When VinFast began operations in 2017, the Vietnam-based manufacturer wanted to create a reliable electric car to compete with China’s top brands and Tesla. In 2024, the company is now a rising global leader in electric vehicles (EVs), with an interest in VinFast vehicles expanding beyond Asia and Europe. The American market is welcoming the automaker with open arms, and it has officially opened its first United States-based dealership in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Though the press release says that multiple dealerships are opening, Reuters reported that Raleigh would be the site of the first American location. The company has partnered with Leith Automotive Group, a prominent dealership conglomerate in Raleigh. VinFast also plans to open sites in New York, Texas, and Kansas, all selling the flagship VF 8 SUV and with plans to sell the VF 6, 7, and 9 models when they launch in the U.S.
“This is an important step affirming VinFast’s commitment to expanding its retail sales network and shortening the time to deliver our products to market,” Tran Mai Hoa, deputy CEO of sales and marketing at VinFast Global, said in a press release.
“Collaboration with dealers allows VinFast to quickly bring U.S. customers high-quality electric vehicles, good prices, and excellent aftersales policies, further promoting our mission of a sustainable future for all.”
VinFast is offering customers a high-end aftersales policy. Customers are eligible for a 10-year/125,000-mile warranty and 10-year unlimited battery mileage for non-commercial use.
Photo Courtesy VinFast
The Raleigh dealership follows VinFast’s 2022 decision to build a manufacturing plant in Chatham County, North Carolina, with a phase 1 investment of $2 billion, creating thousands of jobs for the area once online. According to Reuters, the $4 billion factory, which broke ground in summer 2023, is expected to build 150,000 vehicles a year.
“VinFast’s transformative project will bring many good jobs to our state, along with a healthier environment as more electric vehicles take to the road to help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement.
VinFast said it received more than 70 applications from dealerships nationwide to become affiliated dealers.
The company will open several Parts Distribution Centers to fulfill orders and maintenance requests. Pop-up test drivers will be placed in targeted cities, with Austin, Texas, a confirmed test-driving spot. The firm hopes to have all models on sale in the U.S. by the end of 2024.
North Carolina has become a state ripe for EV and infrastructure-related investments. “Investing in the charging infrastructure necessary to support electrification is critical for keeping North Carolina a competitive state to do business in,” U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis told WGHP. “This is just one way the bipartisan infrastructure law I helped write will modernize and improve our state’s infrastructure system.”
North Carolina is part of the Battery Belt, the EV production corridor stretching from Georgia to Michigan. This VinFast dealership and factory join Toyota, Kempower, and other EV companies opening in the state.
Photo Courtesy VinFast
VinFast began deliveries in California in March 2023. It currently has 13 retail stores and service centers in the Golden State. The company debuted on the NASDAQ in August 2023 and is valued at around $23 billion. The automaker’s growth is also reflected in sales. Bloomberg reported that nearly 35,000 units were sold in 2023, with 13,513 in the fourth quarter alone.
“We are very excited to be one of the first VinFast dealers in the U.S. and the very first in North Carolina, particularly alongside the VinFast’s groundbreaking automobile manufacturing plant,” Danny Williams, COO of Leith Automotive Group, said in a statement. “After interacting with VinFast’s executive team and experiencing their vehicles firsthand, we were captivated by the brand and knew it was a perfect addition to the Leith Automotive Group.”
