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Business Standard

VinFast lines up big India plans; TN plant to start production on August 4

From Shimla in the north to Kochi in the south, a wave of 'curiosity' seems to be driving footfalls to VinFast India's dealership doors. As the Vietnamese giant gears up to start production at its Thoothukudi unit in Tamil Nadu from Monday, dealers said its premium electric SUVs — VF6 and VF7 — have seen interest from all over the country. Amid the media attention over its rival Tesla, industry experts said that VinFast is one of the most calculated entries by a foreign automobile company in India during the last six years. It is after South Korean major Kia and Chinese state-owned carmaker MG Motor's entry in 2019. However, what makes VinFast's debut special is its line-up of retail outlets panning across the country, in addition to its foray into charging infrastructure through subsidiary VinGreen. 'In Himachal Pradesh, curiosity over the products and their making is bringing us a lot of queries,' said Rajinder Vashisht, managing director (MD) of Devbhoomi Group, who is planning to come up with three outlets in the state. 'We are getting non-stop queries about the car, its performance, and mileage. VinFast is a trusted brand, and we are also planning to come up with charging stations across 12 districts,' Vashisht told Business Standard. Devbhoomi is already the biggest dealer of Hyundai Motor in Himachal Pradesh and also handles Skoda. The Thoothukudi plant is the first dedicated electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing unit by a foreign company in India. Though the pure-play EV player is yet to divulge any numbers, the company may set up around 1,000–1,500 charging stations in its initial phase. On July 8, the company had a meeting with all its dealers in Gurugram, and inauguration of retail outlets has already been happening in various cities. The cars are expected to be up for sale from the middle of August. Down south in Kochi, people's queries are more about the pricing. 'We are yet to inaugurate the showroom and started display only two weeks back. Still, we got more than 1,500 queries,' said Jimmy Jose, part of the EVM Group that is opening outlets in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kozhikode. This is in addition to around 100 charging stations. 'We are a price-conscious market, and hence, it is the most critical part. We expect them to be competitively price, as the Indian market is seeing an EV boom. It is a serious player creating an entire ecosystem,' Jose added. VinFast India aims to launch 35 dealerships by year-end, across more than 27 cities. Besides Kia Motors and MG Motor, other major entries into the Indian market in recent times are Chinese major BYD in 2021, Tesla in 2025, and Datsun in 2013 (exited in 2022), among others. When Kia launched in India (backed by Hyundai), it had more than 150 outlets. Similarly, MG Motor also had more than 60 outlets. 'For any company looking into India's mass market, 35 is an average number. All its (VinFast's) dealers are big. Whether it will have enough products and at competitive prices is a question that can be seen with time,' said C S Vigneshwar, president of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada). The current interest of global players is similar to the wave in the early 2000s, when companies like Renault (France), Nissan (Japan), and German majors Audi and Porsche entered the Indian retail race almost at the same time, said an industry expert. On Saturday, Pham Sanh Chau, chief executive officer (CEO) of VinFast Asia, inaugurated an outlet promoted by Maansarovar Motors in Chennai, its largest showroom in India. 'We aim to redefine the EV ownership journey — combining sustainability, technology, and world-class service. This marks not just a retail milestone, but a meaningful step towards co-creating a greener, smarter, and future-ready India,' Chau said. In Andhra Pradesh, too, customer interest is rising with each passing day. 'We are getting the majority of queries from youngsters. They are attracted because of the design and aggressive digital media marketing,' said Bhagat Singh of Sri Sri Automobility, which is planning to come up with two outlets in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. 'People are awaiting the pricing announcement now,' he added. Customers can also book their preferred VinFast SUV through the company's official website, for ₹1,000. As part of its India market entry, the company has formed strategic partnerships with RoadGrid, myTVS, and Global Assure to establish a nationwide network for charging and after-sales services.