VinFast hits another hurdle in its US electric vehicle expansion, delays EV plant until 2025
EV maker VinFast is facing another setback in its US electric vehicle expansion. The Vietnamese EV maker announced Friday it will postpone plans to begin production at its planned EV plant in North Carolina until 2025.
VinFast delays US EV plant operations until 2025
VinFast announced last March it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the state of North Carolina to build its first EV facility in North America and expand its manufacturing footprint.
The company initially claimed it would invest up to $2 billion for the first phase at the Chatham County, North Carolina manufacturing site, with 150,000 annual vehicle capacity.
VinFast plans to break the nearly 2,000 acres site into three distinct areas – electric vehicle and bus production (and assembly), EV battery manufacturing, and ancillary industries for suppliers.
In July, Chatham County rewarded VinFast with a $1.3 billion incentive package, making it the largest in North Carolina state history.
Construction for phase 1 was initially expected to begin in 2022. However, VinFast is still awaiting a permit from the US Army of Engineers designed to minimize water and wetland damages after receiving the air quality permit from the NC Department of Environmental Quality last month.
Now VinFast is pushing back plans to begin producing at the EV plant to 2025, a year later than initially expected. VinFast said in a statement:
We need more time to complete administrative procedures.
VinFast delivered its first batch of VF 8 electric vehicles to US customers on March 1, delaying the rollout over a software update, but says the second batch won’t be shipped until the second quarter of 2023.
Electrek’s Take
VinFast’s timeline was ambitious to begin with, so it’s not surprising to see a delay at this point. However, after making swift progress early last year, the EV maker has encountered several hurdles since that’s slowing its roll.
Giving the plant an extra year to begin operations may be the right thing to do right now rather than rushing to get it done and running into issues later.
I’m hopeful VinFast will be able to smooth things out and get back on track as it looks to build its brand in the US and globally.
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Tesla’s retro-futuristic diner with Superchargers and giant movie screens is ready to open, and I have to admit, it looks pretty sick.
This project has been in the works for a long time.
In 2018, Elon Musk said that Tesla planned to open an “old school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in Los Angeles.” It was yet another “Is he joking?” kind of Elon Musk idea, but he wasn’t kidding.
A few months later, Tesla applied for building permits for “a restaurant and Supercharger station” at a location in Santa Monica. However, the project stalled for a long time, apparently due to local regulations.
Nevertheless, Tesla still moved forward with a Supercharger at the location, but it had to move the diner project to Hollywood. In 2022, Tesla filed the construction plans with the city, giving us the first look at what the automaker intends to build.
In 2023, the automaker broke ground on the site of the diner.
7 years after being originally announced, the project appears now ready to open:
Musk said that he ate at the diner last night and claimed that it is “one of the coolest spots in LA.” He didn’t say when it will open, but Tesla vehicles have been spotted at Supercharger and people appear to be testing the dinning experience inside.
A Tesla Optimus Robot can be seen inside the diner on a test rack. It looks like Tesla might use one for some tasks inside the diner.
Earlier this year, Tesla integrated the diner into its mobile app – hinting at some interaction through the app – possibly ordering from it.
Electrek’s Take
I think it looks pretty cool. I am a fan of the design and concept.
However, considering the state of the Tesla community, I don’t think I’d like the vibes. That said, it looks like Tesla isn’t prominently pushing its branding on the diner.
You can come and charge there, but it looks like Tesla is also aiming to get a wider clientele just for dining.
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Hyundai’s electric minivan is finally out in the open. The Staria EV was caught without camo near Hyundai’s R&D center in Korea, giving us a closer look at the electric minivan undisguised.
Hyundai’s electric minivan drops camo ahead of debut
The Staria arrived in 2021 as the successor to the Starex, Hyundai’s multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). Although the Staria has received several updates throughout the years, 2026 will be its biggest by far.
Hyundai will launch the Staria EV, its first electric minivan. Like the current model, the 2026 Staria will be available in several different configurations, including cargo, passenger, and even a camper version.
We’ve seen the Staria EV out in public a few times already. Last month, we got a glimpse of it while driving on public roads in Korea.
Despite the camouflage, new EV-like design elements were visible, including updated LED headlights and a full-length light bar. Although it’s still unclear, the electric version appears to be roughly the same size as the current Staria from the side, but slightly wider from the front.
New images posted on the South Korean forum Clien reveal a test car, expected to be Hyundai’s Staria electric minivan, without camo.
Like most Hyundai test cars, the prototype has a black front and a grey body. It still features a similar look to other prototypes we’ve seen, but you can clearly see the new facelift.
Earlier this year, a Staria EV was spotted in a parking lot in Korea, featuring a similar look. The electric version is nearly identical to the Staria Lounge, but with an added charge port and closed-off grille.
The Hyundai Staria EV is expected to make its global debut later this year. Technical details have yet to be revealed, but it’s expected to feature either a 76 kWh or 84 kWh battery, providing a range of around 350 km (217 miles) to 400 km (249 miles).
Hyundai’s electric SUV arrives after Kia introduced its first electric van, the PV5, which launched in Europe and Korea earlier this year.
In Europe, the Kia Passenger PV5 model is available with two battery pack options: 51.5 kWh and 71.2 kWh, providing WLTP ranges of 179 miles and 249 miles, respectively. The Cargo version has a WLTP range of 181 miles or 247 miles.
Source: TheKoreanCarBlog, Clien
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