Ranking fourth in overall new vehicle sales volume, Vietnam is leading Southeast Asia in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales. In the first half of 2026, the Vietnamese market sold 115,986 BEVs. Most of these sales came from VinFast, the brand currently leading industry-wide sales, with a very small portion from Ford's Mustang model (some EV manufacturers do not disclose sales figures).

Thanks to policies offering exemption from registration fees and a preferential special consumption tax rate of 3% (until the end of 2030), BEVs are currently the most actively promoted vehicle type for development by the government within the domestic automotive industry.

Comparison of electric vehicle market sizes in various countries. Graphic assisted by AI tool.

In Vietnam, BEV sales in the first half of 2026 increased by 71% compared to the same period in 2025. Electric vehicles accounted for approximately 35,3% of total new car sales. This is also the highest percentage among the three largest automotive markets in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Thailand's BEV sales closely trailed Vietnam's, with approximately 11,500 fewer units. In terms of electric vehicle growth rate, Thailand (91% increase) leads among the four largest markets in Southeast Asia.

The growth drivers for Thailand's electric vehicle market are primarily Chinese automakers. BYD, Aion, and MG hold the majority of the EV market share there.

Thailand has also implemented policies such as subsidies and special consumption tax incentives to boost BEV consumption, similar to Vietnam. The Thai government is considering a plan worth 714 million USD aimed at replacing 80,000 older vehicles, according to Reuters.

Indonesia is Southeast Asia's largest automotive market. Electric vehicle sales accounted for approximately 16% of total sales in the first half of 2026.

Chinese brands have nearly monopolized the electric vehicle market in the archipelago nation. Among the 10 best-selling BEV models in the first half of 2026, all were products from Chinese automakers like BYD, Jaecoo, and Geely, according to Detikoto. VinFast, the Vietnamese automaker, ranked 13th in sales, achieving 1,355 units, all of which were the VF 3 model.

People test drive VinFast's Minio Green model in Hanoi. *Photo: Thanh Nhan*.

Malaysia's BEV consumption was the lowest among the four leading automotive markets in Southeast Asia. Despite this, its sales growth rate was quite rapid at 85%, ranking just behind Thailand.

Vietnam has its domestic brand, VinFast, which currently leads both electric vehicle and overall industry sales. Malaysia has its domestic brand, Proton, which is similarly popular. After the first half of 2026, Proton sold 13,530 vehicles, leading the domestic BEV market. The remaining market share belongs to Chinese brands such as BYD, Zeekr, MG, and Tesla.

Thanh Nhan