In a further setback for the company, VinFast, the top producer of electric cars in Vietnam, has recalled over 5,000 cars after an indicator system defect was found, as confirmed by the government.
The first domestic automaker in the communist state is attempting to break into the international market while vying with EV industry titans like Tesla.
However, VinFast has had trouble persuading drivers abroad that its electric vehicles (EVs) are dependable and of excellent quality. Earlier this year, the company revealed a $2 billion loss for 2023 due to sales targets that were not met.
A total of 5,912 VinFast VF5 Plus will be recalled to replace a combination switch, according to the Vietnam Register, which is under the Ministry of Transport.
In a statement issued on March 5 and published online Tuesday, the car body said the recall applied to vehicles made between March and December last year.
Only one vehicle sold was found with the error and did not report any incidents, the statement said.
According to the statement, tests revealed that the headlights and indicator had a problem when the lights were in automatic mode, “causing danger to the driver and other vehicles on the road.”
VinFast only affected cars manufactured and sold domestically when it announced the recall in February, but it was awaiting government approval at the time.
This is the company’s most recent setback; in August, it made headlines worldwide when its valuation shot through the roof and then plummeted following its listing on the New York stock exchange, the Nasdaq. With only 35,000 EVs delivered last year, the company fell short of its goal of selling up to 50,000 of them.