This is one of the notable contents in the vehicle emission control project developed and proposed by the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Center (under the Department of Construction).
The project proposes to pilot the establishment of a low emission zone (LEZ - Low Emission Zone) in the central area of Ho Chi Minh City in 2026. The area is bordered by 15 bridges and 17 main roads, forming an "emission control belt".
In the low emission zone, the proposed project has regulations to limit new registrations for motorbikes and mopeds using fossil fuels.
Individuals and households living in low-emission zones are not allowed to register new motorbikes or mopeds using fuel.
The project also proposes that the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee propose the Ministry of Construction to consider issuing regulations on the age limit for using gasoline-powered motorbikes and mopeds. After a certain period of time or distance, the vehicle will have to be liquidated.
The project proposes to refer to Chinese regulations, in which gasoline motorbikes must be liquidated after 13 years of use or after running 120,000 km, or have failed three consecutive emission/safe inspections - whichever comes first.
To ensure implementation capacity and high compliance rate, the project proposes that the city government implement financial support policies.
People who liquidate their vehicles according to regulations will be compensated for about 70% of the remaining value of the vehicle. When buying a new electric motorbike, people can receive a subsidy of 10% of the vehicle value, but not more than 5 million VND.
To have a basis for implementation, the proposed project in 2025 needs to issue official regulations on limiting new registrations of motorbikes and mopeds using fossil fuels in low-emission zones.
According to the roadmap, from 2026, after establishing a low-emission zone in the city center, commercial cars that do not meet Euro 4 emission standards and service motorbikes that do not meet Euro 2 standards will be restricted in this area. In particular, heavy trucks running on diesel will be completely banned.
Instead, the city will prioritize environmentally friendly vehicles such as vehicles using clean energy, renewable energy, zero-emission vehicles, vehicles with special or priority licenses.
From 2027 to 2032, the project proposes to expand the low emission zone, limiting all motorbikes that do not meet Euro 2 standards and cars under Euro 4 to circulate in the central area.
After 2032, emission standards will continue to be raised and the scope of the low emission zone will be expanded to the Ring Road 1 area.
On the morning of August 8, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction held a meeting to listen to a presentation on the project to control vehicle emissions. Attending were representatives of departments, branches and many related units.
