Vietnam’s VinFast to launch electric 2-wheelers in India in 2026, feasibility studies underway
The automaker has a lineup of at least six electric scooters, with varying degrees of battery capacity and claimed range, and could start by launching two of them in the Indian market, which is currently dominated by offerings from legacy manufacturers Bajaj and TVS, along with start-ups like Ather and Ola Electric.
The company will also look to launch its ride-hailing service in the country, and electric buses, for which it is currently in discussions with multiple state governments. (Express Photo)
Vietnam’s major automaker VinFast, which debuted two electric cars in India earlier this year, will also launch electric two-wheelers in the Indian market in 2026, and is currently undertaking feasibility studies, a top executive of the company said. Down the line, the company will also look to launch its ride-hailing service in the country, and electric buses, for which it is currently in discussions with multiple state governments.
The automaker has a lineup of at least six electric scooters, with varying degrees of battery capacity and claimed range, and could start by launching two of them in the Indian market, which is currently dominated by offerings from legacy manufacturers Bajaj and TVS, along with start-ups like Ather and Ola Electric.
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“We are working with partners to understand the requirements for the Indian market before the launch. A feasibility study is currently underway, and our dealer network has also shown keen interest in the two-wheelers,” Pham Sanh Chau, CEO of VinFast Asia, told reporters.
In September, the company had officially launched two electric cars in India – the VF 6 and VF 7 – and plans to launch a new model every six months in the country, Chau said, adding that the next model will be launched in February. In the first quarter of 2026, VinFast will also launch its ride hailing operations in India, looking to translate the service’s success in its home country of Vietnam, where it offers its electric cars to a ride hailing fleet operated by GSM.
Beyond passenger mobility, the company is also in talks with states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, among others, to launch electric buses in the country.
Chau said that Vingroup – one of Vietnam’s largest conglomerates, of which VinFast is a part – is exploring bringing its entire ecosystem to India, spanning from mobility to education and healthcare to hospitality. In Vietnam, the company has businesses in residential townships, schools, universities, hospitals, resorts, and transportation, among others.
In India, VinFast is betting big on the nascent, but growing EV market with its recently inaugurated assembly plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, marking the start of a phased investment of up to Rs 16,000 crore. Here, the company’s strategy to domestically manufacture in India has been different from that of Tesla’s, which is currently only looking at the country as a sales market.
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Chau said that VinFast sees India as a crucial market for its global expansion ambitions, and will also serve as an export hub for the company.
To serve its electric cars, the company has tied up with partners to offer charging solutions to its customers, but Chau said that the company was open to the possibility of building its own charging infrastructure, something it has already done at scale in Vietnam. He added that VinFast was open to multiple financing options to make its cars more lucrative for prospective buyers.
(The reporter was in Vietnam at the invitation of VinFast)
Soumyarendra Barik is Special Correspondent with The Indian Express and reports on the intersection of technology, policy and society. With over five years of newsroom experience, he has reported on issues of gig workers’ rights, privacy, India’s prevalent digital divide and a range of other policy interventions that impact big tech companies. He once also tailed a food delivery worker for over 12 hours to quantify the amount of money they make, and the pain they go through while doing so. In his free time, he likes to nerd about watches, Formula 1 and football. ... Read More