Vinfast, the Vietnamese EV maker, has officially commenced operations in India by rolling out the first vehicle – VF7 – from its assembly plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. The carmaker will also be assembling the smaller VF6 at the same factory, and both cars are expected to launch later this month. Pre-bookings for the VF6 and VF7 opened on July 15 in India.
- Vinfast India plant has a capacity of 50,000, expandable up to 1.5 lakh
- Vinfast recently inaugurated its second showroom in Chennai
- VF6 and VF7 launch expected later this month
Vinfast India assembly plant details
Tamil Nadu is the brand’s third operational plant globally
Vinfast’s assembly plant in Thoothukudi spans 400 acres and houses facilities such as a body shop, a paint shop, an assembly shop, a quality control centre, and a logistics hub. Vinfast says the plant has a starting capacity of 50,000 units annually, expandable up to 1.50 lakh units. The brand also says that, at full capacity, the plant will employ about 3,000-3,500 workers. Going forward, Vinfast aims to use Tamil Nadu as an export base for South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Vinfast India opens its second showroom in Chennai
35 showrooms across 27 cities by the end of 2025
Vinfast recently also inaugurated its second showroom in Chennai at Teynampet, following the first Vinfast showroom in Surat. The Chennai showroom is the larger of the two, spread across an area of 4,700 sq. ft. Vinfast is calling this their flagship experience centre, which will be managed by Maansarovar Motors, an established dealer group.
This flagship store will have a lounge area, digital interfaces for customers to learn about the products, a delivery area, as well as a charging and service station. The company aims to open 35 dealerships across 27 Indian cities by the end of this year. More Tier I cities will get the flagship experience centre, such as the one in Chennai, whereas Tier II and Tier III cities will have more compact showrooms optimised for reach and cost.
Charging and service network
Vinfast has also steadily been trying to build an entire EV ecosystem to support the launch of its EVs. It has established partnerships with brands such as RoadGrid to help locate fast-charging points within cities and on highways, and myTVS for post-sales service. It has also partnered with BatX Energies, an Indian clean-tech company, to promote battery recycling.
Hormazd Sorabjee
Sahil Kukreja
