Electric Vehicle – Page 3 – Ewing VinFast of Plano

October 1, 2024October 31, 2024

Top 5 tips for road-tripping in your VinFast EV

Some people may think that taking a road trip in an electric vehicle is a very risky or scary task. However, just like with a gas-powered car, if you plan accordingly and understand where and how long you will have to stop to charge along the way, it really isn’t much different than driving a non-EV.

1: Plan Your Trip Using the Car’s Navigation System

Luckily, the VinFast VF8 also makes it easy to plan a road trip by simply inputting your destination into the in-car navigation system that will take into account charging stations and intervals to ensure you don’t have to get range anxiety along the way. And don’t worry, charging from 10% battery up to 70% takes just 31 minutes. Timing your charging stops with bathroom and eating breaks will help pass the time more quickly.

2: Make Sure Your Maintenance Is Taken Care of

While an EV doesn’t need most traditional services, such as an oil change, it is still crucial to check that your tires are in good shape, or if they need to be rotated, you should do that before your trip. Tires are not only important for ride quality or traction in poor weather conditions, but also to braking and driving range. Tires that are over or underinflated can have quite an impact on driving range and stopping distances, as well as overall ride quality.

3: Have The VinFast Mobile App Downloaded with Payment Attached

The VinFast mobile app allows users to basically go up to any EV charging station and get started without having to first download that charging company’s app. However, you should make sure that the app is updated and that you have a good form of payment attached to the app so that you can easily pay for your charging. Most other car companies don’t have any of the charging stations’ apps featured in their app. However, the VinFast app does. This way, you only need one app to charge your car versus having half a dozen with your credit card information attached to all of them.

4: Use Your Cruise Control as Much as Possible

One of the best ways to maximize your range and driving efficiency is to utilize your cruise control system. Thanks to the cruise control, it can handle acceleration and braking for you as well as steering to keep you in your respective lane. Using these systems helps the vehicle maintain one speed that won’t fluctuate as often. The more you are on and off of the accelerator, the more energy you are using. If you are in traffic, the regenerative braking system will help to return some of the energy lost and convert it to range.

5: Chill With the AC Usage

Too much use of the air conditioning system can have negative impacts on range. For instance, a 2019 study by AAA said that running the air conditioning at the highest speed for long periods has as much as a 17% impact on your range. Before driving off, you should properly cool your interior while charging for about 5-10 minutes before driving off. From there, you can leave the system in eco or auto modes to help maintain a proper temperature and fan speed that won’t reduce your driving range.

At Ewing VinFast of Plano, we have the best prices on dozens of new VinFast EVs and used cars. Our well-educated sales staff and finance department will happily assist you with your EV questions and needs. Our fantastic service department will ensure your vehicle stays in the best condition.

We look forward to serving you.

September 10, 2024September 27, 2024

Home Charging vs. Public Charging Costs

Imagine being able to fill your car’s gas tank up at home. Think about just pulling into your driveway after a long day and not having to worry about waking up earlier the next day to stop for gas because you can top up in your garage or driveway for next to nothing. That’s basically what it’s like to be able to charge your VinFast at home.

Cost To Charge at Home

According to MarketWatch, Plano, Texas, has some decently low electricity costs per kWh, with an average cost of 13.9 cents per kWh. That means charging the 87.7 kWh battery in the VF8 from 0 miles of range to full would cost around $12. However, if you only need to charge about 50% of your battery every day when you get home, you will likely spend about $5-$6 per charge. If you do that 30 times per month, you will see less than $200 added to your monthly electric bill. Don’t forget, the grid is smart enough to charge some EVs off-peak hours when electricity is cheapest.

Cost To Fill Up a Car with Gasoline

Comparing that to a gas-powered car, where the average gas price is about $3 per gallon in Plano, car owners would spend about $225 at the pump if they filled up a 15-gallon fuel tank five times in a month. However, most of the best-selling vehicles in Texas are pickup trucks, meaning that just three fill-ups of a 26-gallon fuel tank puts you over $230.

The Cost to Use A Paid Public Charger

If you must charge your EV on the go, the average cost per kWh at a public charger is about 50 cents in Texas. According to Axios, it costs about $26 to charge a VinFast from 10-70%. If you had to charge from 0-100%, which is not likely, you would spend about $45.

Check To Find Free Local Chargers

Charging at home can save you lots of time and money compared to charging on the go. Obviously, if you are taking long road trips, you will have to charge at Level 2 and 3 public stations. It should be noted that some grocery stores, movie theaters, malls, colleges, etc., have free public charging stations. In total, there are 139 free public charging stations in Plano, which accounts for 52% of all chargers in the area, according to ChargeHub.com.

We look forward to serving you.

August 27, 2024

The VinFast VF8 Is The First Honest EV

Car manufacturers are synonymous with using flowery language and various tactics to get you into the dealership to buy or lease a new car, truck, or SUV. The problem is that they will advertise the price of a car and you’ll think, “Wow, what a great price!” only to be surprised when you get to the dealership and notice that great price is for a base car that has maybe two options. In order to get the vehicle pictured you’ll need to add about $10,000 or more to the purchase price.

VinFast Believes In Getting Your Money’s Worth

VinFast does not believe in this practice, as all of their cars are well optioned, even for the base models. Take, for instance, the VF8, which comes in two different trim levels: Eco and Plus. You would think that you’d have to move up to the Plus to get meaningful options, especially special features like Head-Up Display, premium interior materials, and special safety features. However, that isn’t the case, as even the “base” Eco model comes standard with HUD (Head-Up Display), premium vegan leather, and every safety feature available, including 11 airbags.

