These days, lots of car and motorcycle makers have been rolling out electric bicycles either as separate product lines entirely, or to complement their vehicles and showcase a future-forward, outdoorsy character. Porsche, for example, is taking electric bikes pretty seriously with a range of acquisitions in recent years, all of which add up to Porsche eBike Performance GmbH, a company with quite a stellar lineup of e-bikes.
Other companies like Ducati and BMW have dabbled in e-bikes, too, with both brands offering a selection of lifestyle and performance-oriented electric bikes. With that being said, there’s a new player in the e-bike game, and it’s none other than Vietnamese electric car manufacturer Vinfast. Now, the Vietnamese EV company is a fairly new player in the automotive space, having first opened its doors in 2017. Vinfast entered the US market just last year, when it started selling its cars in August. Now, Vinfast is wasting no time in tackling the rapidly growing e-bike segment – an industry that’s forecasted to be worth in excess of $120 billion by 2030.
Dubbed the DrgnFly, VinFast’s approach to the e-bike world is similar to that of Super73, in the sense that it’s sort of a mashup between a bicycle and moped, with some motorcycle-inspired styling cues. The low saddle can’t be adjusted in terms of height, so riders have to pedal along with their knees bent. Furthermore, the moto-inspired headlight, tall handlebars, and chunky tires are all clearly a page out of Super73’s book.
VinFast says that the DrgnFly is inspired by Thang Long, an imperial citadel at the heart of Vietnam’s Capital Hanoi. More specifically, the DrgnFly is meant to symbolize Thang Long’s ascending dragon symbol, which is meant to highlight Vietnam’s rich heritage. Furthermore, the bike was designed in collaboration with Eskild Hansen, a Danish design studio with a number of Red Dot design awards to its name.
On the technology side of things, it’s clear that the VinFast DrgnFly was designed specifically for the US market. It features a 750-watt rear hub motor that promises a top speed of 28 miles per hour. It’s also actuated by a torque sensor, so each of your pedal strokes are taken into account when it comes to providing a smooth and natural-feeling pedal assist. VinFast claims a single-charge range of up to 63 miles, but that would definitely depend on a myriad of variables such as your weight, how strong you pedal, and the terrain on which you ride.
As is the case with most modern e-bikes, the DrgnFly comes equipped with lots of tech. For starters, it gets 4G connectivity, and riders can fine-tune settings via a proprietary mobile app. Ride modes, GPS remote locking, ride stats, and even remote diagnostics can all be viewed through the app, as well. On top of all that, VinFast is continuously improving its tech, and offers over-the-air updates for a seamless user experience.
The VinFast DrgnFly e-bike made its official debut at CES 2024, and carries an MSRP of $2,800 USD – pretty attractive considering how much tech and performance is stuffed into this two-wheeler.
