Communists In Capitalism: VinFast Opens A Dealership In California

For Californians wanting to buy a VinFast communist car, a new dealership in San Diego makes that possible. The Vietnamese EV company has been struggling to find a foothold in the US market for a few years now, so this is a big step forward for the brand.

Ford EV recalled for battery problems.

That dealership in Southern California will open by the end of June, helping VinFast transition from direct sales to a full franchise dealership distribution model, says CBT News. The plan is to establish dealers in all 50 states, which is rather ambitious considering.

Just like any dealer, the one in San Diego has a showroom, can let shoppers take the electric vehicles for test drives, provides servicing for VinFast models after they’re sold, and offers lease options.

The fact VinFast chose California for its first dealership is no coincidence. In other parts of the country, buying a car that’s been made by a company which hails from an authoritarian communist nation might be a serious problem for shoppers.

But in California people are more open-minded and don’t mind if the Vietnamese company scrapes data from their EV to learn more about their daily habits.

Californians will pay dearly for that privilege with the VF 8 coming with a base MSRP of $39,900 and the VF 9 starting at $62,900.

VinFast has had a rough go in the US market as the company’s vehicles have questionable build quality, something that’s been a focal point of many professional reviews.

US operations for VinFast were set up in North Carolina after the Vietnamese automaker was given the largest subsidy awarded by the state ever. However, the company has been losing money like crazy.

At a time when so many EV startups are dying off like flies, one has to wonder how much longer VinFast can hold on.

Image via VinFast