In Vietnam, a country famous for its millions of motorcycles, a quiet revolution is happening on four wheels. VinFast, Vietnam's homegrown electric car maker, sold 21,781 electric vehicles in July 2026 alone — and its smaller, affordable models are leading the charge.

The numbers tell a striking story. In just the first seven months of 2026, VinFast delivered 137,697 vehicles in Vietnam. That figure is already 79% of everything the company sold in all of 2025, putting it on pace to shatter last year's record of 175,099 cars. July's sales jumped 21.3% compared to June, showing momentum is building.

What makes this remarkable is what people are buying. The VF 3, a compact model, was VinFast's best-seller in July with 5,564 units delivered. Year-to-date, 29,345 VF 3s have rolled off lots — not bad for a small electric car in a market where motorcycles still dominate city streets.

But it's the ultra-affordable Minio Green that may signal a true tipping point. In July, VinFast delivered 2,429 of these tiny four-seat electric cars after dropping its price to just 188 million Vietnamese dong — roughly $7,100. The company pitches it as an urban vehicle and a real alternative to motorcycles, which cost far less upfront but cost more over time in fuel and maintenance.

"A small battery, modest motor and compact body are sufficient for short urban journeys, while commercial operators can accumulate enough mileage to make energy and maintenance costs a significant consideration," the article notes.

Fleet operators are also climbing aboard. The Limo Green, a seven-seat electric minivan designed for taxis and ride-hailing, topped sales for the entire year through July with 32,331 deliveries. Businesses that drive vehicles all day are discovering that electric cars cost less to run than petrol ones.

VinFast's growth has made it Vietnam's top automaker by a wide margin. In 2025, it sold 175,099 vehicles, roughly double its 2024 volume and equal to about 29% of the country's reported automobile market. Toyota, the market's largest traditional car brand, sold 71,954 vehicles in the same period. Nearly nine out of every ten VinFast cars sold globally went to customers in Vietnam — a powerful domestic base.

The company is now building on that foundation. In July, VinFast opened reservations for the VF 2, another small electric model, and received 28,742 bookings. Deliveries start in September.

For a country where electric cars were nearly nonexistent just a few years ago, the shift is hard to miss. Vietnam's streets are starting to look different — and if affordable models like the Minio Green keep selling, that change may only accelerate.