For electric cars and buses: Vinfast is planning a car factory in Germany

D.he Vietnamese car manufacturer Vinfast is planning to build or operate a factory in Germany. Electric cars and buses are to be manufactured there. After the American manufacturer Tesla, whose factory in Grünheide near Berlin is already well advanced, this would be the second relocation in Germany within a short time. Vinfast has not yet announced the location of the factory, its size and when it should go into operation. Talks with the federally owned business development agency Germany Trade and Invest GTAI are ongoing, as both sides confirm.

Vinfast is largely unknown in this country. So far, the company has only made a name for itself in specialist circles with a personality. The former head of Opel, Michael Lohscheller, moved to the head of the Vietnamese automaker in the summer of 2021. This is fueling speculation that the Opel plant in Eisenach, which is on the brink, could pass into the hands of Vinfast. Opel is part of the Stellantis Group, which also includes brands such as Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat and has numerous production facilities around the world, the utilization of which needs to be optimized. Eisenach is assigned a weak role in this network, although the new Opel boss Uwe Hochgeschurtz recently acknowledged the location in a conversation with the FAZ.

However, Lohscheller gave up or had to give up his post in Vietnam after only five months. Apparently this does not detract from the expansion plans of the Vietnamese. “The days when cars were shipped around the world are over. This is especially true since Covid 19 restricted the supply chains, “says the new chairman, Le Thi Thu Thuy. You have to manufacture your products in the markets in which you want to sell them. “Customers can no longer be won otherwise. We see our goal of building a factory in Germany as a milestone for conquering the European market. ”The fact that this is developing towards electromobility“ is as clear as day ”, says the company boss.

As a subsidiary of the privately owned conglomerate Vingroup, which was founded in 1993, Vinfast already manufactures several electrically powered models in Vietnam; mainly SUVs are intended for export. A battery factory is currently being set up in the home country. Initially 100,000 battery packs per year are to be put together in it, later a battery cell production is planned, which should enable one million units per year. The vehicles with type designations from VF 5 to VF 9 are aimed at a more conservative, upscale clientele without any external extravagance. The Nissan Qashqai or an Audi Q5 may serve as a guide.

Orders from European customers should be possible soon, the first deliveries to Europe are planned towards the end of the year. Vinfast doesn’t want to convince with competitive prices, but with product quality and customer experience. In North America, the Vietnamese want to offer a ten-year guarantee. A factory is also to be built there, as Vinfast confirmed at the CES trade fair in Las Vegas. It is scheduled to go into operation in the second half of 2024.