Knowing that Hanoi will ban and restrict substandard motorbikes in some areas from 2025, Mr. Le Huu Hung (Thanh Xuan district) said that it is a good way to make the city greener and cleaner.
"Now I see more people riding electric vehicles, which proves that environmental protection awareness has increased. I hope the city will soon add more drastic solutions to improve the capital's atmosphere," said Mr. Hung.
Mr. Hung himself switched to an electric two-wheeler 3 years ago. Currently, Mr. Hung still keeps the motorbike he bought in 2015, only using it occasionally for commuting.
"If I have to take my motorbike to the inspection center for emission testing, I will comply," said Mr. Hung.
According to statistics from the Department of Transport, by April 2024, Hanoi had over 8 million vehicles, including more than 1.1 million cars and about 6.9 million motorbikes.
It is worth mentioning that the number of motorbikes used for more than 10 years accounts for more than 72%, increasing the level of toxic emissions into the air if old vehicles are not regularly maintained.
Hanoi said that the main cause of air pollution in the capital is emissions from vehicles, accounting for 58-74% depending on the time (the main emitting vehicles are motorbikes, followed by trucks and taxis) and road dust.
Previously, at the 20th session, the Hanoi People's Council voted to pass the Resolution on implementing low-emission zones in Hanoi.
Accordingly, from 2025 to 2030, Hanoi will pilot the establishment of a low-emission zone in an area in Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh districts.
In these areas, prohibit the circulation of heavy-duty diesel trucks. Restrict or prohibit cars that do not meet level 4 emission standards and motorbikes and scooters that do not meet level 2 standards from circulating in low emission zones according to time frames/times or areas.
According to Lao Dong's research, level 4 emission standards are standards for testing and limiting pollutants in exhaust gas corresponding to Euro 4 levels specified in the technical regulations on motor vehicle emissions of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), or in the directives of the European Union (EC) applicable to newly manufactured, assembled and imported motor vehicles.
Accordingly, the level 4 emission limit must meet the following parameters:
Meanwhile, motorcycles and motorbikes meeting level 2 standards need to achieve the following parameters:
- Emission limit (gasoline vehicle) CO 2.20g/km; HC + NOx 0.50g/km.
- Emission limits (diesel vehicles) CO 1g/km; HC + NOx 0.70g/km PM 0.08g/km.
There are four main types of emissions including: Carbon monoxide (CO), Hydrocarbons (HC), Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Particulate matter (PM).
Speaking with Lao Dong on December 18, Mr. Tran Quoc Hoan, Deputy Director in charge of the 29.03V Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (Dong Da, Hanoi) said that there is no way to distinguish between vehicles that do not meet emission levels 2 and 4 other than relying on measurement parameters during inspection.
According to Mr. Hoan's many years of experience, normally cars that do not meet level 4 emission standards are those that are over 20 years old.
As for motorbikes over 5 years old, they tend to exceed the level 2 emission standard, and motorbikes over 10 years old have a very high emission rate. "Of course, we still have to go through the inspection process to determine exactly what level of emissions the vehicle is reaching," said Mr. Hoan.
