I don't usually write complaint articles. In nearly 20 years of blogging about technology on this site, I can count on one hand the number of times I've publicly called out a company by name. I'd rather spend my energy telling you about products that work than products that don't.
But I'm making an exception for VinFast Philippines because what happened to me isn't just frustrating — it's a warning sign for anyone considering buying a VinFast vehicle in this country. If a company can't replace a simple charger in a reasonable timeframe, what happens when something more critical fails?
Why I Bought a VinFast VF3
After buying my Tesla Model Y L last May — which I've been extremely happy with — I decided to add a second EV as a daily runaround for quick errands and my daughter's school commute. I didn't need range. I didn't need performance. I needed something small, affordable, and electric.
The VinFast VF3 checked those boxes. At ₱745,000, it's one of the most affordable EVs in the Philippine market. It's cute. It's compact. And after reading several positive reviews, I figured it would be the perfect complement to the Tesla — the city mouse to the Tesla's country mouse.
I was half right.
The Good
Let me be fair. The VinFast VF3 has genuine strengths, and I understand why it's been selling well — VinFast topped the Philippine BEV sales chart recently, driven partly by the fuel crisis and aggressive promotions.
1. The price is hard to argue with.
At ₱745,000 (or ₱645,000 with the battery subscription option), this is one of the cheapest ways to go electric in the Philippines. For context, that's roughly the same price as a Toyota Raize or a Kia Sonet — except you never pay for gasoline again.
2. It's genuinely fun to drive around town.
The compact dimensions (3,190 mm long — shorter than a Honda Jazz) make it a dream in tight parking lots and city traffic. The turning radius is tiny. It zips through urban streets with the kind of nimbleness that makes you smile.
3. The design turns heads.
Nine color options including Summer Yellow, Rose Pink, and Urban Mint. It looks like a toy in the best possible way. People stop and stare. Kids love it.
4. Zero fuel costs on short commutes.
With my solar panels at home, charging the VF3's small 18.6 kWh battery costs me essentially nothing. Even on grid electricity, a full charge costs roughly ₱200-₱240 — enough for about 210 km of rated range.
5. Battery subscription option.
VinFast offers a battery lease model where you pay a monthly fee based on your driving distance, and they handle maintenance and replacement if the battery drops below 70% capacity. For budget-conscious buyers worried about long-term battery health, this removes a major anxiety.
Seven-year / 160,000 km vehicle warranty. On paper, that's generous.
The Bad
No vehicle is perfect, and at this price point, compromises are expected. But some of the VF3's shortcomings deserve mention.
1. 43 horsepower.
Let's not sugarcoat this — the VF3 makes 43 hp and 110 Nm of torque. That's adequate for city driving but genuinely dangerous on highways. Overtaking on provincial roads requires planning, prayer, and a long stretch of open road. If you're expecting anything remotely resembling the acceleration of my Tesla Model Y L's 506 hp, you're in the wrong car.
2. 210 km rated range (less in reality).
Owners report real-world range 18-25% below the claimed WLTP figure, especially with air conditioning running — which, in the Philippines, is always. Expect 160-170 km in realistic conditions. That's fine for daily city use but rules out anything beyond short trips.
3. Four seats only.
This is a strict four-seater. No third row, no fifth seat. If you regularly carry more than three passengers, look elsewhere.
4. No ADAS to speak of.
No adaptive cruise control, no lane keeping, no collision avoidance systems beyond basic ABS and airbags. In a market where even budget cars are starting to offer basic driver assistance, the VF3 feels stripped.
5. VinFast is still a very young company.
Founded in 2017, publicly listed in 2023, and they've had a rocky expansion — delaying their US factory from 2025 to 2028, facing a class-action lawsuit from VF8 owners over charging issues in the US, and recalling VF8 units for a steering software defect. The long-term reliability track record simply doesn't exist yet.
6. Non-standard charger.
The VF3 uses a different EV charging connector than the CCS2 standard used by Tesla, BYD, Hyundai, and most other EVs sold in the Philippines. This limits your public charging options and ties you more closely to VinFast's own infrastructure — which, as you're about to read, is a problem.
The Ugly: My Charger Died, and Nobody Can Fix It
Here's what happened.
I charged my VinFast VF3 three times without any issues. Normal home charging, no problems. On the fourth charge, the included charger started up but immediately displayed a "Fault" error — the LED blinked red nine times and shut down. The car would not charge.
