Increased air pollution, pressure from traffic
Over the past time, air quality in Hanoi has continuously been at a bad level, many times reaching red, brown, and even purple warning levels. According to environmental experts, PM2.5 fine dust is densely present in the air, capable of deeply penetrating the respiratory and circulatory systems, directly affecting people's health.
According to Dr. Hoang Duong Tung, Chairman of the Vietnam Clean Air Network Association, the reason for increasing pollution comes from many factors, in which personal vehicles running on gasoline and oil account for a large proportion.Hanoi currently has nearly 7 million motorbikes and about 800,000 fossil fuel-fueled cars, emitting into the environment day and night.
Notably, weather conditions prevent fine dust from being diffused and accumulating in the lower layers.Meanwhile, emissions continue to increase, making the pollution situation even more serious.
In that picture, the technology motorbike taxi force - with hundreds of thousands of drivers operating every day - is becoming an important link. It is estimated that each driver consumes about 2 liters of gasoline per day, leading to large emissions into the environment.
Moving to electric cars
Faced with the pressure of fuel costs and environmental protection requirements, many technology motorbike taxi drivers have started switching from gasoline to electric vehicles.
Mr. Nguyen Sy Hao - a technology driver in Hanoi - said that before, he spent about 70,000-80,000 VND per day on gasoline. Since switching to electric motorbikes, driving for Xanh SM, energy costs have decreased significantly, even almost to 0 thanks to the support policy.
Mr. Hao added: "In the long term, the cost of paying for electricity will be lighter than paying for gasoline. Calculated, if you pay for the battery exchange fee yourself, it is about 18,000 VND per day, more than 6 million VND per year. Three years is more than 30 million VND, almost equal to the cost of buying a car. This amount is completely free according to Xanh SM's policy, helping to keep income much higher.
Similarly, Mr. Tran Duc Tu, another driver, said that switching to electric vehicles not only helps save costs but also creates a "better" working feeling because they do not have to be exposed to gasoline smoke and loud noise. "Customers also prefer to drive electric vehicles because they are smooth and odorless. Many people also ask more about the vehicle to consider buying it" - Mr. Tu shared.
Efforts from many sides to promote green transformation
The transition to green transportation not only comes from workers but also from synchronous efforts from businesses and policies.
At the end of March 2026, GSM Company launched a program to freely rent and exchange batteries for up to 3 years for Xanh SM Bike electric motorbike drivers. This policy applies to drivers using VinFast electric motorbikes and registering for business on the Xanh SM platform.
In addition, businesses also support drivers to access vehicles at low cost. Just deposit 3 million VND, pay installments from 1.5-1.7 million VND per month, drivers can own the vehicle to operate. Related costs such as registration, insurance, maintenance, and positioning equipment are also supported, helping to significantly reduce entry barriers.
According to business representatives, these policies aim to reduce dependence on gasoline and oil, while contributing to promoting green transformation in the transportation sector.
From an expert perspective, Dr. Hoang Duong Tung highly appreciates initiatives from businesses in promoting green transportation. However, he believes that businesses alone are not enough.
This must be an overall battle, requiring the involvement of the government, businesses and people. Every small action, if replicated, will create a major impact on improving air quality," he emphasized.
In fact, Hanoi sets a target for the period 2026-2030 to have 100% of buses using green energy, with a total resource of up to 43,000 billion VND. In parallel, projects to convert hundreds of thousands of service drivers to using electric vehicles are being researched and implemented. This is considered an important step to reduce emissions right from personal transportation sources.
It can be seen that reducing gasoline cars and increasing vehicles using clean energy is not only a trend but has become an urgent requirement. When workers, businesses and policies accompany each other, this transition process will be accelerated, contributing to bringing a fresher atmosphere to major cities.
