Times magazine has faced criticism from numerous analysts and automotive media for including the Vietnamese car brand, VinFast, in their list of the 100 most influential companies in the world. On Saturday, June 1, 2024, Times released a list of 100 companies that were considered to have made the best contributions and innovations throughout 2023.
According to Times on Monday (June 3, 2024), the companies listed came from various fields, including the automotive sector. Some of the automotive companies included were Toyota, BMW, BYD, and VinFast.
Times categorized VinFast under “Disrupters,” a category for companies deemed capable of providing greater value compared to already well-established companies.
However, this selection has been criticized by many international automotive analysts and media. Carscoops mentioned that including VinFast was questionable, especially since major global automotive companies like Ford, General Motors, and Tesla did not make the list.
“If we imagine the world’s influential automotive companies, we would certainly think of them. Not a very new name that is barely known,” wrote Carscoops.
They noted that VinFast is indeed currently growing rapidly, but this is happening primarily in their home country, Vietnam.
“Although this company may be significant in Vietnam, it is not very significant or influential elsewhere. Their cars have received very poor reviews and are only available in a few states,” explained Carscoops.
Meanwhile, Michael Gauthier, an automotive analyst from Carbuzz, mentioned that VinFast is not yet deserving of being included in the list of influential companies. This is due to their very low car sales.
Even their operational developments have faced ongoing issues, one of which is the delayed production of cars at their North Carolina plant in the United States.
“Other car manufacturers on the list make more sense, including BYD, BMW, and Toyota,” he explained.
