Vietnam's Green SM Launches All-Electric Taxi Fleet in Los Angeles

Vietnam-based transport operator Green SM has officially begun passenger service in Los Angeles, marking its first North American deployment and making the United States the ninth market in its global network. The company’s entire taxi operation runs on VinFast battery-electric vehicles, placing its platform directly into one of the busiest transit environments in the world.

The Los Angeles rollout arrives just after VinFast revealed at the APTA TRANSform & EXPO in Chicago that it plans to bring electric buses to the American public transit sector through a partnership with NexMove. That commercial bus effort is aimed at city transit agencies, municipal fleets, and high-capacity corridors, while the LA passenger service provides VinFast with a live testing ground to demonstrate battery range, vehicle turnaround, and fleet durability under real daily conditions.

Green SM’s expansion has moved quickly since its 2023 launch in Vietnam. The company has since extended operations into Laos, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Kazakhstan, Denmark, and the Netherlands. “The United States represents an important milestone in Green SM’s growth journey,” said Hoang Thanh Hang, CEO of Green SM in the U.S. “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.”

According to company figures, the global fleet has completed roughly 850 million rides and covered close to six billion kilometers, avoiding an estimated 800,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. In Los Angeles, the service relies on a fleet of VinFast VF 8 crossovers, with riders able to book via mobile app, contact dispatch directly, or flag down cars on the street. To attract early users, the launch includes introductory pricing discounts and subscription plans for frequent passengers.

Setting up in Southern California involves hiring local drivers, running training programs, and establishing maintenance facilities. Green SM intends to use this foothold to fine-tune its operations before extending taxi networks and supporting public transit initiatives in other American cities. As for where the LA fleet’s VF 8s came from — whether shipped from the main factory in Hai Phong, Vietnam, or drawn from the thousands of VF 8 units already held in U.S. inventory lots — VinFast had not offered clarification at the time of reporting. “Our experience across international markets has shown us that the future of electric mobility is not defined by an all-electric fleet alone,” Hoang added. “It also depends on service quality, well-trained and reliable drivers, and genuine care in every customer interaction.”