Many apartment buildings deliberately limit electric vehicles
The situation of some apartment buildings arbitrarily issuing regulations to limit, even prohibit the appearance of electric vehicles is increasing. The case of HH Linh Dam apartment complex (Hoang Liet ward, Hanoi) is a typical example. The management board suddenly announced the temporary suspension of new registration for electric motorbikes and electric bicycles, aiming to completely stop parking electric vehicles in the basement. Immediately afterwards, the People's Committee of Hoang Liet Ward requested to cancel the document because it was not in accordance with regulations.
This is not an isolated incident. Previously, many apartment buildings in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City also issued regulations prohibiting electric vehicles. This situation is worrying as Vietnam strives to promote green transformation policies and reduce emissions in the transport sector.
Dr. Khuong Kim Tao, former Deputy Chief of Office of the National Traffic Safety Committee, commented that the ban on leaving electric vehicles in apartment buildings is " going against international and domestic policies".
In the context of Hanoi continuously recording serious air pollution, the policy of limiting gasoline vehicles and encouraging electric vehicles needs to be implemented drastically. The city has approved a roadmap to establish a low-emission zone, applied from July 1, 2026 in areas within Ring Road 1, gradually expanding to Ring Road 3 by 2030. These areas will limit polluting vehicles and require the development of clean energy charging infrastructure. In that context, the act of banning electric vehicles becomes even more unreasonable when going against the city's efforts to reduce emissions.
Mr. Khuong Kim Tao added that scientifically, the fire and explosion possibility of gasoline vehicles after stopping operations is higher than that of electric vehicles. What apartments need to pay attention to is surveying the quality of the electrical system, calculating a safe charging plan. For old apartments, it is necessary to assess the electricity load and have a plan to upgrade, or arrange replacement solutions such as a floating charging station near the building.
Expressing his views on this issue, lawyer Nguyen Thu Trang - Deputy Director of human Resources Limited Company - said that current law has introduced many policies to encourage the arrangement of parking space and charging of electric vehicles in apartment buildings.
Clause 1, Article 144 of the Housing Law, effective from January 1, 2025, requires apartment projects to arrange electric charging areas according to construction standards and regulations. However, the act of banning electric vehicles has not yet been sanctioned. This legal gap has caused some investors and management boards to arbitrarily issue regulations to limit residents' rights.
According to lawyer Thu Trang, the act of self-imposing a ban not only violates people's right to use assets but also goes against the development orientation of green vehicles. Therefore, it is time to have specific regulations, including sanctions, to ensure the right to park and charge electric vehicles for residents. When the law determines the rights of a party, the obligations of the service provider must also be proportionately regulated to ensure enforcement, Ms. Trang stated.
Many countries regulate the right to charge electric vehicles
In the world, "the right to charge" is considered the foundation to accelerate the process of greening traffic. Many countries have legalized the right of people to install and use charging stations at their residence, especially in apartment buildings - where there is the greatest demand.
California (USA) is one of the pioneers. Since 2015, the state has applied the power charging law, allowing residents and tenants to install charging stations on their premises. Building owners and management boards are not allowed to arbitrarily refuse installation requests if they meet safety standards.
Norway - the world's leader in electric vehicle emissions - has issued the "Right to Charge" law since 2017. The law allows apartment residents to install charging stations, and requires investors to arrange appropriate infrastructure. This regulation helps remove the biggest barrier: Lack of charging points at the residence. Norway also requires at least 6% of parking spaces in buildings to be for electric vehicles. Thanks to that, in September 2024, the number of electric vehicles circulating on the road exceeded that of gasoline vehicles for the first time. This country of more than 5 million people has more than 29,500 charging stations, widely distributed throughout residential areas and traffic points.
In Vietnam, charging infrastructure is growing strongly. V-Green currently operates more than 150,000 charging ports in provinces and cities. Recently, the Petroleum Power Corporation (PV Power) signed a cooperation agreement to transfer the network of 1,000 charging stations in the 2025 - 2030 period to V-Green for development to serve VinFast electric vehicle users.
According to experts, the efforts of the private sector are a positive signal. However, Vietnam needs to perfect the legal framework on "right to charge electricity", clearly defining the responsibilities of investors, apartment management boards, and infrastructure operators. When the right to charge is legally guaranteed, the electric vehicle market can develop sustainably.
