Owners of the VinFast VF 8 Plus AWD are taking legal action against the Vietnamese automaker, alleging that their vehicles charge at an unexpectedly slow rate of under 2 kW. This is far below the advertised charging capacity of up to 6.6 kW and results in a full day’s wait for a complete battery recharge.
The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California claims that the vehicles’ performance falls short of expectations set by other electric vehicle manufacturers. For instance, competitors like Tesla Model Y offer charging speeds up to 11 kW and above, significantly reducing the time needed to reach a full charge.
Plaintiffs Gil Swigi and Joseph Mizrahi assert that their cars shut down when attempting to charge at the advertised rate of 32 amps. They were forced to use lower amperage settings, leading to an average charging speed of around 19 amps or less than 4 kW, which is notably slower compared to other EV models in the market.
The plaintiffs argue that VinFast misled them about the charging capabilities of their vehicles. According to Carcomplaints, VinFast attempted multiple repairs on both Swigi and Mizrahi’s cars without resolving the issue satisfactorily. The lawsuit covers owners who leased or purchased a VF 8 Plus AWD in the past four years.
Despite the plaintiffs’ claims, VinFast successfully argued for arbitration of their disputes. As a result, the judge has paused class action proceedings and directed the case to be resolved through an arbitration process set for February 20, 2026. This decision reflects the company’s strategy to handle such complaints outside of public court litigation.
With the growing competition in the electric vehicle market, including established brands like Tesla and newer entrants like Lucid Motors, VinFast faces challenges in maintaining customer satisfaction and trust. The slow charging issue highlighted by this lawsuit could impact consumer confidence and sales as potential buyers weigh their options against more reliable EV models with superior performance characteristics.
