Vietnamese electric ride-hailing provider Green SM has expanded into North America, deploying its first electric taxis in the United States. Operations began in Los Angeles, California, on 13 October, making the U.S. the company's ninth market globally and its first in North America.
The launch comes a little over a month after Green SM entered Europe, continuing a rapid international build-out for the VinFast affiliate.
Customers in Los Angeles can book rides through Green SM's mobile app, available on the App Store and Google Play, or through more traditional options: calling the company's hotline or hailing a taxi on the street.
Launch promotions
To mark the entry, Green SM is offering a 50 per cent discount, capped at 12 dollars per ride, on customers' first five trips. It is also giving away 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., described the market entry as a milestone. "The United States represents an important milestone in Green SM's growth journey," she said. The company is not simply expanding into a new market, she added, but aims to build trust with customers, drivers and local communities, one journey at a time.
An all-VinFast VF 8 fleet
While Green SM operates both electric scooters and cars in Asian markets, it uses only cars in the U.S. Its Los Angeles fleet consists exclusively of VinFast's VF 8, a mid-size SUV and the most affordable model from the brand in the U.S., priced from 39,900 dollars.
VinFast offers the VF 8 in the U.S. in two dual-motor, all-wheel-drive variants. One packs 260 kW and 500 Nm of torque; the other delivers 300 kW and 620 Nm. Both use an 87.7 kWh NMC battery pack which, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, provides a range of 256 miles in the former and 235 miles in the latter. Green SM has not disclosed which configuration it selected for its fleet, or whether it uses both.
Company background and reach
Green SM was established in 2023 by Pham Nhat Vuong, Chairman of Vingroup, the parent company of VinFast. The company operates exclusively with VinFast electric vehicles and says it has provided around 850 million rides covering nearly six billion kilometres to date.
In addition to the U.S., Green SM offers its electric ride-hailing service in Asia in India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos and the Philippines, and in Europe in Denmark and the Netherlands.