VinFast electric SUVs arrive on US roads; NC factory clearing regulatory hurdles
The first VinFast electric SUVs are now on the roads here in the United States. New photos show the first customers in California getting their keys this week.
Here in North Carolina, the Vietnamese automaker is moving closer to starting construction of its $4 billion factory in Chatham County.
The site is massive, almost 2,000 acres. The gravel Moncure-Flatwood Road is closed off leading to the VinFast site, so WRAL News sent Drone 5 up to get a better view of what’s happening beyond that treeline.
From the ground all, you can see is a gravel road and some construction equipment. Leveled land shows the footprint of where VinFast plans to build the electric vehicle manufacturing facility on this megasite in Moncure.
"Their design team is coming here next week to talk about the next steps of construction, so nothing to us is indicating any slow down whatsoever," said Chatham County manager Dan LaMontagne.
When VinFast first arrived in North Carolina to announce the investment, the expectation was they would move fast. WRAL News saw the pace of production first hand during a visit to a VinFast factory in Vietnam, where the 4-year-old factory was built in 21 months.
Here in North Carolina, VinFast is checking off the boxes of environmental permits required to build the factory. The state has issued permits for air quality, erosion and sediment control and construction stormwater. State and federal permits to disturb wetlands and water ways are still under review.
WRAL News obtained a letter, dated Jan. 27, from the US Army Corps of Engineers. It asks VinFast for more information, “specifically regarding potential adverse ecological impacts resulting from project construction ... within 30 days."
We've learned VinFast is requesting more time to respond.
"The regulatory process is a little different for them here. It has moved slower than I think they thought it would," said LaMontagne.
The automaker faced delays delivering the first cars that arrived from Vietnam by cargo ship wrapped in the VinFast logo last December. They needed a software upgrade.
Now, the first customers in California have the keys to VinFast electric SUVs.
"We’re excited for what’s to come with VinFast – look forward to having those cars on the roads in Chatham county soon," said LaMontagne.
VinFast continues to say it still plans to open the factory in Chatham County in July of 2024 with the capacity to make 150,000 electric vehicles a year.
