Tesla has begun hiring in Vietnam, with a recruiter stating that the company is now “officially entering” the country. The five currently open positions include Sales Manager, Service Manager, and Charging Project Developer.
This will be a difficult market to enter. This year, Vietnam’s native electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast has sold approximately 36% of new vehicles, surpassing the combined total of its next five largest competitors.
From shell companies to job postings
On September 11, Tesla quietly registered Tesla Motors Vietnam LLC in Ho Chi Minh City, with a registered capital of approximately 77.7 billion Vietnamese dong, equivalent to about $3 million, covering the scope of automobile import, wholesale, and retail. Tesla did not comment at the time.
There is now the first confirmation from within the company. Ricky Ip, responsible for Tesla’s hiring, posted this morning on X:
The five positions are Sales Manager, Service Manager, HR Business Partner, Procurement Manager, and Charging Project Developer. The last role is particularly telling: a dedicated Charging Project Developer would only be hired if there are plans to build supercharging stations locally.
Tesla has previously followed a similar path in Southeast Asia. The company launched large-scale hiring in Thailand in September 2022 and opened pre-orders three months later; it began hiring in the Philippines in September 2024 and launched operations in early 2025. Therefore, it would not be surprising if Tesla enters Vietnam in the coming months.
VinFast dominates the Vietnamese market.
Tesla is not entering a blank market, but rather VinFast's home turf.
Through the first nine months of 2026, VinFast delivered 177,697 vehicles in Vietnam, compared to total national sales of approximately 495,000. On this basis, VinFast accounts for about 36% of the entire automotive market, including internal combustion engine vehicles. In September alone, VinFast’s market share reached 37.7%.
Since the beginning of this year, the sales volumes of various brands are as follows:
- VinFast: 177,697 units
- Toyota: 53,978 units
- Hyundai: 35,412 units
- Mitsubishi: 31,932 units
- Ford: 30,353 units
- Kia: 23,461 units
The combined sales of Toyota, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Ford, and Kia amount to 175,136 units, still less than VinFast alone.
Moreover, VinFast has already surpassed its full-year 2025 sales target with one quarter remaining. VinFast stated that September marked its 25th consecutive month as Vietnam’s best-selling automotive brand.
The vehicle lineup also reflects the characteristics of this market. The VinFast VF 3, a compact two-door electric crossover with a starting price of less than $13,000, is currently Vietnam’s best-selling vehicle this year. In September, all of the top five best-selling vehicles were VinFast models.
Local advantages
VinFast produces cars in Hai Phong. Tesla must import all vehicles, most likely from the Shanghai Gigafactory, while Vietnam still classifies passenger vehicles under high tariffs under the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement.
Charging infrastructure is also a significant gap. V-Green, an affiliate of VinFast, operates Vietnam’s dominant charging network and announced this year plans to invest approximately $380 million to build 99 ultra-fast charging stations. In contrast, third-party charging networks in Vietnam remain sparse.
However, Tesla also has an advantage: Vietnam has just extended its fee waiver policy for pure electric vehicles until the end of 2030, and this policy also applies to imported electric vehicles.
If you're considering buying an electric vehicle, pairing it with home solar power can nearly eliminate your fuel costs. With electricity prices rising nearly 10% last year and expected to continue increasing, installing solar is one of the best ways to protect yourself from rising costs. Plus, with leasing and PPA options, you can start saving money immediately with $0 down. To find the best deal, check out EnergySage—a free service where hundreds of pre-vetted installers compete for your business, helping you save 20% to 30% compared to shopping on your own. You won’t receive any sales calls until after you’ve chosen an installer. Click here to get your free quotes.
FTC: We use affiliate links that generate revenue. More information.