Perhaps answering at least some of the questions we all have about VinFast and its long-term plans in this country, owner Vingroup announced this morning it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mitsubishi to explore providing after-sales services in international markets. Mitsu will also establish a working group to collect used cooking oil.
Wait, what?
Speaking to just how many friggin’ pies into which the Vingroup has its corporate fingers, the MoU signed today in Vietnam includes a provision for Mitsubishi Corporation to create a working group which will be tasked with collecting used cooking oil from Vinhomes and Vinpearl projects. The fluid will then be recycled into biofuel, though particulars on how that will happen are sparse.
Of greater interest to gearheads is the detail that Mitsubishi Corporation will set about examining the possibility of providing after-sales services for VinFast in international markets. The bumf goes on to explain this is being done as a way of “enhancing the competitiveness of the VinFast electric car brand”, no small task for a new (to America) brand in a segment which is moving at light speed. It also could arguably help some shoppers with their buying decision, allaying concerns potential customers might have about where to get a VinFast services after buying or leasing the thing.
Mitsu claims a network of “over 300” dealer partners in the United States. A map on the company site shows a glut of them in the Midwest and down towards the Southeast states. However, there is a notable gap in listed stores through places like California where the EV market is quite robust; this lopsided presence may have a negative effect on the plan. We will also observe the Mitsubishi brand in general is markedly short on EVs at the moment, raising questions about how well its service facilities are equipped to deal with electric cars. The maps above show Mitsu dealer locations and existing VinFast service depots.
According to data (not Data), VinFast sold 927 vehicles to Americans in the first quarter of this year, representing 0.3 percent of the total 268,909 EVs which found new homes during the same timeframe, using numbers sourced from KBB. That’s one-third of one percent market share, to be clear.
[Images: VinFast, screenshots]
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