In the world of electric vehicles (EVs), VinFast has quickly established itself as a brand and a name to be reckoned with. As a result of a huge $2 billion investment into EV facilities in Tamil Nadu, the company from Vietnam has now confirmed its entry into many markets worldwide, including the United States.
The state government of Tamil Nadu and Vinfast have signed a joint agreement in accordance with which Vinfast intends to commit $500 million over the first five years of the project. There is a plan to construct a battery plant and a facility to manufacture electric vehicles in Tamil Nadu within this calendar year. When both facilities are operational, the state is expected to generate up to 3,500 jobs.
VinFast may be able to benefit from entering the Indian market at this point in time as the adoption rate of electric vehicles may be accelerated in India. EV penetration in India is still quite small despite its position as the world’s third-largest car market. In other words, Vin Fast may have access to a great deal of potential. Moreover, the state’s decision to be the hub of India’s electric vehicle industry has been influenced by its assessment that Tamil Nadu has great potential to be the nation’s EV hub. As part of this project, VinFast Tamil Nadu intends to establish a world-class manufacturing hub for electric vehicles in the region, with a capacity of 150,000 vehicles per year. It is anticipated that construction will begin in 2024. In an official statement, the company stated that the project would pave the way for economic growth in Tamil Nadu and across India. The project is anticipated to generate economic benefits and provide a pathway for green transportation development by targeting a 30% share of electric cars for newly registered private vehicles. Moreover, this is aligned with a government initiative to minimize the emissions of carbon dioxide in the transportation sector.
A relatively new player in the global EV race, VinFast comes from a country that does not have much experience in manufacturing automobiles. There is no doubt that the EV game has leveled the playing field, and it has created opportunities for both established and emerging manufacturers of electric vehicles
In 2021, VinFast began manufacturing electric vehicles after being founded by Pham Nhat Vuong, Vietnam’s first billionaire. Even though VinFast has only been manufacturing EVs for slightly more than two years, it has been busy. It has acquired a manufacturing facility from General Motors in Australia. It is in the process of opening a new manufacturing hub in Indonesia that will begin producing vehicles in the year 2026. In addition, this month, the company opened its first dealership in the United States where it will ship its electric vehicles. In addition, the company plans to invest $4 billion in North Carolina and establish a manufacturing facility there.
Even though the specifications of Vinfast EV models are not the most advanced in the industry at this time, their exterior design language is quite striking. VF4 and VF3 are small electric models offered by the company, as well as VF7 and VF9, which are large electric SUV models. A sub-compact SUV, such as the VF6; a compact SUV, such as the VF7; and a midsize SUV, such as the VF8.