Signalling a deeper push into India’s mobility ecosystem, Vietnamese EV maker VinFast is preparing to enter the country’s ride-hailing market through its taxi arm, Green and Smart Mobility.
The service will be operated by Green and Smart Mobility (GSM), a ride-hailing company backed by Vingroup. The move was confirmed last month by VinFast Asia CEO Pham Sanh Chau, who said the service “will be using only VinFast vehicles.”
According to industry inputs, the upcoming VinFast VF5, which is expected to launch in India, will form the core of the GSM fleet. It will be complemented by the Limo Green MPV, a model VinFast has said will be introduced very soon. For the ride-hailing service, the company will initially rely only on these 2 vehicles, despite already selling the VF6 and VF7 EVs in India.
The Limo Green MPV will be specifically configured for fleet operations. VinFast will install mandatory speed limiters and in-cabin passenger panic or help buttons as part of the factory setup. The MPV will also be offered to private buyers in a separate version, which is expected not to carry the ‘Green’ suffix.
GSM currently operates in VinFast’s home market of Vietnam and in other Asian countries, including Malaysia and the Philippines, with a mixed fleet of vehicles. In India, however, the company plans to begin with only 4-wheeler services, targeting both passenger and fleet segments.
While two-wheelers are not part of the immediate plan, VinFast has indicated interest in the segment. “We are actively looking at two-wheelers and even keen on our other businesses like Vinhomes, Vinmec and power distribution,” Chau said, adding that the brand would “love to have India as our second home.”
With electric 2-wheelers already part of its global portfolio, VinFast could eventually expand GSM to include 2-wheeler ride-hailing, subject to regulatory approvals. Such services have faced policy hurdles in India so far.
VinFast’s pace of execution has drawn attention. The company set up a greenfield manufacturing plant in 17 months, has 2 EV models on sale, and is currently the fourth-largest EV maker in India. While volumes remain modest, overtaking established brands such as Hyundai and Kia has underscored the brand’s rapid growth strategy.
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