The rumor has spread with breathtaking speed in taxi circles: The upstart Green SM is expected to launch its operations in Sweden shortly. There is talk of thousands of cheap electric cars with the potential to completely crush established domestic taxi companies, according to about ten people in the industry that DN has spoken to.
- The drivers are not happy about this. Hope not all the cars come to Stockholm, says a man in an organizing function with two decades of experience.
Vietnamese multi-billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong launched the company Green SM in March 2023, according to the company's website. Then followed an explosive expansion to Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines. In June this year, the company established itself in India. Then Denmark followed, and in October the taxis began to appear in Los Angeles.
DN can now reveal that hundreds of taxis from Green SM are also on Swedish soil.
During October, 400 VinFast VF 6 were registered for a few weeks. The buyer was Green SM Sverige AB. Information in official registers points to an address in Rosersberg north of Stockholm - and when DN visits the location, the cars appear to be about to be put into operation.
In neat rows stand hundreds of identical vehicles painted in Green SM's characteristic turquoise shade. The parking lot is located alone on the edge of a large industrial area and high fences with barbed wire ensure that no outsiders get in.
A yellow sticker pasted on one of the windows of the electric cars testifies to the intended pricing at Green SM. The comparison price is set at SEK 339. After a sample of 20 taxis around Stockholm's central station, it is clear that Green SM has thus placed itself below the other companies. A majority take between SEK 345 and 399. Some are further significantly higher - but none lower than Green SM.
Alexandra Medina, section manager at the Swedish Transport Agency, confirms that Green SM has received traffic permits for a total of 2,500 taxis in Sweden. Comparatively, Taxi Stockholm 2024 had a total taxi fleet of around 1,500 vehicles. In total, there are over 22,000 taxi-registered vehicles throughout Sweden.
- We carry out a test so that they meet the statutory requirements. Among other things, we check that they have the financial conditions for the number of vehicles they are applying for, says Alexandra Medina.
Do you take into account whether it would already be an over-established market?
- No. Our mandate only covers that they meet the requirements for permits.
DN seeks Green SM for a comment on the establishment in Sweden. The company has recruited Julius Laurell, who was previously operations manager for the taxi operations at Bolt, as CEO.
- You can email your questions, he says.
Despite contact attempts via phone, SMS and e-mail to two different e-mail addresses, there are no replies.
Mats Andersson, ombudsman at the Transport union, states that the union has not had any contact with Green SM either.
- What you are worried about is that it is an industry that is already over-established. Then an entrepreneur comes in who has a lot of capital and money behind him. I am afraid that it will knock out established companies, he says.
The union's highest priority is now to sign a collective agreement with Green SM, says Mats Andersson further.
On social media, Green SM advertises for drivers. Illustrated with AI-generated images of smiling people in Stockholm environments, the message is conveyed: "Fixed salary. Fixed working hours. Clear responsibility."
Advertisements have also appeared at Arbetsförmedlingen. It appears that Green SM is recruiting "a large number of drivers ahead of the launch in Sweden".
Denis Malovic is co-founder of the Malmö-based staffing company Rekmatch, which has been given the assignment to carry out the recruitment - and he is enthusiastic about the assignment.
How many drivers are you going to recruit now?
- A lot. Right now I can say there are a few hundred.
Denis Malovic does not want to mention an exact figure, but can confirm that the recruitment currently taking place concerns taxi operations in the Stockholm area. One advantage, according to him, is that the company does not focus solely on commission-based pay.
- Green SM offers a fixed basic salary of around 28,000 and then they have different bonus systems on top of that. It is competitive compared to other companies, he says.
When will the launch of taxi operations in Sweden take place?
- I definitely think that you will see them on the streets of Stockholm during November, says Denis Malovic.
