Vietnamese EV VinFast Takes on Tesla and BYD in India’s Electric Dreams

Vietnam’s electric vehicle company, VinFast, is looking to establish its first manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu, India.

This move positions VinFast as a potential competitor to Tesla and China’s BYD in the growing Indian electric vehicle market.

Here’s what’s going onwith VinFast:

VinFast, the Vietnamese electric vehicle company, is gearing up to build a facility in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, focusing on manufacturing electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

This move aligns with VinFast’s increasing involvement in India, with recent hiring across various roles like sales, legal, and back-office.

However, specific details about the investment scale and when operations will kick off in Tamil Nadu are not clear yet.

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VinFast is also exploring the possibility of introducing electric scooters and cars to the Indian market.

In a big expansion plan revealed last October, VinFast shared its intentions to set up assembly factories in India and Indonesia. Each factory is expected to have an annual production capacity of up to 50,000 cars, with a seed capital of around $200 million (₹1,665 crore), aiming to start production by 2026.

Moreover, Green SM, an electric taxi service majorly owned by VinFast’s founder, is also looking to set up workforce in India, as told by VinFast CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy.

EV’s Competition In India – VinFast Vs Tesla and BYD

The competition is heating up in the Indian electric vehicle (EV) market. Tesla is in the final stages of negotiations to establish its manufacturing plant in Gujarat, marking its entry into the Indian EV scene.

Simultaneously, Taiwanese company Gogoro is intensifying its investments in India, with a focus on producing electric two-wheelers and developing a battery-swapping infrastructure.

In a recent development, Gogoro and Pune-based Belrise Industries have ended their joint venture, with Belrise deciding to independently continue the setup of a smart energy infrastructure in Maharashtra.

This heightened activity aligns with the increasing interest in EVs in India, as evidenced by the surge in EV registrations.

In 2023, registrations reached 15.13 lakh units, up from 10.25 lakh the previous year.

Notably, two-wheelers continue to dominate the EV segment, experiencing a 34% year-on-year growth and totaling 8.49 lakh units in 2023.

This trend highlights India’s rapidly evolving EV landscape, attracting global players like VinFast to invest and expand their presence in the country.