Vietnam's automobile market situation changes sharply, electric vehicles dominate

Đức Vân |

In the first 7 months of 2026, the Vietnamese auto market set a sales record. Notably, the strong growth of electric cars and Vietnamese brands is reshaping the market situation, causing traditional gasoline companies to gradually lose their inherent seniority advantages.

Market share shifts strongly towards electric vehicles

According to data compiled from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), Hyundai Thanh Cong and VinFast, after 7 months of 2026, the market consumed 387,849 vehicles, an increase of 28.6% compared to the same period in 2025 and a record sales level in the first 7 months of the year.

In the overall growth picture, VinFast stands out with a significantly higher growth rate than the entire market. The Vietnamese automaker sold 137,697 electric cars in 7 months, an increase of 74.2% over the same period. With this result, VinFast accounts for about 35.5% of the market, while in the same period last year it was 26.2%.

The gap with the remaining brands has also widened. Toyota ranked second with 10.9% market share, down 1 percentage point compared to the same period. Mitsubishi accounted for 6.4%; Ford 5.7%; Hyundai 5.2%; Kia 4.8% and Mazda 4.6%.

Notably, Ford and Hyundai both decreased by 1.7 percentage points of market share; Mazda decreased by 1.2 points; Honda decreased by 1.1 points. While the entire market increased by nearly 29%, the fact that some brands still increased sales but decreased market share shows that the market expansion rate is not taking place evenly.

The change is even clearer when looking at the sales scale. The number of VinFast cars sold in 7 months, with all products being electric cars, is even higher than the total sales of cars of 5 brands Toyota, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Ford and Kia combined.

At the model level, electric cars also appear more and more densely in the leading group of the market. In July 2026 alone, VinFast had 6 models topped the list of 10 best-selling cars, of which VF 3 reached 5,564 vehicles. Since the beginning of the year, VF 3 reached 29,345 vehicles; Limo Green reached 32,331 vehicles.

Another notable development is in the urban SUV segment - where many products of major brands are concentrated. In the first half of 2026, VF 5 and VF 6 achieved total sales of 34,212 vehicles, equivalent to more than 47% of urban SUV sales in the market.

These figures affirm that electric cars are no longer a test choice or a niche product group, but have officially risen to become the core force, playing a leading role in shaping the entire Vietnamese auto market.

Infrastructure and policies create more momentum

Behind the growth of electric cars is a combination of many factors, from usage costs, product diversity to support policies and infrastructure expansion.

A significant advantage today is the registration fee policy. According to Decree 51/2025/ND-CP, battery-powered electric cars continue to be applied the first registration fee rate of 0% until the end of February 28, 2027. This policy helps significantly reduce initial costs for electric car buyers compared to many internal combustion engine car lines.

Notably, the Government has issued Decree 202/2026/ND-CP, stipulating the continued application of the initial 0% registration fee for battery-powered electric cars until December 31, 2030. This Decree takes effect from March 1, 2027, creating a continuation of the current preferential policy.

Besides policies, widespread charging station infrastructure has become the key to helping electric vehicles quickly become popular and dominate the market.

According to information from VinFast, the company's system currently has more than 150,000 charging ports for electric cars and motorbikes nationwide, located in many types of locations such as parking lots, shopping centers, apartments, rest stops, national highways and highways.

The fact that a domestic enterprise independently develops synchronously from the product range, charging infrastructure to the after-sales service ecosystem has created a superior competitive advantage, thoroughly solving energy concerns and optimizing the user experience.

The product range is also increasingly expanding. If in the early years electric cars were mainly seen as a new choice, currently products have spread from small urban cars, SUVs to MPVs and vehicles serving transportation business. In July 2026 alone, VinFast handed over 21,781 electric cars, an increase of 21% compared to the previous month.

Developments after 7 months show that the Vietnamese automobile market is not simply increasing in scale but is undergoing a shift in structure. When a brand that only trades in electric cars accounts for more than one-third of the total market sales, electric cars have become a factor directly influencing the market share race.

Đức Vân
RELATED NEWS

Electric vehicles lead the growth momentum of the Vietnamese auto market

|

In the first 7 months of 2026, Vietnam's auto market set a new sales record. Among them, electric vehicles contributed the most to the increase, showing an increasingly clear trend of electrification.

Cheap electric cars open up new competition in the Vietnamese auto market

|

Cheap electric vehicles not only expand access opportunities for users but also force traditional car manufacturers to adjust their competitive strategies.

Wild monkey bites injured person in Vung Tau

|

Ho Chi Minh City - A person was bitten by a wild monkey and injured, losing a lot of blood on Vi Ba street, Vung Tau ward.

The Piêu scarf and the lesson for Phuong My Chi

|

The controversy surrounding Phuong My Chi's use of the Piêu scarf shows that the boundary between creativity and respect for cultural context is very fragile.

PNJ's profit "evaporates" 450 billion VND after review

|

PNJ's after-tax profit sharply decreased compared to the same period after a stormy period.

Minister Hoang Minh Son shares about principals becoming teachers

|

After arranging schools, there are principals returning to work as teachers. Minister Hoang Minh Son shared that teachers are for the common good, for the quality of student education.

Electric vehicles lead the growth momentum of the Vietnamese auto market

Xuyên Đông |

In the first 7 months of 2026, Vietnam's auto market set a new sales record. Among them, electric vehicles contributed the most to the increase, showing an increasingly clear trend of electrification.

Cheap electric cars open up new competition in the Vietnamese auto market

Thanh Vũ |

Cheap electric vehicles not only expand access opportunities for users but also force traditional car manufacturers to adjust their competitive strategies.