VinFast has launched its first partnership with North Carolina-based Leith Automotive Group, as part of the Vietnamese electric vehicle maker's latest attempt to bolster sales in the United States, Reuters reported.
In an interview with Reuters in August, VinFast's global chief executive said the company was changing its distribution model, which had been based on Tesla's direct-to-consumer approach, to a "hybrid" one that included dealers.
VinFast's $4 billion manufacturing plant which is situated in North Carolina, is set to be commissioned from 2026, the report said.
VinFast, founded in 2017 and backed by Vietnam's largest conglomerate Vingroup (VIC.HM), started to deliver electric cars in California in March and made its Nasdaq debut in late August.
Last month, the EV maker said it had received 70 dealer applications across the United States, which if approved would allow VinFast to distribute its EVs through 125 points of sales nationwide, the newswire noted.
VinFast is entering the American market at a time when EV pricing is under pressure, led by market leader Tesla and a range of Chinese companies, Reuters noted.
It sold around 13,000 units globally in the second and third quarter this year, more than half of them to an affiliate company owned by its founder, Reuters stated.