Green SM Launches VinFast Electric Taxi Service in Los Angeles
Vietnamese mobility firm Green SM has launched an all-electric taxi service in Los Angeles using VinFast VF8 vehicles.
Green SM has begun operating an all-electric taxi service in Los Angeles using VinFast VF8 vehicles, marking its first step into North America. The launch this week represents the Vietnamese mobility company's ninth market globally, following expansions across Asia and Europe.
Passengers can book rides via mobile app, call dispatch, or hail cars on the street. The rollout includes introductory price discounts and subscription options for frequent riders. After the launch, Green SM plans to build a local team, strengthen its operations, and recruit and train local drivers. Operations in Southern California involve recruiting local drivers, setting up training programs, and building maintenance facilities.
Service details and rollout plan
The Los Angeles fleet uses VinFast's VF8 electric crossover models. Green SM will gradually build its local team and strengthen operational capabilities in the city.
Hoang Thanh Hang said: "The United States represents an important milestone in Green SM's growth journey."
Green SM's market position and VinFast linkage
Green SM is a three-year-old Vietnamese taxi and ride-hailing company owned by Pham Nhat Vuong, Vietnam's richest man. It has served as a rolling showroom for VinFast to expand brand recognition and market presence. The company's signature cyan-colored fleet began appearing on Vietnamese streets in 2023.
Since 2024, Green SM has gained significant market share in Vietnam. It now holds more than a 50% share of the country's four-wheeled-taxi market, surpassing rival Grab according to Mordor Intelligence.
Strategic context amid VinFast's U.S. challenges
The launch occurs while VinFast has substantially scaled back its operations in the U.S. and delayed plans for a manufacturing plant in North Carolina. The automaker shifted focus toward faster-growing Asian markets after struggling to gain traction in the U.S.
In 2025, Pham Nhat Vuong said the U.S. was a loss-making market for VinFast. He cited high logistics costs, taxes, fees, and geopolitical tensions as reasons for the struggles, invoking the phrase 'Hide your strength, bide your time' associated with Deng Xiaoping.
The Los Angeles deployment follows VinFast’s announcement at the APTA TRANSform & EXPO in Chicago about introducing electric buses to the American public transit market through a partnership with NexMove. The VinFast electric bus platform targets city transit systems, municipal operations, and high-capacity transport corridors.
One industry publication reached out to VinFast to clarify whether the Los Angeles VF8 vehicles were newly imported from Hai Phong, Vietnam, or reconditioned from U.S. inventory. As of publication, VinFast had not responded to that inquiry.
Hoang Thanh Hang added: "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." Green SM plans to use the Los Angeles base to refine operations before expanding taxi networks and supporting public transit projects in other American cities.
