Vietnamese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer VinFast is offering customers massive payouts for extended delays to service on their vehicles, in one of the more unique approaches to post-sales service.
VinFast is paying owners when their vehicles are in the shop, with the automaker offering $100 on minor issues and up to $300 for vehicle-disabling problems, alongside additional payments for service delays of over three days, according to Automotive News. The payments are being made in cash or service vouchers as part of the company’s commitment to customers as it enters the increasingly competitive EV market.
According to the automaker, the policy is not affiliated with the company’s 10-year, 120,000-mile warranty, and the company hopes it can attract buyers with its post-sales services.
“VinFast has taken the initiative to introduce an unprecedented after-sales policy in addition to existing services to provide customers with a satisfying and worry-free experience,” the automaker said in a statement.
VinFast service issues eligible for repair compensation
The company says it categorizes service issues into three types, as can be seen below.
- Type 1: Minor repair issues — $100
- “Type 1 includes issues that cause inconveniences but do not impact the use of the vehicle, such as air conditioner, the 360-camera system, etc.,” VinFast said.
- Type 2: Issues causing inoperability — $300
- Type 2 includes those that require rescue servicing, “such as regenerative braking or starting and stopping of the vehicle,” according to the company.
- Type 3: Ongoing goodwill compensation for vehicles stuck in the shop — $100 per day available after the third day
- “From the fourth day onward, eligible customers will be entitled for a goodwill compensation,” VinFast says.
VinFast also says there is no maximum limit to the $100-per-day payments, though the automaker says it “always tries to fix the issues as quickly as possible to return the cars to customers.”
Last December, VinFast launched its first vehicles in the U.S. with 999 VF 8 units, later facing a recall of all of its vehicles that was fixed through a software update in May.
In August, VinFast’s market capitalization reached $191 billion as its stock price surged to an all-time high of $82.35, ballooning $200 billion in just ten trading days and drawing comparisons to Tesla’s shares in 2020. At the time of writing, during closed-market weekend hours, its stock price has fallen back to 5.41 for a market cap of around $12.62 billion.
In September, it was discovered that over half of VinFast’s 2023 sales in the first half of the year were to parent company VinGroup’s own taxi company.
VinFast launches VF 8 ad campaign amid insane market momentum
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Tesla Robovan’s likely first real-world use teased by Boring Company President
As per the executive, the vehicle will be used to move large crowds through Las Vegas during major events.
The Boring Company President Steve Davis has shared the most likely first real-world use for Tesla’s Robovan.
As per the executive, the vehicle will be used to move large crowds through Las Vegas during major events.
Tesla Robovan for high-demand events
During a feature with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Boring Company President Steve Davis said the Tesla Robovan will be introduced once the Vegas Loop expands across the Strip and downtown and the fleet grows to about 1,200 Teslas.
At that scale, Robovans would primarily be deployed during predictable surges, such as game days and large shows, when many riders are traveling to the same destination at the same time.
“The second you have four (passengers) and you have to start stopping, the best thing you can do is put your smallest vehicle in, which is a car. But if you know people are going to the stadium because of a game, you’ll know an hour before, two hours before, that a lot of people are going to a game or a Sphere show, if you are smart about it, that’s when you put a high occupancy vehicle in, that’s when you put the Robovan in,” Davis said.
Vegas Loop expansion
Steve Davis’s Robovan comment comes as The Boring Company’s Vegas Loop expands its airport service. Phase 1 of rides to Harry Reid International Airport began last month, allowing passengers to travel from existing Loop stations such as Resorts World, Encore, Westgate, and the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Phase 2 will add a 2.2-mile dual-direction tunnel from Westgate to Paradise Road, cutting surface travel and increasing efficiency. That section is expected to open within months and will allow speeds of up to 60 mph on parts of the route, while expanding the fleet to around 160 vehicles.
Future phases extend tunnels closer to the airport terminals and add multiple stations along University Center Drive, pushing the fleet close to 300 vehicles. The final phase, an underground airport station, was described by Davis as the system’s “holy grail.” This, however, has no definite timeframe as of yet.
