At least two different critics have been questioned by Vietnamese authorities for criticizing VinFast. What does this mean for the brand's U.S. aspirations?
The messages that flashed across the Reddit and Facebook groups were frantic and urgent. They started appearing right before Christmas, around Dec. 18, on various online message boards dedicated to the Vietnamese electric vehicle startup VinFast. The people who posted them were sounding the alarm about the disappearance of a man in Ho Chi Minh City named Sonnie Tran, a schoolteacher turned critic who had made a name for himself denouncing the automaker and its parent company, Vingroup.
When it comes to the subjects of vehicle architecture development and electrical and electronics design, Tata cites its work with VinFast, claiming that the Vietnamese automaker is one of its biggest customers. Despite getting help from experienced players, VinFast’s international debut has been a rocky one. Initial media coverage of the brand’s debut was often full of intrigue over this country with essentially no homegrown auto industry.