Electric cars accounted for 8.5% of India's passenger vehicle retail sales in September, according to industry data, with registrations nearly doubling compared with the same month a year earlier. Although electric vehicles have yet to become mainstream, the rising figures indicate growing market momentum. VinFast sees this as an opportunity to accelerate EV adoption rather than wait for the market to mature independently.
The company's commitment to electric mobility was established well before its entry into India. In 2022, barely five years after its founding, VinFast decided to discontinue petrol-car production and transition into an all-electric manufacturer. The decision marked a significant shift for a young automaker that had only recently established its combustion-engine business, reflecting its long-term commitment to electric vehicles.
VinFast's strategy extends beyond manufacturing electric cars. The company believes widespread EV adoption requires vehicles that are attractive to purchase, practical to operate and supported throughout their ownership life cycle. Accordingly, it has integrated charging infrastructure, servicing and financial support into its business strategy rather than treating them as independent services.
As VinFast expanded its electric vehicle portfolio alongside charging infrastructure and mobility services, it emerged as Vietnam's best-selling car brand. The experience helped the company develop a business model in which the ecosystem surrounding electric vehicles grows alongside the vehicles themselves.
India is now becoming an important market for implementing this strategy on a larger and more diverse scale. Since opening its Tamil Nadu manufacturing facility in 2025, VinFast has steadily expanded its presence across the country.
According to government data, VinFast registered 12,877 vehicles during the first nine months of 2026, with September alone contributing roughly a quarter of the total. The company ranked fourth among electric vehicle brands that month and had already achieved its year-end target of 75 dealerships, according to Tapan Ghosh, CEO of VinFast Asia.
Alongside its expanding sales and service network, VinFast is addressing the financial considerations involved in switching to electric mobility. The company is offering free charging at eligible V-Green partner stations until March 2029, complimentary maintenance and residual value guarantees.
While these initiatives may individually appear to be conventional sales incentives, together they reflect VinFast's broader strategy of making electric vehicle ownership more attractive. The company aims to address customer considerations at every stage, from the initial purchase decision to the long-term ownership experience. Building an integrated ecosystem has therefore become a central element of its all-electric business model.
India's position as the world's third-largest car market makes it particularly important to VinFast's expansion plans. The company wants India to become one of its biggest markets alongside Vietnam. However, the country's significance extends beyond potential vehicle sales, offering VinFast an opportunity to demonstrate how an EV-focused business can operate across manufacturing, distribution and everyday mobility.
"If VinFast can crack the India market, it gives us confidence that we can replicate the Vietnam and India success stories in other markets," Tapan Ghosh, VinFast's Asia chief, told Nikkei Asia in an interview published on October 28.
His remarks underline the company's ambition to establish a scalable electric mobility business that can be adapted to different international markets. VinFast is seeking to develop an approach that accommodates varying consumer preferences, infrastructure requirements and stages of electric vehicle adoption.
VinFast's expansion plans in India are also moving beyond passenger cars. In October, the company signed letters of intent with more than 50 electric-motorcycle dealer partners and announced plans to introduce locally produced two-wheelers.
Meanwhile, Green SM, its strategic partner in electric ride-hailing services, has entered New Delhi, bringing electric vehicles into the city's everyday transportation market.
These developments reflect VinFast's broader approach to electrification, which covers how people own, share and use transportation. The transition has influenced the company's manufacturing priorities, customer support strategy and plans for future business expansion.
As India gains importance in VinFast's global growth plans, the company is increasingly focusing on building the infrastructure and services required to support electric mobility. Its strategy combines vehicle manufacturing with charging, maintenance, dealership expansion and emerging transportation services, positioning India as a key market in its effort to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.
VinFast (NASDAQ: VFS), a subsidiary of Vingroup JSC, one of Vietnam’s largest conglomerates, is a pure-play electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer with the mission of making EVs accessible to everyone. Its current product portfolio includes a wide range of electric SUVs, e-scooters and e-buses.
The company is entering its next phase of growth through the rapid expansion of its global distribution and dealership network and increased manufacturing capacity, with a focus on key markets across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
More information is available at vinfastauto.in.
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