Almaty to launch VinFast electric vehicles

VinFast is preparing to enter Kazakhstan’s  electric taxi market through Green SM, El.kz reports.

About the vehicle

Yusuf, an Almaty-based taxi driver and blogger, filmed a review of one of the cars in a parking lot.

"This is a car for work. I drove it a little bit. By the way, it’s fast and moves off the line very well," the blogger noted.

He specifically highlighted the unconventional gear selector: "This is the first time I’ve seen a solution like this; it looks like a piano," he said, describing the gear switches.

The VinFast VF6 is equipped with a 201 hp motor and a 59.6 kWh LFP battery. According to the WLTP cycle, the declared range is up to 409 km. For a city taxi, this is a very practical figure, as a typical daily shift in Almaty rarely exceeds 200–250 km.

Interior: A tablet instead of buttons

Inside, the cabin features a 12.9-inch tablet that controls the climate, cameras, and multimedia. It features a 360-degree camera with a 3D model of the car.

"By the way, Hongqi is missing a feature like this," Yusuf said.

The car features rear air vents, retractable cupholders, and power windows. The trunk is average-sized and, according to the blogger’s estimate, can fit two large suitcases.

Green SM’s global market

Kazakhstan is not the company’s only target. In India, Green SM plans to deploy approximately 1,000 electric vehicles in the first phase, with plans to scale the fleet to 15,000 cars by the end of the year. In Kazakhstan, Vingroup is considering not only the launch of passenger transport but also the development of a charging station network and the localization of maintenance services.

An official launch date for Green SM in Kazakhstan has not yet been announced. While the cars have only been seen in Almaty.