Vietnam-based VinFast, an electric SUV manufacturer with plans for North Carolina, said three of its sales executives have left the company.
VinFast has a $4 billion commitment to open a factory in Chatham County. Last week, WRAL News learned the plant would delay its launch and not start producing vehicles until at least 2025. The company also pushed back the rollout of its first EVs in California.
“Because we need more time to complete administrative procedures, VinFast’s EV factory project in North Carolina is expected to start production from 2025,” a spokesman said.
Vinfast said two of the executives left because of a change in its management model, and the third left for personal reasons.
Chatham County manager Dan LaMontagne told WRAL News on Friday, “We have been in touch with VinFast and can confirm that those executives were in sales-related positions and do not have an impact on the company’s plans for North Carolina. CEO Van Anh Nguyen remains with the company and is based in North Carolina, as well as other company executives we work closely with.”
The company has secured a 2,000-acre site in Moncure where it plans to build a manufacturing facility for electric SUVs. Site preparation began in July 2022 and construction is on track for a summer 2023 start.
VinFast’s original plan was to begin delivery of vehicles in the summer of 2024.
Once operational, the VinFast factory will be able to produce 150,000 electric vehicles per year, according to Nguyen, who is CEO of VinFast Manufacturing US, LLC, who is based in North Carolina.
The company expects to staff the factory with more than 7,500 employees.
