First Vinfast VF6 And VF7 Electric SUVs Arrive At Indian Dealership: All That We Know Of It
Looks like the Vietnamese brand Vinfast is finally making progress in its India debut. The carmaker had previously revealed its business plans and also hinted at the possible India portfolio. The first Vinfast dealership in the country is nearing completion, in Kerala. In the latest turn of events, the first batch of Vinfast electric cars has reached the dealer partner.
India's first Vinfast dealership is in Kalamassery, Kochi. EVM Group is the dealer partner. The vehicles have, however, landed in Trivandrum, the state's capital. In a video that is now racking up views, we see a Vinfast VF6 being unloaded from a carrier. We also get to see the exterior and interior designs of this EV. From the visuals, this VF6 seems to be parked in a dealer yard, along with vehicles of other brands. White protection film can be seen on various body panels and doors.
A quick look at the interior and we realise that the car here is a Left Hand Drive (LHD) unit. It could thus be a direct import from Vietnam. Looking back, all the cars showcased at the Bharat Mobility Expo earlier this year, were also LHD units.
The video also shows the person filming it getting inside and driving it within the yard. We get to see the cabin colourway and premium trims used inside. The drive selector switches- Park, Neutral, Drive, Reverse- seem to have toggle designs. The central screen looks massive and likely has most of the functions integrated into it.
The driver is seen engaging the 360-degree camera and switching between its various views/angles. The camera feeds seem to be of decent quality. Towards the end of the video, we see another Vinfast model, inside the carrier, which is likely the VF7- the carmaker's second product for India. All we get to see in the picture is a distant rear view. The creases and lines, however, suggest it to be the VF7 premium electric SUV.
So, what are these LHD cars doing in Trivandrum? These are essentially the first display cars for the Kochi showroom. Static display cars aren't usually taken out for test drives or experiential drives. Their sole purpose is to give the visiting customer a proper taste of the touch and feel, the features and the design at large. Thus, even left-hand drive models can be used as display units.
Since the Kochi dealership is the first of its kind in India and could reportedly mark the brand's official India entry, Vinfast could be planning a major event. These cars could be used in the same as well.
What surprises us is how the cars ended up being delivered to Trivandrum while the actual retailer facility is in Kochi- at least 200 km away from it! The reason could be something internal, as both the Kochi dealership and the yard which currently has the vehicles in, are owned by the same parent company/ group. What we know for sure is that these cars will be transported to Kochi for the inaugural event.
The dealership in question has been actively hiring manpower. The training for staff is also expected to start soon.
VinFast's Plans For India
Vinfast had initially announced ambitious plans for the Indian market. These, however, went for a toss recently, when a series of major hurdles popped up. Going by what the manufacturer had announced earlier, the VF6 and VF7 would be the first to launch in India. Vinfast had also announced that a $500 million plant in Tamil Nadu would produce these locally. However, the plant hasn't gone operational yet. This has delayed local production indefinitely.
Another major challenge is on the product front. The VF6 and VF7 slated for India are already on sale in various other markets including Vietnam. These would, however, require major re-engineering to suit the Indian road and traffic conditions- more than just LHD to RHD conversion. If reports are true, the company hasn't been able to get the product side sorted!
These seem to be affecting the dealer's confidence in the brand. Though Vinfast had signed up multiple dealer partners, the uncertainties in timelines, product specifications, and more. Many of them haven't been able to source demo or display cars either. These have reportedly caused many of them to walk away.
Bottomline
Vinfast is definitely going to take its sweet time in entering the Indian market. We hope it solves these issues and make an India debut soon. If executed properly, this Vietnamese brand can have a successful run in our market.