As India’s EV transition gains traction, VinFast’s exchange programme is replacing ageing petrol cars with locally-assembled VF 6 and VF 7 SUVs backed by charging and service support.
 |
VinFast’s exchange programme is replacing ageing petrol cars with locally-assembled VF 6 and VF 7 SUVs backed by charging and service support
India’s electric transition is no longer a policy ambition tucked inside conference halls. It is visible in state budgets, in urban pilot projects, in the growing lines outside charging stations along new expressways. From Delhi to Chennai, transport is becoming the testing ground for how quickly the country can reduce oil dependence while expanding mobility for a rising middle class.
Automakers have taken note. The conversation is shifting from horsepower to a quieter contest over range, charging speed and real-world usability.
Into this landscape, VinFast has moved with unusual speed for a relatively new entrant. In just over a year, it has established local assembly in Tamil Nadu, rolled out the VF 6 and VF 7 for Indian customers, and built partnerships that extend beyond the showroom floor. It has also begun rethinking how it speaks to drivers, focusing on practicality and ease of use.
The most direct way to accelerate change is to meet drivers where they are: behind the wheel of petrol vehicles. VinFast’s newly-launched exchange programme does exactly that. Owners of internal combustion cars are invited to trade in their vehicles and upgrade to a new VF 6 or VF 7, receiving special cash support alongside financing options arranged with partner banks.
The idea is that by placing immediate financial value on the old car, VinFast lowers the psychological and economic barrier to EV entry, turning a sentimental goodbye into a financial calculation, a switch from fuel to the future.
The offer includes exchange bonuses and structured payment plans designed to narrow the upfront gap between petrol and electric ownership. Buyers stepping into a VF 6 or VF 7 receive not only the vehicle, but also access to fast charging capability, advanced driver assistance systems and connected features that are standard across the range.
The VF 6, for instance, offers up to 468 kilometres of range under MIDC testing, a 59.6 kWh battery and DC fast charging from 10 to 70 percent in roughly 25 minutes. The VF 7 pairs that with higher output variants and a similarly robust safety package. Both models have earned five-star safety ratings under Bharat NCAP, a detail that matters in a market increasingly attentive to crash standards.
The exchange program is a move VinFast borrows from its playbook in Vietnam, where such events often drew thousands of participants in a single day, with hundreds of vehicles traded on site. Part auto show, part community event, the gatherings had a simple effect: one petrol car out, one electric vehicle in. The spectacle served a practical function, reducing tailpipe emissions while expanding the visible presence of EVs on city roads.
“Some people arrived curious,” recalled one sales manager involved in earlier events. “They left with a brand new EV after a test drive and a closer look at the numbers. Once they saw the monthly cost difference, the charging convenience and our aftersales commitments, the decision felt like a natural next step.”
Aftersales as Assurance
Electric vehicles are not sustained by vehicles alone. They require charging points, service bays and roadside assistance that function as reliably as the cars themselves. Without these, early enthusiasm can erode into frustration.
In India, VinFast has invested heavily in building that scaffolding, signing agreements with dealer groups across dozens of cities and partnering with service providers to establish a network of workshops designed to handle EV specific repairs. Charging infrastructure is being expanded in collaboration with strategic partner V-Green and fuel retail partners, leveraging existing petrol station networks to host fast chargers.
There are financial assurances as well. Industry-leading warranty of up to 10 years, free charging periods and complimentary maintenance packages are structured to ease the first years of ownership, when questions are most frequent and habits are still forming. With these facets of ownership addressed, a driver considering an exchange does not have to map every charger before setting out, nor wonder where to turn if a warning light appears.
“I went with VinFast because I felt I was not being asked to take a leap of faith just to go green,” said a recent VF 7 owner in Tamil Nadu. “The ecosystem was already there.”
India’s green transition is still in motion. Yet each exchanged key, each new charging station, each locally assembled battery pack adds weight to the shift.
For VinFast, the approach is cumulative. Remove one petrol car. Add one electric SUV. Support it with service, charging and financing. Repeat, steadily and without theatrics, until the electric option feels like the obvious choice.
About VinFast
VinFast (NASDAQ: VFS), a subsidiary of Vingroup JSC, one of Vietnam’s largest conglomerates, is a pure-play electric vehicle manufacturer with the mission of making EVs accessible to everyone. VinFast’s product lineup includes a wide range of electric SUVs, e-scooters, and e-buses. The company is rapidly expanding its global distribution network and manufacturing capabilities with facilities in Vietnam, India, and planned operations in the United States.
The company’s Thoothukudi facility in Tamil Nadu represents a $500 million investment and will produce 150,000 vehicles annually when fully operational, creating approximately 3,500 direct jobs.
Learn more at: vinfastauto.in
