Vietnam's VinFast struggles to sell electric cars at home

Vietnam's VinFast struggles to sell electric cars at home

Vinfast has enormous brand recognition in Vietnam but has found it tough to convince drivers that its electric vehicles are reliable and high-quality
Vinfast has enormous brand recognition in Vietnam but has found it tough to convince drivers that its electric vehicles are reliable and high-quality. Photo: Nhac NGUYEN / AFP
Source: AFP

Vietnam's VinFast has grand ambitions of selling its electric vehicles in the United States and Europe to compete with the likes of Elon Musk's Tesla, but it is struggling to find buyers for its cars at home.

Backed by Vingroup, Vietnam's biggest conglomerate, Vinfast has enormous brand recognition in the country but has found it tough to convince drivers that its EVs are reliable and high-quality.

Ngo Trong Tu, a 31-year-old businessman from Hanoi, seriously considered buying a $35,000 VinFast EV but instead spent nearly $5,000 more on an imported petrol-powered Honda.

"It's safer than buying a (VinFast) EV," Tu told AFP in Hanoi. "On social media, many people said their VinFast EVs had faults."

"I don't want to spend my money on an imperfect product."

Around 280,000 new passenger vehicles were sold in Vietnam in 2022, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.

Read also

US tightens curbs on AI chip exports to China

VinFast -- one of the few EV options in the country -- sold only 7,400.

In the first half of 2023, there were 11,000 purchases -- but more than half went to a taxi company owned by its parent Vingroup.

The automaker has also been plagued by complaints about faulty construction and car software problems, compounding the challenge of selling EVs in a country where charging infrastructure is underdeveloped.

In January, the presenter of the "Xe Dien EV" YouTube channel -- which specialises in EV and battery reviews -- said his new VinFast VF8's battery was faulty and he could not open the car with its smart key.

In another video months later, he reported problems with the car's virtual assistant, its accelerator and the air conditioner.

And in April, state media reported that a VinFast EV suddenly caught fire in Nghe An province.

Read also

Engine maker Rolls-Royce to axe up to 2,500 jobs

VinFast said in a statement that authorities had identified the cause of the fire and it was not because of a problem in their vehicle.

Local authorities did not respond to AFP's request for comment on the incident.

In an interview with AFP last month, when asked about the complaints, VinFast's chief executive Le Thi Thu Thuy acknowledged that "there were a lot of doubts".

It was unrealistic to expect a new product to be perfect, she said, adding: "There's a lot of hope and expectations for us to be better."

The company said in a statement that when complaints are reported to their service centre, they are always resolved promptly.

"To date, after several software updates and upgrades, our EVs are performing well," it added.

'Deep pockets'

VinFast's parent is owned by Vietnam's richest person, Pham Nhat Vuong, who started out selling dried noodles in the Soviet Union.

Read also

Ford executive chair calls for end of auto strike

He went on to build a $5 billion empire with interests in a range of sectors including real estate, tourism and education.

The tycoon now has set his sights on the burgeoning global EV market -- VinFast has opened showrooms in the United States, and outlets in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

VinFast shares have experienced wild fluctuations since debuting on the Nasdaq in August -- it soared to a market value bigger than auto titans Ford and General Motors before lurching down.

VinFast faces a challenge of selling electric vehicles in a country where charging infrastructure is underdeveloped
VinFast faces a challenge of selling electric vehicles in a country where charging infrastructure is underdeveloped. Photo: Nhac NGUYEN / AFP
Source: AFP

And despite reporting a net loss of more than $600 million in the third quarter, it continues to expand. Its target markets now include India, Indonesia and the Middle East.

"For now, these losses can be carried because Vingroup has deep pockets, but that can't go on forever," said Southeast Asia trade expert James Guild from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

Read also

Debt, inflation and the peso: Argentina's election worries

VinFast has said it aims to deliver up to 50,000 cars globally this year. It has sold around 21,000 so far.

With poor demand in Vietnam, and limited sales and bad press in the United States, VinFast may be producing more cars than it can sell, Guild said.

"It needs to have some kind of viable financial and operational plan for the next few years, and right now it's hard to see what that is."

Vingroup has pioneered EV infrastructure in Vietnam but one automobile expert in Vietnam, who refused to be named for fear of repercussions from the powerful conglomerate, said that "VinFast has not won our trust".

"Users cannot buy such an expensive car based on national pride alone," they said.

Tran Lien Phuong, director of the Ho Chi Minh City consulting and market research company AMCO, said despite the government encouraging people to buy products made in Vietnam, consumers display more faith in foreign brands.

Read also

How Belize became a poster child for 'debt-for-nature' swaps

"It will surely be a long and difficult play for Vingroup," Phuong said.

"Anyone joining this game needs time."

New feature: Сheck out news that is picked for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.