Lao Dong Newspaper reporter had an interview with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Thai - traffic policy expert, University of Transport, about solutions to promote this transition process.
Sir, Hanoi is a pioneer in putting electric buses into operation, but the development speed is still not as expected. According to you, what are the biggest barriers currently?
- Many people believe that the biggest obstacle lies in the investment cost of electric buses being higher than diesel buses. However, in my opinion, the core problem is not only in the means but also in the accompanying support ecosystem.
Electric buses are an overall system, including vehicles, charging infrastructure, power sources, depots, battery management technology, financial mechanisms and operating policies. If only vehicles are invested in without the remaining factors, the operating efficiency will not be high.
The transition process is facing difficulties in capital, infrastructure and land funds. Investment costs not only include vehicles but also charging stations, grid and parking lots, while businesses have difficulty accessing preferential loans. Many areas also do not have enough electricity capacity, posing a risk of overload when the number of electric vehicles increases rapidly.
The current subsidy mechanism is still based on diesel bus operating costs, which is not suitable for the characteristics of electric buses with large investment capital but lower long-term operating costs. In addition, the transition process requires synchronous coordination between transportation, planning, electricity, finance, environment and industry.
According to you, what solutions should Hanoi prioritize to promote the transition to electric buses?
- In my opinion, instead of just focusing on supporting vehicle purchases, Hanoi needs to build a complete policy ecosystem. First of all, Hanoi needs to have a clear transition roadmap to 2030 and a vision to 2045, which determines the proportion of electric buses, investment capital needs, depot planning, charging stations and power supply. Financial mechanisms need to be innovated. Hanoi City should coordinate with the Government and financial institutions to build green credit packages with preferential interest rates, long loan terms and appropriate guarantee mechanisms. At the same time, it is possible to mobilize more resources such as green bonds, carbon credits and ODA capital to reduce pressure on the budget.
Another important task is to invest in synchronous charging infrastructure. This system needs to be integrated from the beginning in traffic planning and electricity planning, avoiding the situation of developing vehicles first and then finding a location to build a charging station.
Finally, it is necessary to promote the application of digital technology in vehicle fleet management, charge schedule operation, battery monitoring and operation optimization.
Many opinions suggest that the State needs to have stronger preferential policies. According to you, which policies will have the greatest impact?
- In my opinion, the policy should aim to reduce costs throughout the life cycle of electric buses, instead of just focusing on initial investment costs. If businesses have access to loans with low interest rates and long terms, financial pressure will be significantly reduced, thereby creating conditions to expand investment. Electric buses consume a large amount of electricity, so it is necessary to build separate electricity tariffs for public passenger transport, and at the same time encourage charging during off-peak hours to reduce costs for businesses and limit pressure on the electricity system.
Along with that, instead of just compensating for costs based on the number of kilometers of operation, it is possible to switch to the form of public service ordering associated with criteria such as service quality, emission reduction, punctuality and passenger satisfaction.
- Thank you!
