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With its widespread charging station system, VinFast is taking the lead in the electric vehicle sector, which is influencing the launch of electric cars by other manufacturers.
On September 10, VinFast delivered the first 100 VF8 electric vehicles (EVs) to early depositors. Le Thi Thu Thuy, general director of VinFast, said that the group would fulfil all VF8 orders in Vietnam within the next six months.
VF8 electric vehicles
In light of a wave of electrification and the volatility of fuel costs, several manufacturers are rushing to introduce EVs in Vietnam. Luxury automobile manufacturers such as Audi with its e-tron GT, Porsche with its Taycan, and Mercedes-Benz with its forthcoming EQS are hoping to lead the way.
EV specialist Nguyen Thuc Hoang Linh said, “The majority of this automobile group’s clients possess the financial ability to handle their own charging requirements, such as having a home charging station. This group also typically has multiple vehicles, so they are not reliant on a single automobile, which is something average EV users are concerned with.”
High-end EVs offered in Vietnam are usually available with a spectrum of charging methods, ranging from portable and small to high-capacity.
Hyundai debuted the Ioniq 5 model at the end of April, although it has not yet been released for general sale. The estimated price of the Ioniq 5 will be comparable to that of premium vehicles, at almost $85,000.
The Kia EV6 has also not yet been given a release date. Several automakers are set to offer EVs but only VinFast is so far prominent in this crowded market, having already delivered the VF e34 and VF8 to consumers.
Linh said that some well-known electric car manufacturers are not keen on the Vietnamese market for multiple reasons, including the fact demand for EVs is not that considerable, despite Vietnamese consumers being more interested in electric cars than in the past.
“Similar to gasoline, diesel, or any other commercial commodity, producers only enter the market when they foresee a return. I am aware that several big automakers have a long-term plan to introduce EVs to Vietnam,” Linh said. “Hopefully, these companies will be able to effectively deploy them so that domestic customers have more green transportation alternatives.”
With the exception of VinFast, no automaker has thus far revealed a plan to construct EV charging station infrastructure. VinFast is vigorously distributing and completing 150,000 charging ports for the end of 2022, spanning all 63 cities and provinces to fulfil the demand. Additionally, the group provides automobile chargers for consumers to use at home. Despite the existence of various obstacles, it is evident that this system’s capacity and function are growing, allowing it to service a range of VinFast automobile models that will hit the market in the future, according to Linh.
“However, in addition to charging stations installed in basements or car parks, VinFast may want to explore placing charging stations in business hubs and tourist hotspots, as well as selling retail charging point installation packages for home customers,” Linh explained, saying that this would effectively fulfil the practical demands of electric car owners.
“I believe that, currently, VinFast’s charging infrastructure is sufficient for the number of vehicles available,” Linh added.
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VinFast stands alone in current e-car arena
The domestic e-vehicle market in Vietnam is showing signs of taking off, but some foreign manufacturers may be slow to latch onto what could be an attractive market.
By Quynh Nhi
