VinFast ships first batch of EVs to the United States

VinFast, a Vietnamese manufacturer of electric vehicles, announced it has sent its first batch of 999 VF 8 vehicles to the United States. The company stated that the first automobiles should be delivered to consumers by the end of December, according to a press release.

At an event last Friday celebrating the achievement, Vinfast CEO, Mr. Nguyen Viet Quang, said, “The export of the first 999 VF 8s is a significant event for VinFast and Vingroup and a proud historical milestone for the Vietnamese automotive industry. It affirms that Vietnam has successfully produced high-quality standards electric vehicles that are ready to compete in the international market. We hope that, when VinFast’s smart electric vehicles roll out on the streets around the world, it will help promote the image of a new, dynamic and progressive Vietnam to the global audience.”

Many of the 999 VinFast EVs will be delivered to consumers who preordered the vehicle, but some will go to Autonomy, an electric car subscription service. However, VinFast didn’t give any precise figures. 

VinFast’s second batch of vehicles will be shipped sometime in January, according to Chief Executive Le Thi Thu Thuy.

In North Carolina, VinFast is constructing an electric vehicle manufacturing PLANT while awaiting final regulatory certification from local authorities.

According to Thuy, the business anticipates beginning production at the North Carolina facility in July 2024, and electric vehicles produced there will be eligible for subsidies under the conditions of the Inflation Reduction Act.

“The IRA came as a surprise to all of us but it doesn’t really impact our strategy in the U.S.,” Thuy told Reuters. “As soon as we start manufacturing cars in the U.S., our customers will be eligible (for) the tax incentive.”

VinFast originally intended to send 5,000 vehicles in its first shipment, but production setbacks led the EV manufacturer to lower that target.

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