VinFast weighs REEV range-extender for VF9 amid EV headwinds

VinFast, one of Asia’s most ambitious electric-vehicle brands, may be poised to shift direction. Sources told Reuters the company is weighing the use of small gasoline engines in some models, employed strictly as generators to recharge the battery. This layout turns an EV into a REEV — a range-extended electric vehicle in which the engine never drives the wheels and only feeds the pack.

According to insiders, a working group was set up inside VinFast in November to examine a REEV version of the flagship VF9 crossover. In parallel, the company posted openings for engineers focused on range-extender technology and is also considering more conventional hybrid solutions. The effort remains at an early stage.

VinFast’s interest in combustion is pragmatic: sales are running below expectations, losses are mounting, and international expansion demands more flexible products. In several markets, pure EVs still lose out to hybrids on day-to-day convenience and infrastructure. Chinese makers including Li Auto and Leapmotor are actively developing range-extender systems. A move toward REEVs can ease range anxiety without abandoning electric drive — more a tactical adjustment than a U-turn.