No Hidden Fees Or Paywalls

Some automakers are even hiding some of their best features behind a paywall or subscription service. Or, if they aren’t doing it, they’re talking about doing it to make more money after you have already bought your car. This isn’t the case with VinFast. Every feature and option is laid out for you to choose from the moment you spec your car, or when you pick a specific model on the dealership lot. No hidden fees, no pay-for-features, just an honest EV that gives you what you need without trying to convince you to pay more.

A Warranty That Products Your Investment

More than being honest, VinFast also believes in their product, and they want customers to feel protected and like they won’t be stranded if something happens. That’s why every new VinFast receives a 12-year, unlimited mileage warranty just for the battery system alone. That means that if you purchase a VinFast today or at the end of a 36-month lease, you will have 12 years of free coverage if your battery has any issues, or if you start to see major range degradation. No other automaker has that sort of guarantee. Not Mercedes-Benz, not Tesla, not BMW, not Volkswagen, not Ford, not General Motors; no one.

We look forward to serving you.

August 21, 2024August 27, 2024

The VinFast VF8 (Almost) Everything Comes Standard

Airbags deployed in the cabin of a Vinfast VF8 SUV

When buying a brand-new car, is there anything better than seeing how many standard features it comes with versus the disappointment of a car where everything is optional? With the VinFast VF8, there is no worry about options or optional features because both trim levels, the Eco and Plus, come with pretty much everything you can think of, except for the kitchen sink.

Advanced Assistance and Safety Systems

No matter whether you buy or lease an Eco or Plus model, both VF8 models come standard with the latest and greatest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and safety features that include Traffic Jam Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Highway Driving Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Centering Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Automatic Emergency Braking, Intelligent Speed Recognition, Traffic Sign Recognition, Forward Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Detection, Door Opening Warning, Front Automatic Emergency Braking, Emergency Lane Keep Assist, Front Parking Assist, Rear Parking Assist, backup camera, Automatic High Beam, and a 360-degree Surround View Camera system. All models also come with 11 airbags as standard safety equipment.

Ultra Bright Lighting for Increased Driving Safety

To aid in nighttime driving and ensure visibility on the road, the VF8 comes standard with extremely bright LED headlights, an LED light bar in the center of the nose that connects the LED daytime running lights to the VinFast logo, and LED taillights.

Excellent Display and HUD

When getting into the VF8, you will notice the beautiful and vibrant 15.6-inch touchscreen that controls everything in the vehicle, allowing drivers and passengers to have everything at their fingertips, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. A bright head-up display is also standard on all models, which is something EVs like the Rivian R1S and VW ID.4 don’t even have as an option (both cars cost more than the VF8, too). Both Eco and Pro models give occupants two USB-A ports up front, two USB-A ports, and a single USB-C port for rear passengers to keep all devices charged up.

A Warranty That Gives Confidence

One of the greatest standard features a vehicle can have is a good warranty. Prospective buyers of electric vehicles want to know they are truly covered if anything goes wrong with the battery system in the car. This is entirely understandable. While most EV manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, Volkswagen, Tesla, and the like all have a nice 8-10 year warranty for their battery systems, they all have a hard mileage limit for their warranties. Mercedes-Benz has a 155,000-mile limit, which is the highest, and Genesis has a 124,000-mile limit. Tesla, Hyundai, Kia, VW, and Audi all have a 100,000-mile limit, and BMW only has an 80,000-mile warranty. VinFast, on the other hand, has a 10-year, unlimited-mile warranty on the battery system. That is how you know an EV company believes in its product and wants to take care of its customers.

We look forward to serving you.

August 10, 2024August 27, 2024

Inside EVs Talks About the VF8 Ownership Experience

VinFast is an up-and-coming car manufacturer. After having just started delivering cars to the U.S. market in 2023, the VF8, their first EV to showrooms, has had some growing pains. However, the company has been quick to send software updates over the air so that customers aren’t left in weird or scary situations. A review from the YouTube channel Out Of Spec goes over their lease of a brand new VF8 and their road trip back to Colorado.

A YouTube Review

Inside EVs has a friendly relationship with Out Of Spec and published their 3,400-mile review of a 2024 Deep Ocean VF8. The author, who has driven a VF8 before, said, “… Yet its feature set is good, it’s comfortable enough and hasn’t left her stranded, so her review is pretty positive. It’s a good reminder that, for most people, a car doesn’t have to be the most competitive or flawless vehicle to be satisfying to own.”

What Car Reviewers Tend to Forget About Car Buyers

Some car reviewers forget that normal people who just want a solid car to drive from point A to point B buy these vehicles. Most car buyers aren’t worried about 0-60 or ¼-mile times or even how fast the top speed is. Is it safe? Is it comfortable? Will it work when I start it up to go to work and then home? If the answers to three questions are yes, then that’s what customers want to buy.

VinFast Is Listening to Customers

Francie, the VF8’s actual driver, talked about the initial hiccups. One error message had her taking the car to her local VinFast service center for a software fix. Other than that, the car has been getting better through updates, and she doesn’t really have any problems with it.

What Does She Think About the VF8 After A Few Months?

After having it for a few months, what does Francie now think of her VinFast? InsideEVs quotes her as saying, “Still, she likes the car. She notes that most Vinfast owners are happy with their, too, appreciating the styling, tech features and uniqueness of the VF8. She likes that it has a “Dog Mode” to protect her pup, Rafiki, something that’s still not available on most EVs. Plus the ZF-made highway driving assistance tech works well, keeping her centered in the lane while still allowing her to steer wide of big trailers and semis. Along with comfortable seats and cool ambient lighting, the ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) suite makes the VF8 a decent road trip car.”

We look forward to serving you.