VF3 MINI-eSUV

VF3 MINI-eSUV

VinFast needed a compact eSUV just 3.19 metres long that felt more bold than budget. Outerspace's automotive studio, Gomotiv, worked remotely with VinFast’s Vietnam team, replacing clay modelling with a faster, iterative digital workflow.

Summary

Industry
  • Automotive & Aftermarket
  • Consumer
Expertise
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electronic Engineering
Awards
Good Design Award

Project Details

Project Details

Challenge

Big personality, small footprint

VinFast set out to revolutionise urban mobility with a compact eSUV that combined bold styling, everyday utility and affordability, built to win over a new generation of drivers, not just commuters. At 3.19 metres, there was almost no room for compromise: every dimension had to deliver style, space and battery performance at once, with multiple design variants needing validation against VinFast's engineering team in parallel.

Digital first design

Outerspace's Gomotiv worked digital-first from initial concept through to production-ready surfacing, using advanced CAS tools to develop and test multiple variants simultaneously. This removed the lag of traditional clay modelling, letting bold geometric forms, nine colourways and bespoke motifs get resolved through fast, iterative feedback with VinFast's engineering team rather than sequential design rounds.

Outcome

At 3.19 metres, the VF3 seats four and folds out to 285 litres of cargo space, proof that compact didn't mean compromised. A 32kW motor and 18.64kWh battery deliver a practical 210km range, with 10 to 70% fast-charging in 36 minutes.

The market didn't just respond, it surged: 27,649 pre-orders within 66 hours of launch. The VF3 has become more than a vehicle, a new icon of accessible, sustainable urban mobility for a generation discovering electric for the first time.

Technical Insights:

Industrial design (Creativity)

A-class digital surfacing, CMF exploration, nine colourways plus bespoke motif options

Mechanical engineering (Capability)

Compact packaging of 32kW motor and 18.64kWh battery, folding rear-seat architecture, 285L cargo configuration

Digital process & iteration (Clarity)

Multi-variant CAS development, parallel design validation, concept-to-production surfacing

Programme & client collaboration (Collaboration)

Cross-timezone coordination with VinFast engineering, accelerated feedback cycles

Project image
GoMotiv faced an exciting challenge: create a compact eSUV that combines bold styling with utility and affordability—a vehicle that would inspire a new generation of younger drivers. This required a design with unbound imagination. The market response exceeded all expectations – 27,649 pre-orders flooded in within 66 hours of launch, with the first customer deliveries beginning in August 2024.
Image
Image
External concept render 3/4 back
External concept render 3/4 front
Visualisation of the concept car being reviewed by designers wearing 3D headsets
Internal render
Concept render of the VF-3 on a bridge
Concept render of the VF-3 parked by a bay
Actual car at a expo show
Actual car at a expo show

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