Lao Dong Newspaper has just informed that the Management Board of HH Linh Dam Apartment Complex (Hanoi) recently suddenly announced the temporary suspension of new registration for electric motorbikes and electric bicycles, aiming to completely stop parking electric vehicles in the basement.
Notably, this is not the first time an apartment building in Hanoi has banned electric vehicles. Previously, many apartment buildings in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City also had regulations prohibiting electric vehicles.
Dr. Khuong Kim Tao, former Deputy Chief of Office of the National Traffic Safety Committee, said that banning electric vehicles from being left in apartments is contrary to the policies of the international and the state. This is a major policy that needs to be followed.
Dr. Khuong Kim Tao said that from the perspective of apartment management, many people are afraid of fire and explosion if they charge electric vehicles in the basement. However, this fear is exaggerated. In theory, gasoline vehicles and electric vehicles both have the potential risk of fire and explosion. When turned off, electric vehicles have a lower risk of fire and explosion than gasoline vehicles (because they do not contain flammable fuel). Therefore, the authorities need to continue to propagate so that people do not worry about the risk of fire and explosion from electric vehicles.
He emphasized that if only parking cars, electric cars cannot be banned. The issue that needs to be discussed is a survey of the ability to charge electric vehicles in apartment buildings. State agencies need to accompany in finding solutions for old, densely populated apartment buildings.
Accordingly, authorities need to actively intervene and accompany units to find solutions in the direction of surveying the current power systems of apartment buildings to see if it is guaranteed for electric vehicle charging or not. Otherwise, it is necessary to upgrade or plan the surrounding floating charging stations to ensure the safety of the people.
"The air in Hanoi in recent days has been very stuffy and difficult to breathe. Limiting gasoline vehicles is extremely necessary, the sooner the better. Therefore, not only the state but all parties must join hands to handle this problem, Dr. Khuong Kim Tao shared.
At the 28th session, the Hanoi People's Council passed a Resolution on Regulations on implementing low emission zones in Hanoi (implementing Point a, Clause 2, Article 28 of the Capital Law No. 39/2024/QH15).
According to Clause 6, Article 3 of the Capital Law 2024, low emission zones are areas identified to limit vehicles that pollute the environment to improve air quality.
The Resolution stipulates the roadmap for implementing low emission zones in each stage. Specifically:
From July 1, 2026: Implement a pilot low-emission zone in some areas in Ring Road 1, including 9 wards: Hai Ba Trung, Cua Nam, Hoan Kiem, O Cho Dua, Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam, Ba Dinh, Giang Vo, Ngoc Ha, Tay Ho.
From January 1, 2028: Implement low emission zones in Ring Road 1 and some areas in Ring Road 2 and above. Including 9 wards of Ring Road 1 and wards of Lang, Dong Da, Kim Lien, Bach Mai, Vinh Tuy.
From January 1, 2030: Implement low emission zones in Ring Road 3 and above, including 36 wards and communes. Including 14 wards in the Ring Road 2 area and the communes and wards: Phu Thuong, Xuan Dinh, Nghia Do, Cau Giay, Yen Hoa, Thanh Xuan, Khuong Dinh, Dinh Cong, Phuong Liet, Tuong Mai, Hoang Mai, Vinh Hung, Long Bien, Phuc Loi, Viet Hung, Bo De, Phu Dong, Dong Anh, Thu Lam, Phuc Thinh, Vinh Thanh, Noi Bai.
From 2031 onwards: Areas in the city that meet one of the criteria specified in this resolution will have to implement low emission zones.
Measures applied in low-emission zones include: Organizing the development of public passenger transport and encouraging the use of environmentally friendly vehicles; reviewing and identifying areas that are eligible for developing walking and cycling spaces; developing a public clean energy station system, infrastructure for collecting and treating after-discharge electric vehicle batteries; building traffic culture, awareness of using public transport, limiting the use of personal vehicles...
In addition, in the low emission zone, the city will ban motorbikes and mopeds operating on the software platform to support transportation connectivity; ban motorbikes and mopeds from entering the low emission zone according to the time frame/time or area; limit and proactively prohibit cars that do not meet level 4 emission standards from entering the low emission zone according to the time frame/time or area.