I contacted my VinFast dealer (Mazda Cebu, which handles VinFast distribution in the Visayas) via Viber. I also contacted VinFast Philippines directly. They asked me to record a video showing the error to prove the charger was defective. I did. I sent it immediately.
Then the waiting began.
I politely asked my dealer if I could borrow a charger — even a used one — while mine was being assessed. They had none. Let that sink in: an EV dealer with no spare chargers on hand. No contingency plan whatsoever for the scenario where a customer's charger fails. You're selling electric vehicles that cannot function without a working charger, and you don't keep a single spare unit in stock?
I followed up with VinFast Philippines multiple times via email. Here is what I received:
1st response:
"We sincerely understand the inconvenience... unfortunately, none are currently available... We are escalating your concern to the relevant team..."*
2nd response:
"We have made another follow-up with the dealer regarding your concern and have requested an update..."
3rd response:
"Please be assured that we have received your email and have forwarded the information to the relevant team for review..."
4th response:
"We have made another follow-up with the dealer regarding your concern and have requested an update..."
5th response:
"We sincerely apologize for the delay... We have already forwarded your concern to the relevant team for proper handling and resolution..."
Notice the pattern? Every email is a variation of the same template: we understand, we've forwarded it, please be patient. No timeline. No tracking number for a replacement. No concrete action. Just corporate word salad designed to make you feel heard while nothing actually happens.
I don't usually complain publicly. But I can smell a runaround from miles away, and I have enough experience with customer support — both as a consumer and as someone who builds apps and handles user feedback — to recognize a support team that has no immediate intention of solving my problem.
Why This Matters Beyond My Situation
I'm fortunate. The VF3 is my second EV and I also have other vehicles so I'm not stranded. But imagine you're a first-time EV buyer. Maybe you stretched your budget to buy the VF3 because ₱745,000 is the most affordable electric car in the country. Maybe you bought it specifically because fuel prices are crushing your monthly budget thanks to the oil crisis . Maybe it's your only car.
Now imagine your charger dies on the fourth use and the company tells you — for weeks — that they're "escalating your concern" with no replacement in sight. You have an electric car you cannot charge. You have a ₱745,000 paperweight in your garage.
This isn't just bad customer service. It's a structural failure in VinFast Philippines' after-sales support. And it's not an isolated issue — VinFast VF8 owners in the United States filed a class-action lawsuit alleging their vehicles took up to 24 hours to fully charge due to software issues. The company also recalled over 6,000 VF8 units for a steering software defect. Charging problems appear to be a pattern across VinFast's product line, not a one-off.
An Open Letter to VinFast Philippines
If you can't quickly replace a simple home charger — a basic accessory that every EV owner needs to use their vehicle — how are you going to handle a battery replacement? A motor issue? A software defect that affects safety?
I'm paying a battery subscription fee for a car I currently cannot charge. That's not a partnership. That's a subscription to frustration.
Here's what competent EV after-sales support looks like: Tesla's app can diagnose issues remotely, schedule mobile service, and in many cases fix problems over the air without the owner visiting a service center. When I had a question about my Tesla, I got a concrete answer with a timeline. Not five variations of "we've forwarded your concern."
VinFast, if you want to succeed in the Philippine market — and your recent sales numbers suggest you have genuine momentum — you need to invest in after-sales infrastructure with the same energy you invest in marketing. Stock spare chargers at every dealer. Train your support team to give actual timelines instead of template responses. Build a parts pipeline that can handle basic warranty claims without weeks of silence.
You're asking Filipino buyers to take a leap of faith on a brand new company from a country with no automotive heritage. The least you can do is catch them when they fall.
Should You Still Buy a VinFast VF3
The honest answer: maybe, but go in with your eyes open.
The VF3 is a genuinely affordable, fun, and practical city EV — when it works. At ₱745,000, nothing else in the Philippine market comes close on price. If you need a small, cheap, electric runaround and you have access to a second vehicle as backup, the VF3 makes a lot of sense on paper.
But before you buy, ask your dealer these questions:
- Do you keep spare chargers in stock?
- What is the average turnaround time for warranty claims?
- If my charger fails, can you provide a loaner?
- Where is the nearest service center that can handle electrical issues?
- What is the process for a battery replacement under the subscription plan?
If the answers are vague — or if they sound anything like the five emails I received — consider that a red flag.
As for me, I'm still waiting for my replacement charger. My VF3 is still sitting in my garage, uncharged. And every day it sits there, the contrast with my Tesla — which just works, every single time — gets a little sharper.
I'll update this post when (if) VinFast Philippines resolves the issue. Don't hold your breath.
— Jun