VinFast to bring electric buses to US in 2028

Vietnamese OEM VinFast is preparing to bring its electric buses to the US market, with the first homologated vehicles expected to be delivered to customers in Q1 of 2028. The launch marks the company's expansion into the US public transport market as it looks to establish an electric mobility business there beyond passenger cars.

Image: Vinfast

For its US launch, VinFast has signed an initial partnership agreement with NexMove Certified – a joint venture between Transportation Management Services and Zeem Solutions – which will act as VinFast’s route to market in the US. This will see the partners offer VinFast electric buses with charging infrastructure, maintenance, and operations under a single ‘vehicle-as-a-service’-type offering. NexMove is targeting a 97 per cent uptime service level through this model.

Although the company has not yet confirmed which models or specifications will be offered in the US, Vinfast has said its buses are designed for urban transport and will feature fast charging, LFP battery technology, as well as connected systems for charging, maintenance, and servicing. Its current international range includes the EB 8 and EB 12 electric city buses, which launched in Europe last year. The larger EB 12 has a 422 kWh battery, a range of more than 400 km under SORT 2, and DC charging at up to 140 kW – and can also carry up to 90 passengers. The smaller EB 8 features a 359 kWh battery with a stated SORT 1 range of approx. 290 km; it’s capable of carrying up to 60 passengers and can charge at up to 120 kW.

Ahead of homologated vehicle deliveries in 2028, initial demonstration units will be located at Zeem’s EV charging depots to enable transit agencies and fleet operators to evaluate the vehicles; however these will not be homologated for passenger services. Both Vinfast and NexMove say that the buses will ultimately need to be manufactured in a way that meets Federal Transit Administration requirements. To this end, VinFast is looking to establish a US manufacturing base. It has not yet provided details of a production timeline or relevant facilities on this occasion; however, in March, the Vietnamese company confirmed plans to resume construction of its North Carolina plant later this year and launch production in 2028.

Brian Finnerty, CEO of VinFast North America, said:“Bringing VinFast electric buses to the United States marks an important next step in our long-term commitment to this market. As demand grows for cleaner, smarter urban transportation, we are doubling down on our investment in the U.S. and working with partners such as NexMove to help cities, transit operators and businesses accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility.”

Paul Gioupis, Founder and CEO of Zeem Solutions and Co-Founder of NexMove, added: “In late July our team visited VinFast’s manufacturing operations, and we were impressed by how many buses we saw in daily service and by the scale and quality of production. This is a proven product with real operating history behind it. We look forward to working with VinFast toward U.S. manufacturing that meets Federal Transit Administration requirements, so public transit agencies can put these buses to work.”