It seems Vietnamese EV manufacturer VinFast are looking at significant growth in Hyderabad with their electric taxis becoming increasingly noticeable. The latest sighting of multiple electric vehicles being used as taxis by VinFast has led to speculation that they are looking to grow their fleet in this sector significantly. Although we do not know what the final fleet size will be, it shows that Hyderabad could be a key market for VinFast.
As electric taxis become increasingly common, this may be part of VinFast looking to push the brand out of the private car market. Commercial fleets give brands an opportunity to get their vehicles in front of a large amount of people. With thousands of passengers getting to experience VinFast electric vehicles, they could be encouraged to consider purchasing an EV themselves.
Hyderabad makes for an interesting market to expand into as there is increasing demand for app-based transport, airport transfers, corporate mobility and other passenger transport. This involves significant daily mileage. Due to this, electric vehicles can appeal to companies offering these services. With lower running costs, less maintenance and the ability to charge at specific locations, they can be a great option for high mileage commercial vehicles.
Electric taxis can give VinFast real world experience of driving in India. Being in commercial fleets means manufacturers can see how well their vehicles perform in different conditions. They can receive feedback from professional drivers to see where improvements need to be made such as charging convenience, vehicle longevity, support and overall running costs.
Commercial electric vehicles can also create good brand awareness. Unlike private cars, taxis are on the road for long periods of time and will drive around multiple areas of the city. Having more electric taxis could really increase brand awareness for VinFast in Hyderabad. Customers will become familiar with the design, interior and technology of their electric vehicles.
VinFast have been looking to increase their presence in the Indian market. They want to build up their passenger EV business and have enough sales and service infrastructure in place. Growing their fleet mobility business could help them increase their volume of vehicles.
Ultimately we do not know how much VinFast are planning to grow in Hyderabad. There has been no official confirmation on how big the final fleet will be, how many vehicles they will be using or when they will be expanding. We also do not know if this latest fleet sighted is just the start of their expansion or if it is part of a much bigger commercial mobility initiative.
If they do significantly expand, Hyderabad could be a key area for their electric taxi business in India. Over the next few months we should get a better understanding of their ambitions.
Overall the increasing sightings of electric taxis have definitely generated some interest. We will have to wait and see how big the fleet gets and if they have similar commercial electric mobility plans for other cities in India.