Green SM launched its Los Angeles service on October 13 with a sizable presence. The Vietnamese ride-hailing company owns every vehicle in its 500-car VinFast VF8 fleet outright and staffs them with employee drivers.

The way Green SM owns its cars and hires its drivers is the core difference here. Uber and Lyft depend on independent contractors using their own vehicles, while Green SM put 500 full-time employees in company-owned electric SUVs.

Los Angeles is Green SM's first US market. It's part of a young network that started in Vietnam in 2023 before expanding across Asia and into Europe. The company's vehicles and drivers are already active across Los Angeles County, with coverage stretching south into Orange County.

Every car in the launch fleet is a five-seat VF8, VinFast's electric SUV, and every ride it completes produces zero tailpipe emissions. The company says it has already completed roughly 850 million rides globally. Secondary reports citing S&P Global Mobility data describe an analyst estimate of about 389 new VinFast US vehicle registrations between January and July 2026.

Riders can summon a car three ways: through the Green SM app, by calling the company's hotline, or by hailing one on the street. Fares scale by time and distance, and early coverage compares typical trip costs to Uber Comfort pricing.

Green SM lists airport runs among its intended services in the United States. Neither the company nor Los Angeles World Airports have publicly detailed when, or under what permit, its cars might serve Los Angeles International Airport.

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