Connected future
VinFast and its growing ties with Phl
DISPLAYED at the Hai Phong visitor center, the VF 9 showcases the Vinfast’s flagship electric SUV.
Photographs by Enrique Garcia for Daily Tribune
When you visit VinFast’s massive manufacturing complex in Hai Phong, you immediately see Vietnam’s future taking shape. Built in just 21 months, the 335-hectare facility on Cat Hai Island runs with coordination and automation. Aluminum sheets are pressed into panels by high-speed robots, while welding bays glow with precision work. Each part of production is digitally monitored through systems from Siemens and SAP.
Inside this vast space are the VF 3, VF 6 and VF 9 cars we drove later that day. The VF 3 felt light and easy to handle, while the VF 6 has a smooth and balanced drive. The VF 9, a full-size SUV, felt stable and comfortable.
THE VinFast VF 6 crossover during the media test drive at the company’s Hai Phong facility.
VinFast belongs to Vingroup, a network that reaches into many parts of Vietnamese life. Its reach includes housing, education, healthcare, energy, and heavy manufacturing through its new business, VinMetal. VinUniversity trains engineers, doctors, and other professionals. Vinmec runs hospitals. Vinhomes builds communities. Vinpearl handles resorts. VinEnergo supplies power. VinBus operates public transport, and VinMetal produces steel components that support the group’s real-estate and automotive ventures.
That broad structure gives VinFast a clear advantage. The company operates not only as a car manufacturer but also as the mobility arm of a larger system that already supports millions of people in Vietnam. During the factory tour, we see the connection between engineering and environmental goals working side by side.
INSIDE the VF 9, the cabin highlights the brand’s focus on technology and clean design.
Equipment from leading European manufacturers ensures accuracy at every stage of production, including Schuler and Dürr, ABB robots, and Atlas Copco tools, among others. Every process is built to detect errors early and correct them quickly.
During the conference, I asked Toti Zara, ceo of VinFast Philippines, how the company plans to address the hesitation of Filipino buyers toward fully electric cars. “From January to August this year, around 18,000 electrified vehicles were sold in the Philippines, and most of them were hybrids,” I said. “How do you bridge that gap, or more particularly, how do you persuade Filipino car buyers to go all in on EVs?”
