VinFast enters India with plans to build a full EV ecosystem, extending beyond vehicles to include charging, mobility, and smart city infrastructure.Vietnamese electric vehicle (EV) maker VinFast has formally entered the Indian market with a strategy that goes beyond selling cars. Pham Sanh Chau, chief executive officer of VinFast Asia, told ET that the company is looking to build a “complete ecosystem” in India-spanning electric cars, buses, two-wheelers, charging infrastructure, and even schools, hospitals, resorts, and smart cities- than focusing narrowly on vehicle volumes.
“We don’t put volumes as the key performance indicator,” Chau said in response to the company’s initial volume targets for the debut EV models. “Our aim is to sell the first 1,500 cars with a lot of benefits-three years of free charging, three years of free maintenance, and a ten-year warranty. No other OEM offers that in India.”
The company on Saturday launched its first two models in the country, the compact VF 6 and mid-sized VF 7, priced at ₹16.99 lakh and ₹22.99 lakh onwards respectively (ex-showroom). Both SUVs, assembled at VinFast’s Thoothukudi plant in Tamil Nadu, are positioned as premium yet accessible electric vehicles for Indian families.
The VF 6 offers a 59.6 kWh battery with an ARAI-certified range of up to 468 km, while the VF 7, available with two battery options, delivers up to 532 km on a single charge. Both models come with connected car technology, advanced driver-assistance systems, and multiple drive modes.
Chau emphasised that VinFast is not merely entering India as a carmaker. “We are not only selling cars; we bring the whole ecosystem,” he said. “We will introduce e-buses, e-two-wheelers, and e-taxis, as well as green power and solar technology. Over time, we will also bring VinMec hospitals, VinSchool education, and VinGroup resorts. If you buy our car today, one day you will enjoy the whole ecosystem.”
The company is in talks with state governments to develop smart cities that will host charging points, renewable energy solutions, and other VinGroup ventures.
