What if your EV’s battery costs the same as your morning coffee?
Sit down and have your hot cup of Joe while reading this. Because, if you’re in the market for a full-electric vehicle, then you’ll definitely need to know this.
If you’ve been thinking all along that the cost of an EV battery is the biggest obstacle to EV affordability, then you’d be right. But there’s an ingenious workaround. And VinFast may be on to a win-win solution here.
What if you don’t need to buy the battery, and instead subscribe to a program that allows you to pay only for the use of the battery for a fixed monthly fee? And to sweeten the pot, your charging will be absolutely free.
This proposition comes from VinFast Philippines, and it said that with this battery subscription program, its EVs’ SRPs will be drastically reduced, like its entry-level EV the VF3, which would now be priced at just P590,000–down from P790,000. The monthly fee for your use of the battery would be as low as P1,600, around the same cost as your monthly consumption of coffee or equivalent to your phone bill. Plus, you get to charge for free at any of the V-Green chargers.
This battery subscription program is a significant part of VinFast’s bid to popularize and increase the penetration rate of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the Philippines. On Jan. 29, VinFast announced an updated battery subscription policy for the Philippine market, giving buyers the option to own a VinFast EV under a subscription model. This reduces upfront costs by up to around 20 percent, depending on the model. Battery subscription fees are applied flexibly, starting from P1,600 per month, based on actual driving distance.
“This differentiates us from the other brands. If you are a car company, I would say you wouldn’t dare do this, as maybe the cost will be prohibitive. It’s because of the ecosystem that enables us to come out with these numbers, with pricing that’s reasonable for the Filipino. My benchmark was monthly fees for the telephone. And I think we achieved it at P1,600. It’s like paying your phone bill to pay for your battery subscription,” said VinFast Southeast Asia CEO Antonio “Toti” Zara.
“It’s cheaper than buying coffee every day,” he quipped.
Zara confirmed that the Philippines is using the same model as Vietnam for the battery subscription.
“We’re copying the template from Vietnam. It was very successful there. It allowed VinFast to increase its penetration in EV adoption rate quicker, and that’s why Vietnam is now mature as an EV market. As a matter of fact, there is a higher penetration rate for BEV in Vietnam than in China. People think that the China EV market is big, but China is big if you consider new energy vehicles. Pure BEV Vietnam penetration rate is right in there, if not higher than China’s, so the market has matured. Battery subscription was a critical element in that maturity of the market. We are rolling it out across all the markets,” said Zara.
Positioned as a “lifetime battery warranty” solution, VinFast Philippines said that its battery subscription policy “is not only a flexible financial tool that optimizes cash flow, but also a long-term commitment to Philippine consumers. VinFast assumes full responsibility for battery performance throughout the subscription period, including maintenance, repairs, and free replacement when battery capacity drops below 70 percent. In the event of battery damage caused by an accident, VinFast will handle the issue under the battery subscription policy, helping minimize financial risks for customers.”
VinFast Philippines noted that for customers who opt for the traditional vehicle purchase with the full cost of the battery included, the brand “continues to offer comprehensive aftersales benefits, including a battery warranty of up to 10 years or 200,000 km. This dual approach allows Philippine consumers to proactively select the ownership model that best suits their needs and personal financial conditions.”
Zara said: “With our pioneering battery subscription policy, we aim to remove the biggest concerns of Philippine consumers, helping VinFast EVs become a truly practical and accessible choice for every household when combined with our comprehensive sales and aftersales policies. This also reaffirms VinFast’s commitment to rewrite the rules of the market and create the most favorable conditions for customers in the green transition.”
VinFast describes its updated battery subscription policy (check out the price chart) as complementing “the comprehensive suite of solutions that VinFast is deploying in the Philippines to remove barriers to EV adoption.”
The Vietnamese electric car brand has previously introduced initiatives such as free charging at stations operated by strategic partner V-Green, flexible financing packages with low down payments, and a residual value guarantee program ensuring returns of up to 90 percent of the original price.
The EV carmaker has notched up its aggressiveness after just over a year in the Philippine market, steadily adding more models to its diverse EV lineup, offering flexible sales policies, and ramping up its aftersales service network. Alongside its authorized dealership system, VinFast is working with strategic partners to develop charging infrastructure and service workshops, ensuring that customers in the Philippines can access vehicle care services conveniently and consistently.
Zara said that the battery subscription program is necessary to allay market apprehensions about EVs.
“Is it safe? Will I really be able to save more? How long will the battery last? These are the questions, right? What if a new (battery) technology arrives or the battery needs upgrading? If these are your concerns, pay the monthly subscription fee and let us at VinFast worry about all those. Those are issues we control as an EV maker. Now, in the event that the battery needs to be replaced with new tech, that’s in our contract. We will replace it. That’s our responsibility. Just cover it with monthly fees,” Zara stressed.
Zara added: “We removed the battery subscription program already from Vietnam because the market has matured and they have embraced the technology. How long will we offer it in the Philippines? At least for the rest of the year, our intention is to continue offering it. Will we offer it next year? Let’s see. We will assess it on a year-by-year basis. My advice is take advantage now if you’re in the market for cars. Buy your VinFast this year and we are contractually obligated to provide you a battery subscription for the lifetime of the vehicle.”
