric vehicles are supposed to charge at a rate of 6.6 kW or higher, but according to owners, the actual rate does not even reach 2 kW. This is a level closer to the original Nissan Leaf than to modern electric cars.
The plaintiffs, Gil Swigie and Joseph Mizrahi, claim they were promised standard Level 2 charging performance. VinFast allegedly advertised that its cars could charge at up to 32 amperes.
When Mizrahi and Swigie tried to use this rate, the cars allegedly shut down due to software defects. The only solution was to reduce the current to 19 amperes, which decreased the overall charging speed by almost 40%.
Consequences for Owners
Even worse, the charging shutdowns allegedly occurred regularly in the middle of the night, so owners woke up to an unpleasant surprise. This meant not only problems with the car but also a shorter range for planned activities. According to Carcomplaints, VinFast attempted to repair both vehicles mentioned in the lawsuit several times.
Only when the owners purchased additional charging equipment did their cars begin charging at the speeds claimed by the manufacturer. However, VinFast successfully argued that both owners had agreed to arbitration to resolve disputes. The court granted this request, and arbitration is scheduled for February 20, 2026.
This situation highlights the importance of transparency in the technical specifications of electric vehicles, especially for new market players like VinFast. Software problems can significantly impact consumer trust, and arbitration could be crucial for setting precedents in similar cases. VinFast’s success on the international stage may depend on quickly resolving such technical shortcomings and ensuring that advertising claims match real-world performance.