VinFast India opens VF6 and VF7 pre-bookings from July 15; Chennai showroom revealed

VinFast India goes live: VF6 and VF7 pre-bookings start July 15, launch in August

VinFast is moving fast in India. Pre-bookings for the Vietnamese automaker’s VF6 and VF7 electric SUVs open nationwide on July 15, 2025, with a fully refundable ₹21,000 deposit. The official market launch is slated for August, timed with the inauguration of the company’s new manufacturing plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. Deliveries will follow after the factory opening.

The company has shared the first images of its authorized showroom in Chennai, offering a look at the brand’s retail identity in India and the display areas for the VF6 and VF7. Beyond the flagship store, VinFast says it has signed up 13 dealer partners to open 32 outlets across 27 cities, building a Sales, Service, and Spares footprint from day one. The target is at least 35 facilities by the end of 2025.

This is not a soft entry. VinFast showcased its lineup at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo earlier this year, and now it’s backing that buzz with local assembly, a multi-city retail network, and a staggered rollout designed to reduce the distance between bookings and deliveries. For buyers who want to lock in an early slot without risk, the refundable booking is a clear nudge.

The company positions India as a long-term bet and a future production hub. The Thoothukudi plant starts with an annual capacity of 50,000 units and can be scaled to 150,000 units. Local assembly from the outset should help with pricing, supply stability, and quicker service support as volumes grow.

What’s coming: specs, tech, and where the VF6 and VF7 fit

Two models lead the charge. The VF6 targets the compact SUV segment, while the VF7 goes a size up into midsize territory. Both are pitched for daily city commutes, intercity trips, and weekend runs, with Indian road conditions and buyer expectations in mind.

Here are the headline figures VinFast has confirmed for India-bound variants:

• VF6 Plus: 59.6 kWh battery, WLTP range of 379 km, single-motor FWD with 201 hp and 320 Nm.
• VF6 tech suite: 26 smart features including lane-keeping assist, a 360-degree camera, and automatic emergency braking.
• VF7 (international specification as reference): 75.3 kWh battery with single- and dual-motor options.
• VF7 Eco: single motor with 204 hp and 310 Nm.
• VF7 Plus: dual-motor setup with 354 hp and 500 Nm.
• VF7 ADAS: 22 functions, plus traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control.

On paper, this puts the VF6 in the crosshairs of India’s compact electric SUVs, and the VF7 against larger, more powerful rivals. Expect the VF7 Plus, with its dual-motor layout, to appeal to buyers who want strong performance without sacrificing range-oriented battery capacity.

Range often makes or breaks EV decisions. VinFast is quoting WLTP numbers, which are generally more realistic than older test cycles but can still differ from real-world results depending on heat, traffic, and driving style. That said, a WLTP 379 km figure for the VF6 should comfortably cover the weekly commute for most urban buyers with overnight home charging.

Charging details will matter as launch nears: home AC wallboxes for convenience, and access to public DC fast chargers for top-ups on the go. VinFast has not spelled out a charging network plan in detail yet, but the showrooms are expected to anchor charging support, and the vehicles are designed to work with the prevailing fast-charging standards used in India’s public networks.

Safety and driver assistance tech is a core pitch. The VF6’s 26 smart functions and the VF7’s 22 ADAS features bring lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, and traffic sign recognition into mass-market consideration. The 360-degree camera system is a practical add for tight parking and dense city traffic, where visibility often dictates confidence more than outright power.

For buyers comparing segments, a quick orientation helps:

• VF6: Compact electric SUV, city-first, range-conscious, tech-forward. Likely to compete for consideration with models such as the Tata Nexon EV and Mahindra XUV400 in size and use case.
• VF7: Midsize SUV, single- and dual-motor options, more space and performance. It steps into territory where buyers currently look at vehicles like the MG ZS EV and Hyundai’s electric crossovers.

Pricing remains under wraps, which is typical ahead of a formal launch, but local assembly and dealer breadth suggest VinFast wants to be volume-relevant rather than niche. The refundable ₹21,000 booking serves as a low-commitment entry point for early adopters waiting to see final price lists, variant mixes, and delivery schedules.

The industrial piece is just as important as the product. Tamil Nadu is already a major auto and EV manufacturing hub, with an established supplier base and a skilled workforce. VinFast’s Thoothukudi plant slots into that ecosystem. Starting with 50,000 units annually gives room to ramp while the dealer network grows, and the stated scalability to 150,000 units signals intent to serve both domestic demand and, over time, potential exports from India.

For customers, what changes on day one? Better availability, local support, and shorter lead times compared to pure imports. The company’s Sales, Service, and Spares model—rolled out with 13 dealer groups—means routine maintenance, parts logistics, and software updates should be baked into the ownership experience rather than bolted on later.

As for the showroom reveal in Chennai, the first images show a clean, modern retail space with display zones for both SUVs and dedicated areas for customer handovers. It’s a familiar premium playbook: make the experience feel seamless from booking to delivery, with staff trained to walk new EV buyers through charging, energy management, and connected features.

There are still questions buyers will want answered in August: variant pricing, warranty coverage, service intervals, and official charging times. Test drives typically open around launch, and that will be the proving ground for how the VF6 and VF7 handle real-world conditions—bad roads, speed breakers, heat, and heavy monsoon traffic. VinFast says the vehicles are tuned for Indian roads; the test routes will show what that means day to day.

Zooming out, India’s EV market is past the curiosity phase and into steady growth, though adoption is still concentrated in urban pockets. Competitive pricing, credible range, and dependable after-sales support are the three levers that move the market. By committing to local assembly and a nationwide retail base from the start, VinFast India is trying to tick all three.

If you’re considering an EV in the next few months, the timeline is straightforward: bookings from July 15, showroom walk-ins and product displays already underway, launch and price reveal in August after the Thoothukudi plant inauguration, and deliveries to follow. The refundable deposit keeps your options open while you compare rivals and wait for detailed test-drive impressions.

The bigger signal here is strategic. VinFast isn’t just selling two SUVs; it’s laying groundwork for a multi-model India plan built around local production, a distributed dealer network, and tech-forward features that are still filtering down the price ladder. If the company can hold that line on execution—stock availability, service quality, and software updates—it will have a real shot at becoming a mainstream EV brand in India rather than a boutique import.