Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brands dominate Southeast Asia’s EV market. However, Viet Nam has a strong domestic player of its own. VinFast has become Viet Nam’s best-selling automotive brand, leading both the battery electric vehicle (BEV) segment and the overall automotive market.
Malaysia also has a national brand that leads EV sales. In the first half of 2026, Proton became the country’s best-selling BEV brand. Unlike VinFast, however, Proton leads only the battery-powered EV segment, not the entire automotive market.
VinFast and Proton Lead Different Markets
VinFast continued to strengthen its position in Viet Nam throughout 2026. In the first quarter, the company delivered 53,684 electric cars to customers. The figure rose to 115,916 units in the first half, a 72 percent increase from the same period a year earlier.
VinFast’s deliveries continued to climb through September. The company reported delivering 177,697 vehicles in Viet Nam from January to September 2026, surpassing its full-year 2025 total of 175,099 units.
The company’s strong sales are reflected in its market share. Based on a compilation of data from the Viet Nam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), VinFast, and Hyundai, VinFast accounted for 36.4 percent of Viet Nam’s overall automotive market from January to September 2026.
In Malaysia, Proton also recorded strong BEV sales. According to vehicle registration data for the first half of 2026, Proton registered 13,530 units, accounting for around 42.6 percent of the 31,738 units covered by the dataset. BYD ranked second with 5,675 units.
The difference lies in the scope of the markets each brand leads. VinFast is Viet Nam’s best-selling automotive brand overall, while Proton leads sales specifically in Malaysia’s battery electric vehicle segment.
What Makes a Brand Local?
A brand’s country of origin does not necessarily reflect the origin of the technology behind its vehicles. VinFast is a Viet Namese automaker that develops and manufactures its own electric vehicles. Proton, meanwhile, develops its EV lineup through a partnership with China’s Geely.
The Proton e.MAS 5 is reportedly based on the Geely Xingyuan, while the e.MAS 7 was developed through collaboration between the two companies. Although Proton draws on technology from its Chinese partner, it remains a Malaysian national brand.
China’s EV Brands Dominate Southeast Asia
Across much of Southeast Asia, Chinese brands remain major players in the EV industry. On August 27, 2026, TNGlobal cited Maybank Investment Bank as estimating that Chinese companies account for 80 to 90 percent of the EV market in Southeast Asia outside Viet Nam.
The same report stated that Chinese companies account for more than 50 percent of EV sales across ASEAN, while VinFast accounts for 33 percent. However, the report did not explain the basis for these figures in detail.
Chinese brands’ dominance is also evident in Indonesia. Based on Gaikindo’s wholesale sales data for the first half of 2026, all five of Indonesia’s best-selling BEV brands came from China, with BYD leading the ranking.
Meanwhile, the BEV market across Southeast Asia continues to expand. BEVs’ share of the market across six Southeast Asian countries rose from 12 percent in the first half of 2025 to 21 percent in the same period of 2026. In Viet Nam, the share reached 35 percent, exceeding the combined figure for the six markets, alongside VinFast’s strong domestic position.
