VinFast Motio is the latest model to enter the student electric motorbike market, priced under 18 million VND but using lead batteries instead of lithium-ion batteries.
Last weekend, VinFast launched the Motio electric motorbike, equipped with a 2 horsepower motor that allows it to run at a maximum speed of 49 km/h. This setup means that VinFast Motio drivers do not need to have a driver's license to operate the vehicle, targeting students with a selling price of nearly 18 million VND.
VinFast's move took place right before Honda officially launched the ICON e: electric student motorbike product to the market. Being one step ahead of its Japanese competitor, can VinFast gain an advantage in this segment?
As a model serving the student customer group, VinFast Motio has quite compact dimensions with length x width x height of 1,742 x 715 x 1,085 mm, saddle height of 755 mm and vehicle weight of 95.6 kg.
Under the saddle, VinFast Motio has a 22-liter storage compartment that can fit a helmet and many other personal items.
Some other notable features on the VinFast Motio include LED projector headlights, LED taillights, front hydraulic shock absorber telescopic suspension system, and rear dual shock absorbers. The vehicle meets IP67 waterproof standards.
However, VinFast Motio is not an electric motorbike using batteries. The Vietnamese electric vehicle company equips Motio with a sealed lead-acid battery, allowing the vehicle to operate continuously for a maximum distance of 82 km when moving in standard conditions, at a speed of 30 km/h. The battery recharges from 0-80% capacity in 8 hours and takes 10 hours to fully charge.
In fact, equipping batteries for electric motorbikes for students is not too new in the Vietnamese market.
For example, upcoming competitors of VinFast Motio in Vietnam such as Pega AuraS (VND 16.5 million) or Yadea Vigor (VND 17.99 million) are all electric motorbike models with a maximum speed of less than 50 km/h, powered by batteries for a maximum operating range of 70-100 km/charge.
Equipping batteries for electric motorbikes first helps reduce vehicle costs. Electric motorbike options using batteries, including the VinFast Motio, are all priced under 20 million VND.
Meanwhile, the Honda ICON e: electric student vehicle is confirmed to have a selling price no higher than 30 million VND.
According to current information, Honda ICON e: is equipped with a Honda Mobile Power Pack e: battery pack of unknown capacity in the vehicle floor, which can be charged directly on the vehicle or removed for charging and replacement when needed.
The ICON e:'s range has not been disclosed. Honda says the ICON e:'s battery pack will be available for lease, with no mileage limit.
The student electric motorbike segment is actually not too new to VinFast. The company already has the Evo200 Lite, a "twin" model of the Evo200 but with a maximum speed limited to 49 km/h, positioned in the electric motorbike segment that does not require a driver's license to use.
Equipped with a lithium-ion battery, VinFast Evo200 Lite costs VND 25.9 million with the battery purchase option, reduced to VND 15 million when customers choose the battery rental option.
With the launch of VinFast Motio, the Vietnamese car company has added an electric motorbike option using lead-acid batteries at a price of 17.9 million VND. The selling price is much more accessible, but in return, the operating range of Motio is shorter, and the charging time is not as optimal as that of vehicles equipped with lithium-ion batteries.
For example, VinFast Evo200 Lite has a maximum operating range of up to 205 km after each full charge. In VinFast Motio, the maximum travel distance is 82 km.
The Evo200 Lite's battery pack can also be connected to a 1,000W fast charging port that can recharge the battery from 0-100% in 4 hours. For the VinFast Motio, the battery needs 8 hours to charge to 80% and takes 10 hours to fully charge.
However, factors such as maximum operating range or charging time are not so important to student customers, because the daily travel needs are not much, and the frequency of operation is not as high as that of adult customers.
At night, most customers in this group also do not need to use the vehicle, and at that time, electric motorbikes equipped with batteries like VinFast Motio can be connected to the power source and charged continuously for many hours until full.
VN (according to ZNews)