Starting from an inconvenient experience when driving an electric vehicle, Mr. Tran Anh Thanh (HCMC) has built a model of integrating charging stations - cafes - electric motorbike repair points, meeting the increasing demand for rest and battery charging of electric vehicle users.
Mr. Tran Anh Thanh, owner of the charging station system, recounted: In 2021, I had a trip by electric car in the city. When the electric car was about to run out of power, I stopped by many coffee shops to ask to charge them but they were all refused. At that time, I thought: Why not combine the coffee shop with a charging area, which is both spacious and convenient for drivers?".
After three years of nurturing, in March 2024, the model officially came into operation. Up to now, he has had 5 establishments operating stably in Ho Chi Minh City. Each facility is equipped with 8 to more than 15 charging stations, with an investment cost of about 700,000750,000 VND/head.
The charging stations are all processed by him according to the appropriate electrical load. Each pillar has 4 charging sockets, divided into 2 main sockets and 2 secondary sockets for rotation and periodic technical inspection. The system is also equipped with self-stop-stop CB and fire prevention and fighting equipment, ensuring safe operation. The ward and fire prevention and fighting forces will periodically coordinate to check the operation status of each charging point every 1-3 months.
According to the model owner, to ensure safety during operation, each facility has developed a separate fire prevention and fighting plan and sent it to the authorities before going into operation. The stations are fully equipped with equipment such as fire extinguishers, sandbags, anti-collision CB systems... depending on the area and specific regulations.
"The ward and the fire prevention and fighting force regularly coordinate to conduct periodic inspections every 1-3 months. If any points are not achieved, they will remind and return to check after the unit is completed," said Mr. Thanh.
Speaking to Lao Dong Newspaper, a representative of An Nhon Ward said that recently, Ho Chi Minh City Police have coordinated with the Ward Police to organize periodic inspections of private electric vehicle charging station models in the area, including facilities operated by Mr. Thanh in the ward. The inspection focuses on electrical systems, fire protection equipment and incident handling processes... to ensure safety for users and surrounding residential areas.
Notably, Mr. Thanh's system also serves drivers with free utilities such as resting hammocks, phone charging, and iced tea. Drivers only need to recharge their vehicles to use all of these services without having to buy anything more. This is how I support technology drivers, especially those who work all day on the road, said Mr. Thanh.
In addition to charging, some facilities also support basic electric motorbike repair. However, the system does not interfere with the battery due to technical factors and the company's warranty requirements. For electric cars, he is currently collaborating with a charging station in Ho Chi Minh City to experiment with managing and approaching this model in the future.
