ECO SYSTEM

Vietnamese carmaker VinFast, part of global conglomerate Vingroup, has a vision for the future like few others. We were invited to Vietnam to witness the scale of their operation—and promise—first-hand

- Story: Jim Gorde Photography: VinFast and Jim Gorde

WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THERE COULD be a symbiotic relationship between a car, its fuel, its support, and the people who make, produce, and deliver everything needed to create a world straight out of a vision? If it seems outlandish, if not something that blurs the lines of possibility and probability altogether, I wouldn't blame you.

Vingroup is a Vietnamese conglomerate that is into a number of businesses from education and medicine to construction, housing, power generation, and, of course, mobility and its support system. From small and affordable electric scooters to four-wheel-drive electric SUVs to rival premium brands, VinFast has it all. But what is truly astonishing is their learning curve.

For a new automotive brand from a country few associate with innovation and motoring as part of their culture, the story of VinFast is something of an eyeopener. It would take a visit to Việt Nam, a stay at the Vinpearl luxury resort, flashes of VinMotion, VinHomes, VinSchool, VinES, and V-Green, visits to the Vinmec hospital, VinUniversity, and the massive manufacturing facility in Hai Phong just to begin to comprehend the sheer scale of the organisation. And VinFast is essentially a startup-created to be the automotive division and expand its presence in global markets. That also means less latency and red tape in the decision-making process. We had the chance to see how VinFast electric vehicles (EV) are manufactured at the massive facility with everything needed to produce and test the cars, all on the premises.