VinFast Boosts EV Sales at Home as Canada Rebates Make VF 8 More Affordable

The Year of the Horse opened at a gallop for VinFast. The company delivered 16,172 electric vehicles in Vietnam in January alone, a 55% jump over the same month last year1. It was the 16th straight month that VinFast held the top spot in its home market, the "sweet fruit" of eight years spent playing the long game and building a comprehensive EV ecosystem in Vietnam, spanning products, charging infrastructure and aftersales support.In the latest delivery figures, two new models in the VinFast lineup, the compact Minio Green and the EC Van, accounted for more than 2,000 units. They are small vehicles with practical missions: urban commuting and light commercial transport. "We wanted something affordable for the shop and something clean for the city," said Nguyen Thi Lan, who runs a grocery in Da Nang and recently added an EC Van to her fleet.That early momentum this year in Vietnam now intersects with a policy shift thousands of kilometres away. Canada's federal government has revived its electric vehicle rebate program, now known as the Electric Vehicle Affordability Program, or EVAP. Under the new structure, eligible battery electric vehicles can receive up to CAD 5,000 in federal incentives. Most importantly, the VinFast VF 8 qualifies.When combined with other available provincial incentives and credits, Canadian customers can now receive up to CAD 18,000 in total rebates and savings. This makes the VinFast VF 8 more accessible than ever, with an all-in MSRP starting from CAD 35,070 after eligible credits.There is also a timing element as the EVAP is structured to decrease over the life of the program. "If you were considering an EV anyway, this is the year," said a market observer in Vancouver. "The rebate won't be this generous forever."Building for the Long DriveRebates can attract attention. They do not, on their own, resolve anxiety about ownership. So even before the reinstated incentive, VinFast had already been building its case in North America around long-term ownership to stand out among the crowded mid-size electric SUV segment.In Canada, both Eco and Plus trims are equipped with dual-motor all-wheel drive and an 87.7 kWh battery. The Eco produces 349 horsepower and delivers an estimated range of up to 412 kilometres, while the Plus increases output to 402 horsepower, with an estimated range of up to 378 kilometres.Towing capacity is rated at up to 1,800 kilograms, positioning the VF 8 competitively for families who haul small trailers or recreational equipment. A 76-litre front trunk adds supplementary storage, useful for winter gear, charging cables, or a weekend's worth of groceries without encroaching on rear cargo space.Inside, a 15.6-inch central infotainment display anchors the cabin, complemented by a head-up display and advanced driver assistance features. Sony RIDEVU allows passengers to stream content over the in-vehicle WiFi when parked, a feature that can make a charging stop go by in a flash.Perhaps most notable for buyers is the industry-leading warranty. VinFast offers a 10-year or 200,000-kilometre vehicle warranty, along with a 10-year unlimited-kilometre warranty on the high-voltage battery under normal use. "The warranty made the decision easier," said a VF 8 owner in Quebec. "It felt like they were standing behind the product."For aftersales, VinFast also operates a 24/7 hotline and partners with service networks across North America. Its mobile app aggregates access to the majority of public charging stations on the continent, allowing drivers to locate, initiate, and pay for charging sessions through a single interface.VinFast's offering suggests that, over time, the future of Canada's EV adoption may increasingly rest with Asian manufacturers, shaped by intensely competitive domestic markets and a culture of rapid iteration.Taken together, these measures by VinFast may signal a broader shift underway. As incentives can ebb and the tariff environment remains complex, Canada's EV trajectory could increasingly be influenced by Asian manufacturers like VinFast, companies forged in demanding domestic markets and determined to play the long game.