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Tag: vinfast

  • VinFast Launches in India with Gujarat EV Showroom; VF 6, VF 7 Models Unveiled

    In an effort to capitalise on the expanding Indian market for electric vehicles, Vietnamese manufacturer VinFast launched its first showroom in India on 27 July in Surat, Gujarat. The company’s electric SUV models VF 6 and VF 7, which will be introduced as right-hand drive versions for the first time, will be on display in the showroom.

    The vehicles will be domestically produced at VinFast’s planned facility in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, the company announced in an official release, reaffirming its long-term commitment to India as a strategic market and future centre for the manufacturing of electric vehicles. By the end of the year, VinFast intends to open 35 dealerships in more than 27 locations nationwide.

    VF 6 and VF 7 Reservations Now Open

    The store, which is situated in the Piplod neighbourhood of Surat, will display the brand’s next high-end electric SUVs, the VF 6 and VF 7, for which reservations went on sale on July 15. “With a fully refundable deposit of INR 21,000, customers can reserve their vehicle at showrooms or online through VinFastAuto.in,” the announcement stated.

    The first VinFast showroom in Surat, according to VinFast Asia CEO Pham Sanh Chau, is a testament to the company’s strong ties to India. The company is thrilled to introduce Indian customers to the VinFast experience.

    The goal of this Gujarati dealership is to provide not only electric cars but also a whole ownership experience based on excellence in service and quality trust. In order to offer charging and after-sales services throughout India, the Vietnamese EV manufacturer has partnered with RoadGrid, myTVS, and Global Assure.

    To further demonstrate its dedication to sustainable innovation, the business has partnered with BatX Energies to develop a circular battery value chain and encourage battery recycling.

    Tesla Targets Indian EV Market with Model Y

    With a starting price of INR 59.89 lakh and its first showroom in Mumbai, Elon Musk’s Tesla introduced the Model Y to the Indian market earlier this month. The Model Y will be imported by Tesla as a fully constructed unit (CBU) from its Chinese manufacturing plant in Shanghai.

    At a time when its sales in China and Europe are declining, Tesla is making its debut in the Indian market with the vehicle Y as its flagship vehicle. The business reportedly transported its first shipment of Model Y rear-wheel drive SUVs to India from its China plant.

    Additionally, before deliveries start, the business plans to deploy superchargers in India. It would initially concentrate on Mumbai and Delhi.

    Battery packs are available for the Tesla Model Y rear-wheel-drive variant in India: a 60 kWh and a larger 75 kWh model. One electric motor producing 295 horsepower powers this RWD model. With a full charge, the 60 kWh battery is supposed to have a WLTP range of 500 km, whilst the long-range model promises a range of 622 km.

  • VinFast to Launch Car Assembly Plant in India by June 2025

    VinFast, the electric vehicle maker from Vietnam often likened to Tesla, is reshaping its worldwide strategy and focusing much of its energy back in Asia. After a bold push to enter the U.S. market, the company is now toning down its western ambitions and is realigning its expansion with much slower revenue growth than projected in the U.S. and with some big regulatory hurdles in the way. 

    VinFast’s founder and chairman, Pham Nhat Vuong, told shareholders of his parent company, Vingroup, that VinFast will shift its attention to operations in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

    India Plant Set for June Launch

    By the end of June 2025, the company plans to inaugurate a facility in India for special vehicle assembly. The plant will initially take on a very local mission, converting “knockdown” kits, basically, an automobile’s guts and other essential components, into complete vehicles that meet India’s right-hand-drive specifications. The company’s assembly plant will have space and infrastructure for up to 150,000 assembled and finished vehicles to leave its doors each year. VinFast’s ambition is to be the first Vietnamese automobile manufacturer to compete in the Indian market. This effort is being aided by the Tamil Nadu state government which has opened its doors for VinFast.

    Challenges in the U.S. Prompt Shift

    VinFast had invested heavily in its push into the U.S. market, but surging logistics costs and extended delays have forced a recalibration. Not only are U.S. tariffs on imports of electric vehicles a big unknown, but the company now knows it must find a way to close the gap between what it spends to deliver electric vehicles to North America and Europe and what its rivals spend. Remarkably, the company has decided to retreat, not permanently, the chief executive insists, but for the time being, because the figures just don’t work.

    Tesla Hesitant, VinFast Moves Ahead

    Whereas VinFast speeds up its operations in India, Tesla proceeds with caution. The Elon Musk-led electric vehicle (EV) giant continues to see India as an attractive opportunity but finds that steep duties make the market less accessible. Tesla’s chief financial officer, Vaibhav Taneja, recently underscored the point that the company continues to weigh the right time for an Indian debut. Till the time India doesn’t revise its policy of taxing imported vehicles, a full push by Tesla can’t be called certain.

    Determined to establish itself in the emergent Asian car markets, VinFast is trying to gain a foothold there, even though it is not yet profitable. With operations in Indonesia on the verge of starting in October, the company looks to start dominating the regional markets while its American rival plays the waiting game for more favorable conditions.