Vinfast VF5 to spearhead brand’s upcoming ride-hailing service

Vinfast is all set to enter India’s ride-hailing market with its taxi company Green and Smart Mobility (GSM). Last month, Vinfast Asia chief executive officer Pham Sanh Chau announced the group’s intention to launch the service and said that the brand “will be using only Vinfast vehicles.”

1. Along with the VF5, the Limo Green MPV is expected to be part of the fleet
2. Vinfast could also explore two-wheeler ride-hailing services in the future 

We understand that the VF5, on the cards for an India launch, will form the bulk of the fleet, along with the Limo Green MPV, which Vinfast has said will be launched very soon. While not much is known about the VF5 that will enter the GSM service, the Limo Green will be completely set up for fleet operators by the company itself, including the installation of required speed limiters and the in-cabin passenger panic/help buttons. The MPV will also be offered in a version specifically tailored for private buyers and would likely not carry the ‘Green’ suffix. 

GSM operates in the company’s home market of Vietnam, as well as other Asian countries like Malaysia and the Philippines, operating a variety of vehicles. While Vinfast already has the VF6 and VF7 EVs on sale in India, for its GSM service, the brand will only rely on the Limo Green MPV and the VF5, at least initially. 

GSM can expand to two-wheeler ride-sharing 

For now, Vinfast is only looking at the four-wheeler market in both passenger and fleet segments. However, the brand also offers electric two-wheelers overseas and is actively exploring entering the two-wheeler market in India. “We are actively looking at two-wheelers and even keen on our other businesses like Vinhomes, Vinmec (hospitals) and power distribution,” said Chau, adding that the brand would “love to have India as our second home”. 

With two-wheelers in its portfolio, Vinfast can also expand the GSM service to include two-wheeler ride-hailing, subject, of course, to regulatory approvals – something that other two-wheeler ride-hailing companies have struggled with so far. 

While the speed of these plans sounds highly ambitious, the brand has so far shown that speed is something it can deliver on. The company set up a greenfield plant in a scant 17 months, has two models already on sale and is already the fourth-largest EV maker in India. While the numbers are still small, pipping brands such as Hyundai and Kia is commendable.