GSM, which is potentially eyeing a Hong Kong listing and was recently valued at $20 billion, operates on a distinct model -- it owns the e-taxis and employs the drivers, while also supplying cars to independent drivers or fleet operators.
Vinfast sold 137 cars versus Tesla's 109 during the festive months of September and October, as BYD maintained a strong lead with over 1,100 cars sold, according to Fada data.
VF 7 and VF 6, as the models are called, will go on sale in August after the inauguration of VinFast's plant in Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, and deliveries will follow later.
The project is critical as the region expects huge investments in the automotive, renewable energy, and space sectors.
'Our objective is to reach a localisation rate of 50% in the span of five years.'
Vietnam-based electric vehicle maker VinFast, a rival of Tesla in the global market, has set foot in India and began work on building its Rs 16,000 crore EV manufacturing facility at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu. The company has already sought a reduction in import duties on its cars for about two years until customers get familiar with the brand and its unit in the state. The global major kicked off the construction of the first phase of its integrated EV hub, which may see Rs 4,000 crore of investment initially and will create more than 10,000 jobs.
'Gujarat is the frontrunner at present.'
'However, Tamil Nadu's robust automobile ecosystem and Telangana's aggressive incentives make them strong contenders.'
Proliferation of home chargers of around 7 KWh and above, which take six to seven hours to fully charge a car depending on the model, bring running costs down by a third or so. That, coupled with the increasing range of modern electric cars, can lead to a massive increase in sales.
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