Vietnamese EV manufacturer VinFast has announced a new initiative aimed at encouraging buyers to switch from petrol and diesel cars to electric vehicles. The company is offering an additional 3 percent discount to customers who upgrade from an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle to one of its electric cars. The scheme is part of what VinFast is calling the “Trade Gas for Electric” programme and will be available in several markets including India.
Under this programme, customers who replace their existing petrol or diesel car with a VinFast EV will get the extra discount over and above the current offers already available from the brand. In India, the scheme applies to the company’s two electric SUVs — the VinFast VF6 and the VinFast VF7 — which are currently the core of VinFast’s lineup in the country.
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In simple terms, if you are someone planning to trade in your current petrol or diesel vehicle and move to an electric car, VinFast is essentially offering an extra incentive to make that transition easier. With the 3 percent discount applied to the VF6, buyers could see benefits of around ₹57,000. Meanwhile, those opting for the VF7 could receive savings of up to roughly ₹80,000 depending on the variant.
What makes this offer slightly more interesting is that it is layered on top of other schemes already being offered by the company. Earlier this year, VinFast introduced a “Value Assured” programme that provides additional exchange benefits for buyers upgrading from petrol or diesel vehicles. That scheme alone can provide benefits of up to ₹1.30 lakh depending on the vehicle and ownership plan.
On top of that, VinFast is also offering company-backed buyback schemes that promise an assured resale value of up to 75 percent of the car’s ex-showroom price. These buyback options are typically available for ownership periods ranging between two and five years. The company is also offering a loyalty bonus of around 3 percent for certain buyers, which further strengthens the overall value proposition.
All these incentives combined show that VinFast is clearly trying to reduce the barrier for people who are considering switching from conventional fuel vehicles to electric mobility. The timing of this move is also pretty good. Global fuel prices have been quite volatile in recent times due to geopolitical tensions and broader economic uncertainties. Rising petrol and diesel prices have historically been one of the biggest factors that push consumers towards alternatives like electric vehicles. VinFast seems to be tapping into exactly that sentiment with this programme.
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According to company executives, the “Trade Gas for Electric” initiative is designed as a response to global geopolitical developments that are impacting fuel prices and economic conditions in many countries. The idea is simple — if running a petrol or diesel car continues to become more expensive, making EVs cheaper to buy could accelerate the shift to electric mobility.
Interestingly, the programme is not limited to India. VinFast is rolling it out across multiple Asian markets including Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In those regions where the company also sells electric two-wheelers, buyers switching from petrol-powered scooters to electric ones can get discounts of up to 5 percent as part of the same campaign.
The company has also indicated that the scheme may continue for a longer period depending on how global fuel markets behave in the coming months. If fuel prices continue to fluctuate or rise significantly, programmes like this could become more common across the automotive industry. And that is probably the most interesting takeaway here.
What VinFast is doing right now might just be the beginning of a larger trend. As fuel prices remain unpredictable and governments around the world push for cleaner mobility solutions, manufacturers may start experimenting with new ways to encourage EV adoption.
Discounts tied specifically to switching from ICE vehicles could become a popular strategy. Instead of simply offering standard festive discounts or cashback schemes, automakers might start targeting petrol and diesel car owners directly and give them incentives to move to electric vehicles.
From a business standpoint, it makes sense. EV adoption is still at an early stage in markets like India, and one of the biggest challenges for manufacturers is convincing buyers to make that first switch. A financial incentive that directly rewards customers for replacing their old petrol or diesel car could make that decision slightly easier. At the same time, this strategy also fits into the broader geopolitical and economic environment that the world is currently dealing with. Fuel prices are increasingly influenced by global conflicts, supply chain disruptions, and energy policies.
For now, VinFast’s “Trade Gas for Electric” programme is a small but interesting step in that direction. And if rising fuel prices continue to dominate headlines, don’t be surprised if more automakers start introducing similar exchange-based EV incentives in the near future.
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