Green SM, the Vietnamese electric ride-hailing provider and VinFast affiliate, has begun operating in the United States, deploying its first electric taxis in Los Angeles, California, on 13 October. The move into North America follows its entry into Europe a little over a month earlier and marks the company's ninth market worldwide.
Riders in Los Angeles can book through Green SM's mobile app, available on the App Store and Google Play, or through more conventional channels — the company's hotline or hailing a taxi on the street.
The U.S. launch is the company's first operation in North America, and it begins with a single city and a single vehicle model.
To mark the launch, Green SM is running a promotion giving customers a 50 per cent discount, capped at 12 dollars per ride, on their first five trips. It is also offering a complimentary Green Pass membership that includes ten vouchers, each providing a 30 per cent discount capped at ten dollars per ride.
Hoang Thanh Hang, CEO of Green SM in the U.S., framed the launch as a milestone. “The United States represents an important milestone in Green SM’s growth journey,” she said, adding that the company aims to build trust with customers, drivers and local communities “one journey at a time.”
VinFast VF 8 fleet
Unlike its Asian operations, where Green SM runs both electric scooters and cars, its U.S. service uses cars only. The Los Angeles fleet consists solely of VinFast’s VF 8, a mid-size SUV and the brand’s most affordable model in the U.S., priced from 39,900 dollars.
VinFast sells the VF 8 in the U.S. in two dual-motor all-wheel-drive variants: one producing 260 kW and 500 Nm of torque, and another with 300 kW and 620 Nm. Both use an 87.7 kWh NMC battery pack, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rates for a range of 256 miles in the first variant and 235 miles in the second. Green SM has not disclosed which configuration, or whether both, it uses for the fleet.
Company background
Green SM was established in 2023 by Pham Nhat Vuong, chairman of Vingroup, VinFast’s parent company. The service operates exclusively with VinFast electric vehicles and says it has provided around 850 million rides covering nearly six billion kilometres to date.
Beyond the U.S., 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. The company’s expansion has moved from its Asian base into Europe and now North America.