Vietnamese automaker VinFast hopes to have its first foreign factory up and running in North Carolina in a few years, making EVs and traction batteries.
The industrial complex will employ between 7,500 and 13,000 people and be able to produce up to 150,000 vehicles per year as soon as the first development stage is complete.
Construction is set to begin at the Triangle Innovation Point later into the year, with the investment so far estimated at $2 billion. The first cars should be delivered in July 2024.
VinFast established an HQ in Los Angeles in 2021, and will be bringing its eco-friendly vehicles to the NIYAS expo in a few weeks.
The company plans to assemble its VF8 and VF9 off-roaders in the United States, formerly known as the VF e35 and VF e36. The VF8 is a mid-size SUV at 4,750 mm (185.5 inches) long. It has 408 PS (402 hp / 300 kW) at its disposal, 510 km (317 miles) of driving range on a charge, and starts from $41,000.
The VF9 is a larger and more expensive model at 5,118 mm (200 inches) long, 680 km (422 miles) of battery range and $56,000 starting price. The powertrain is identical between the two, though.