VinFast Opens First Authorized Dealership in California

California, August 21, 2025

News Summary

VinFast has officially opened its first authorized dealership, VinFast San Diego, on August 19, 2025. This milestone marks the company’s entrance into the California market, emphasizing its commitment to expanding its electric vehicle offerings. The grand opening featured hands-on test drives of the VF 8 and VF 9 SUVs, aiming to engage local consumers. This dealership, operated in collaboration with the Sunroad Automotive Group, represents VinFast’s shift to a franchise model across all U.S. states, highlighting the growing electric vehicle interest in California.

California has officially welcomed its first authorized VinFast dealership, VinFast San Diego, which opened to the public on August 19, 2025. This expansion into California marks a significant milestone for VinFast, a Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer that is making strides in the U.S. market.

The grand opening was a notable event, attended by company executives, local media representatives, and prospective consumers. Attendees were invited to engage in test drives of VinFast’s two flagship electric SUVs available in the U.S.: the mid-size VF 8 and the larger VF 9. This hands-on experience aimed to showcase the capability and features of these models, underscoring the company’s commitment to providing innovative electric vehicles for consumers.

VinFast San Diego is operated in collaboration with the Sunroad Automotive Group, initiating its operations earlier in the summer of 2025. This new dealership represents VinFast’s strategic shift from a direct sales model to a more traditional franchise dealership model, a change that will be implemented across all 50 states. California has been highlighted as a priority market due to its substantial electric vehicle growth and consumer interest.

The dealership is set to offer a range of comprehensive services to potential customers, including sales support, warranty assistance, maintenance and repairs, as well as genuine VinFast parts. As part of VinFast’s broader expansion strategy, the company plans to replace its existing 15 company-owned retail stores in California with franchise locations, aligning with its goal of expanding its dealership network nationwide.

Currently, VinFast has established nearly 30 authorized dealerships in 14 states throughout the U.S., targeting major markets such as California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois. The price point for the VF 8 begins at $39,900, with leasing options starting at $279 per month. The VF 9 model starts at $62,900, with leasing available from $449 monthly. Both models come with an extensive warranty – a 10-year or 125,000-mile warranty for the vehicle, and a 10-year warranty with unlimited mileage for the battery (non-commercial use).

VinFast began its transition to the franchise model by signing its first five franchisees in late 2023, while still maintaining existing company-owned dealerships. This move is believed to enhance business efficiency and leverage valuable local market insights from franchise partners. VinFast is also pursuing international expansion beyond North America and Europe, with plans to enter growing markets in Indonesia, the Philippines, India, and the Middle East.

Despite profitability challenges, industry insights suggest that VinFast has demonstrated strong revenue growth potential, supported by a positive reception from consumers during events like the San Diego dealership grand opening. The company is currently valued at $8.35 billion and reported preliminary domestic deliveries of 11,479 electric vehicles in Vietnam for the month of July.

As part of its community engagement efforts, a donation of $25,000 was made by Bob Weidinger from the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association to support training programs for automotive service students, highlighting VinFast’s commitment to local development and education.

The grand opening event signals VinFast’s ambition to establish a significant footprint in the U.S. electric vehicle market, indicating that consumer demand for electric vehicles is robust and growing. The launch of VinFast San Diego exemplifies the company’s strategic initiatives as it moves toward full-scale operations across the nation.

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• Investing.com
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• Wikipedia: VinFast
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• Encyclopedia Britannica: VinFast
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Author: STAFF HERE SAN DIEGO WRITER

SAN DIEGO STAFF WRITER The SAN DIEGO STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERESanDiego.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in San Diego, San Diego County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Comic-Con International, San Diego County Fair, and San Diego Pride Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and United Way of San Diego County, plus leading businesses in biotechnology, healthcare, and technology that power the local economy such as Qualcomm, Illumina, and Scripps Health. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAnaheim.com, HEREBeverlyHills.com, HERECostaMesa.com, HERECoronado.com, HEREHollywood.com, HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, HERELongBeach.com, HERELosAngeles.com, HEREMissionViejo.com, and HERESantaAna.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into California's dynamic landscape.