The Billionaire’s Mini Electric Cars are Going Global: Vinfast’s Next Big Move to Conquer Southeast Asia’s Largest Market

According to Detik Oto, the Indonesian automotive market is set to get even more exciting with the upcoming launch of a new electric vehicle model from VinFast.

The news outlet reports that after introducing the VinFast VF e34 and VF 5, the company plans to offer a new product with a similar appearance to the Suzuki Jimny, known as the VinFast VF 3. The Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer seems keen to seize every opportunity in the electrified market in Indonesia.

Davy Jeffry Tulian, Chief Sales Officer (CSO) of VinFast Indonesia, shared in an interview at the GJAW 2024 Exhibition: “Next year, we will add a new model in Indonesia called the VinFast VF 3. Hopefully, this mini electric car will be present in the market in the first quarter.”

While the price and launch date have yet to be disclosed, he assured that this vehicle would garner interest from Indonesian consumers.

Back in December 2023, leading Indonesian news outlets simultaneously reported that VinFast had registered the industrial design rights for the VF 3 electric car in the country. The documents were issued by the Directorate General of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Indonesia.

The vehicle was registered under the name of VinFast Manufacturing and Trading Joint Stock Company, headquartered in Haiphong City, Vietnam. Based on the drawings in the documents, it is undoubtedly the VinFast VF 3 model.

When launched in Indonesia, the VinFast VF 3 will compete with the Wuling Air EV. In Indonesia, the mini electric car segment is currently dominated by this Chinese-made vehicle. Specifically, in 2022, Air EV sold approximately 11,000 units, helping Wuling capture 75% of the market share in the Indonesian electric car market.

Prior to this, the VinFast VF 3 was officially launched in the Philippines. This was the first international market to welcome this compact urban electric car. The introduction is considered a significant step in expanding VinFast’s presence in Southeast Asia.

After the Philippines, the mini electric car of billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong will soon be introduced in the Middle East, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand as soon as the right-hand drive versions are finalized.