Green SM, the Vietnamese electric ride-hailing provider and VinFast affiliate, has deployed its first electric taxis in the United States, launching in Los Angeles, California, on 13 October. The move comes a little over a month after the company entered Europe and marks its expansion into North America, beginning with the US. It is the VinFast affiliate's ninth market globally.
Riders in Los Angeles can book through the Green SM mobile app, available on the App Store and Google Play, or through more traditional routes: calling the company's hotline or hailing a taxi on the street.
To support the launch, Green SM is offering a 50 per cent discount, capped at 12 dollars per ride, on a customer's first five trips. It is also providing a complimentary Green Pass membership at no cost, which comes with ten vouchers, each giving a 30 per cent discount capped at ten dollars per ride.
Hoang Thanh Hang, CEO of Green SM in the United States, framed the launch as a milestone: "The United States represents an important milestone in Green SM's growth journey. We are not simply expanding into a new market. We aim to build trust with customers, drivers and local communities, one journey at a time."
Fleet and vehicle specifications
Unlike its Asian operations, where it runs both electric scooters and cars, Green SM uses only cars in the US. Its Los Angeles fleet consists exclusively of the VinFast VF 8, a mid-size SUV that is the brand's most affordable model in the country, priced from 39,900 dollars.
VinFast sells the VF 8 in the US in two dual-motor all-wheel-drive variants. One produces 260 kW and 500 Nm of torque; the other delivers 300 kW and 620 Nm. Both use an 87.7 kWh NMC battery pack. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the first variant offers a range of 256 miles, while the more powerful version is rated at 235 miles. Green SM has not disclosed which configuration it selected for the fleet, or whether it uses both.
Company background
The company was established in 2023 by Pham Nhat Vuong, chairman of VinFast's parent company Vingroup. It operates exclusively with VinFast electric vehicles and says it has provided around 850 million rides covering nearly six billion kilometres to date.
Beyond the United States, Green SM offers its electric ride-hailing service in India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos and the Philippines in Asia, and in Denmark and the Netherlands in Europe.