Vietnamese automaker VinFast announced its plans for a North Carolina EV factory, which will reportedly begin production in 2024 and lead to the creation of thousands of jobs. Once operating at full capacity, the new plant is expected to build up to 150,000 EVs per year.
According to the press release, Vinfast will invest US$2 billion in the first phase of construction, which is slated to begin later this year. So far, VinFast has already introduced consumers to two EV models, the VF 8 and the VF 9 SUVs, which will be built at the new factory along with three other vehicles.
For those unfamiliar with the automaker, VinFast was established in 2017 with a fleet of internal-combustion vehicles that were based on “hand-me-down” BMW platforms. Since then, VinFast has unveiled two prototypes, announced a US headquarters, and promised three additional models, the VF 5, VF 6, and VF 7 at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show. VinFast also recently revealed the pricing for the first two of its SUV models coming to Canada; the VF 8 (starting at $51,250) and the VF 9 (starting at $69,750).
In the meantime, VinFast is expected to announce more details and specifications for the VF 8 and VF 9 SUVs at the 2022 New York auto show in April. Notably, the automaker’s new factory will be North Carolina’s first large-scale car plant.
