European consumers that have made the switch to electric vehicles do not plan to ‘go back to the sound of a combustion engine’, automotive firm Vinfast has said, adding that Europe’s electric transition is now ‘well underway’.
The Vietnamese firm, which is seeking to fain a foothold in Europe’s fast-growing electric vehicle market, cited a number of studies that underline a growing level of satisfaction among EV drivers – for example, a Chargemap survey conducted in spring 2025 among almost 20,000 electric vehicle drivers across nine European countries found that 88% were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their driving and charging experience.
The way forward
At a global level, a separate survey by the Global EV Drivers Alliance (GEVA), covering more than 23,000 electric vehicle owners across 18 countries, found that 92% planned to choose a zero-emission vehicle for their next car purchase, compared to 1% that said they would return to a petrol or diesel vehicle, while 4% said they would choose a plug-in hybrid.
Elsewhere, in the UK, a Zap-Map survey found that 92% of all-electric drivers said they were very pleased with their car, compared with 74% of petrol and diesel drivers.
‘Taken together, the story is consistent,’ Vinfast said. ‘Once people have lived with an EV, they feel the switch was worth it.’
Driving experience
The company also cited research showing that the driving experience of EVs is rated highly by consumers – with a recent Petronas study finding that the driving experience received a score of 8.39 out of 10. Consumers were less positive, however, about charging times, which received a score of 7.7.
Elsewhere, research by Driveco and Harris Interactive in France also found a contrast between concerns among people who had not driven an EV before and satisfaction among existing users. It found a ‘sharp contrast between non-users’ apprehensions and the high satisfaction of owners, with financial accessibility remaining a persistent challenge’, Vinfast noted.
VinFast is positioning its VF 6 compact electric SUV as a vehicle for city driving and daily commuting, while it is also expanding into public transport with the rollout of its EB 8 and EB 12 electric buses as European regulations encourage cities to move towards zero-emission fleets. It said that its presence in Europe represents ‘a long-term commitment, not a short-term push for volume’. Read more here.