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Tesla seeks engineer to make its iOS Robotaxi app feel “magical”
It appears that Tesla is hard at work in ensuring that users of its Robotaxi service are provided with the best user experience possible.
Tesla is hiring an iOS Engineer for its Robotaxi app team, with the job posting emphasizing the creation of polished experiences that make the service not just functional, but “magical.”
Needless to say, it appears that Tesla is hard at work in ensuring that users of its Robotaxi service are provided with the best user experience possible.
Robotaxi App features
As observed by Tesla community members, Tesla has gone live with a job listing for an iOS Engineer for its Robotaxi App. The job listing mentions the development of a “core mobile experience that enables customers to summon, track, and interact with a driverless vehicle. From requesting a ride to enabling frictionless entry, from trip planning to real-time vehicle status and media control.”
Interestingly enough, the job listing also mentioned the creation of polished experiences that make the Robotaxi more than just functional. “You will take full ownership of features—from architecture design to robust implementation—delivering delightful and polished experiences that make Robotaxi not just functional, but magical,” Tesla noted in its job listing.
Apple’s “magical” marketing
Tesla’s use of the word “magical” when referring to the Robotaxi app mirrors the marketing used by Apple for some of its key products. Apple typically uses the word when referring to products or solutions that transform complex technology into something that feels effortless, simple, and natural to daily life. Products such as the AirPods’ seamless pairing with the iPhone and FaceID’s complex yet simple-to-use security system have received Apple’s “magical” branding.
With this in mind, Tesla seems intent on developing a Robotaxi app that is sophisticated, but still very easy to use. Tesla already has extensive experience in this area, with the Tesla App consistently being hailed by users as one of the best in its segment. If Tesla succeeds in making the Robotaxi app worthy of its “magical” branding, then it wouldn’t be a surprise if the service sees rapid adoption even among mainstream consumers.
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Tesla is coming to Estonia and Latvia in latest European expansion: report
Tesla seems to be accelerating its regional expansion following its recent launch in Lithuania.
Recent reports have indicated that Tesla has taken a step toward entering the Baltic states by registering new subsidiaries in Latvia and Estonia.
Filings suggest that Tesla is accelerating its regional expansion following its recent launch in Lithuania, with service centers likely coming before full sales operations.
Official entities in Latvia and Estonia
Tesla has established two new legal entities, Tesla Latvia SIA and Tesla Estonia OÜ, both owned by Tesla International B.V., as noted in an EV Wire report. Corporate records show the Estonian entity was formed on December 16, 2025, while the Latvian subsidiary was registered earlier, on November 7.
Both entities list senior Tesla executives on their boards, including regional and finance leadership responsible for new market expansion across Europe. Importantly, the entities are registered under “repair and maintenance of motor vehicles,” rather than strictly vehicle sales. This suggests that Tesla service centers will likely be launched in both countries.
The move mirrors Tesla’s recent Baltic rollout strategy. When Tesla entered Lithuania, it first established a local entity, followed by a pop-up store within weeks and a permanent service center a few months later. It would then not be surprising if Tesla follows a similar strategy in Estonia and Latvia, and service and retail operations arrive in the first half of 2026.
Tesla’s European push
Tesla saw a drop in sales in Europe in 2025, though the company is currently attempting to push more sales in the region by introducing its most affordable vehicles yet, the Model 3 Standard and the Model Y Standard. Both vehicles effectively lower the price of entry into the Tesla ecosystem, which may make them attractive to consumers.
Tesla is also hard at work in its efforts to get FSD approved for the region. In the fourth quarter of 2025, Tesla rolled out an FSD ride-along program in several European countries, allowing consumers to experience the capabilities of FSD firsthand. In early December, reports emerged indicating that the FSD ride-along program would be extended in several European territories until the end of March 2026.
Tesla Robovan’s likely first real-world use teased by Boring Company President
Tesla seeks engineer to make its iOS Robotaxi app feel “magical”
