Surat: Vietnamese EV maker VinFast officially launched its VF6 and VF7 SUVs in India with the opening of its first showroom in Surat, Gujarat. The company, which recently inaugurated its manufacturing plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, aims to produce the right-hand drive versions of the VF6 and VF7 for the local market.
Both the models have been tailor-made for the Indian market and aim to compete with Tata’s Harrier, Curvv and Punch EVs and MG Motors’ Hector EVs.
“The first VinFast Showroom in Surat, Gujarat is a symbol of our deep commitment to India. We are excited to bring the VinFast experience closer to Indian consumers. With this dealership in Gujarat, we aim to offer not just electric vehicles, but a complete ownership journey built on quality, trust, and service excellence,” Pham Sanh Chau, CEO of VinFast Asia, stated at the inauguration.
The company aims to launch 35 dealerships across 27 cities in India, in a push towards promoting its EV cars in one of the world’s most promising markets. VinFast seems to be betting big on India, as the loss-making startup couldn’t compete in the crowded US market, even as beleaguered EV pioneer Tesla has also recently opened its showroom in Mumbai.
Even with the government’s subsidies and encouragement, EVs still accounted for just 7% of total car sales in India in 2024, primarily due to the absence of charging infrastructure and a reluctance to invest in untested technology.
Tata Motors currently holds 70% of the market, with another 10% held by MG Motor India. The rest are divided by Mahindra and Mahindra (9%), and other players are desperately trying to prove themselves in the market.
Even though the charging infrastructure is improving, VinFast is going to have a tough task to beat Tata Motors and other incumbents, especially as the company is virtually depending on its India operations to turn over its fortunes.
