EXCLUSIVE - Vinfast To Launch India-Specific Scooters With Swappable Batteries

Vietnamese brand, Vinfast has confirmed that it will be entering the Indian two-wheeler market soon. Just like its car business, the company will be focusing on the EV scooter segment in India. However, the electric scooters heading to India will not be the same products as seen in its international portfolio, but will be India-specific models. The above strategy could be because the mainstream electric scooters in our market like the TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak, Ather Rizta and the Vida VX2 offer higher performance and range in comparison to global EV scooters. Honda and Suzuki too adopted the same strategy for their debut EV offerings in our country.

Speaking to Acko Drive, Pham Sanh Chau, CEO, VinFast Asia mentioned, “We will be entering the Indian two-wheeler market in 2026 with India-specific models. The plan is to commence operations with one or two models, but we are developing six models for India. First roll-out is expected in Q3.”

While not many details about the upcoming Vinfast scooters have been shared, what we know for a fact is that validation is currently undergoing in Vietnam. The Vinfast electric scooters are likely to be unveiled in August, 2026 and six scooters are being developed for the Indian market. A few scooters are expected to go on sale during the festive season or by late 2026. The Vinfast scooter is expected to deliver around 140 km of range and will have swappable batteries as seen on the Honda Activa electric. The company will set up battery swapping stations at Hindustan Petroleum outlets across the nation.

Vinfast will be setting up a new production line for electric scooters at its Thoothukudi plant in Tamil Nadu. Pam San Chau also confirmed that the made in India Vinfast scooters will be exported to the Middle East, African and a few South East Asian countries. Pricing will be key for the Vietnamese brand as many manufacturers are shifting towards low cost scooters as subsidies have dried up. Also, battery swapping hasn’t been successful for Honda, so whether Vinfast can crack this code remains to be seen.