VinFast to enter India’s electric bus segment by August 2026

VinFast is set to diversify its India portfolio with the launch of electric buses by the middle of next year, reinforcing the Vietnamese EV maker's commitment to India as a critical growth market. This will follow the launch of VinFast’s electric two-wheelers and its ride-hailing service GSM.

“Electric buses play a very important role in transforming public transport from ICE-based buses to clean fuel. Our electric buses will be available in India by August 2026,” VinFast Asia Chief Executive Officer Pham Sanh Chau said. 

Chau noted that the company is in talks with State Transport Undertakings of various states, such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, to secure orders for its buses.

VinFast's electric bus lineup ranges from 6 meters to 12 meters. These models are currently sold in Vietnam and were recently introduced in Europe. The company claims the buses are capable of traveling up to 260 km on a single charge, supported by a battery capacity of 281 kWh.

The automaker began selling electric cars in India in September, starting with the VF 6 and VF 7 models and has set up a network of around 26 dealerships. The company plans to significantly diversify its Indian portfolio next year, aiming to enter the electric two-wheeler market in the second half and launch its GSM ride-hailing service by August.

India's bus electrification, primarily led by State Transport Undertakings (STUs), receives substantial governmental backing through schemes such as PM E-bus Sewa and the recently launched PM E-Drive. The PM E-Drive scheme, launched in October 2024 with a total outlay of Rs 10,900 crore, earmarked Rs 4,391 crore to drive sustainability in urban public transport via electric buses. The electric bus penetration is projected in the range of 20-30% by the end of this decade.

Chau did not disclose any plans on manufacturing electric buses in India, but confirmed that they will look at 100% localisation in the future. VinFast has already announced plans to invest $2 billion (around Rs 16,000 crore) in India, of which $500 million has been invested to set a production plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. The plant currently has an annual capacity of 50,000 electric cars, which is expandable to 150,000 cars. 

Ashok Leyland's Switch Mobility, Tata Motors, Olectra Greentech, PMI Mobility, PMI Electro Mobility and JBM Auto are major electric bus makers in India. India's largest electric bus tender for 10,900 buses under the PM E-Drive scheme has been opened by Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL) recently.