Vietnamese people increasingly favor electric vehicles
Recently, the VinFast Minio Green model has become one of the most sought-after names on the market. Scarce supply has forced many customers to order from other localities or wait many months to receive the car.
Ms. Le Cam Van (Thanh Hoa) said that she has been following and looking to buy the Minio Green model for many months. According to her, the demand for buying a car is too large, making owning a car not easy at all.
“I have been hunting for VinFast Minio Green for several months now, but the cars are almost out of stock. In my area, it is very difficult to have cars delivered immediately, so in the end I had to order them right in Hai Phong to get a car receipt. I chose an electric car because of its low usage cost, compact design, suitable for traveling in the city and picking up and dropping off children to school” - Ms. Van shared.
Not only mini cars, small electric SUVs also recorded positive sales. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thai, owner of a VinFast VF 5, informed that he decided to switch to an electric car after considering many factors regarding cost and usage experience. "Before, I used a gasoline car, but after researching, I decided to buy the VF 5. What I am most satisfied with is that the operating cost is much more economical, the car operates smoothly and there are many driving assist technologies. The charging station system is increasingly convenient, so I am no longer worried as before" - Mr. Thai said.
Vietnamese people buy the most electric cars in Southeast Asia
Not only creating attraction for domestic consumers, the Vietnamese electric vehicle market also recorded impressive growth figures compared to the region.
According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), in the first half of 2026, sales of battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) in Vietnam reached 115,986 vehicles, surpassing major markets such as Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to become the largest electric vehicle consumer in Southeast Asia. Although only ranked fourth in total new car sales in the region, Vietnam leads in electric vehicle sales.
The driving force for market growth comes from many factors. The government is applying a series of preferential policies such as exemption from registration fees and applying a preferential special consumption tax rate of only 3% for battery-powered electric vehicles until the end of 2030. This is considered the group of vehicles most encouraged to develop strongly in the automotive industry today.
Electric car sales in Vietnam in the first 6 months of the year increased by 71% compared to the same period in 2025. Electric cars currently account for about 35.3% of total new car sales - the highest rate among the four largest car markets in Southeast Asia including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Thailand is the country closest to Vietnam when electric vehicle sales are about 11,500 units lower. Meanwhile, Indonesia - the largest car market in Southeast Asia - has an electric vehicle proportion of about 16% of total new car sales. Malaysia is the country with the lowest electric vehicle sales in the group of four major markets, but the growth rate still reaches 85%.
The above results show that Vietnam is emerging as a bright spot of the electric vehicle market in Southeast Asia. With increasing support from consumers, incentive policies from the State and strong development of domestic enterprises, electric vehicles are expected to continue to expand market share, contributing to promoting the transition to green transportation in the coming years.
