VinFast has received an “Air Permit” from regulators in North Carolina, USA. This is one of several environmental permits required to start building the company’s planned $4 billion EV assembly plant in Chatham County. VinFast plans to compete with existing automakers in the US market and create more than 7,000 jobs in the process.
VinFast intends to begin constructing phase one of the plant soon, following the award of the Air Permit. This phase of the project involves investing $2 billion in a factory capable of producing up to 150,000 vehicles per year. While the company is still seeking other permits for the plant, it has stated that it will initiate a tender for construction.
The carmaker plans to start operations at the North Carolina plant as early as 2024. After establishing the plant’s production capacity, VinFast’s second phase will focus on battery production. The company is set to ship its first batch of cars to US customers from Vietnam in late February.
VinFast has filed paperwork with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to hold an initial public offering (IPO) on US markets. This move aims to expand VinFast’s brand and access to resources in the US.
VinFast shipped its first batch of VF 8 EVs to the US in November, but it has delayed customer deliveries to ensure that the vehicles are loaded with the latest software. The company plans to hand over the first VF 8 models to customers in the second half of February, with the second batch scheduled for shipment in the second quarter of 2023.
To stay competitive in the US EV market and establish its brand presence, VinFast recently launched a promotional program for its VF 8 City Edition. The company currently manufactures EVs at its Haiphong factory in Vietnam and ships them to the US.
