Vietnam to ban fossil-fuel motorcycles in Hanoi to combat pollution

South China Morning Post

4 days ago

Vietnam will ban fossil-fuel motorcycles and mopeds in the heart of the capital, Hanoi, starting next July, as part of a nationwide effort to curb air pollution, state media reported.
The directive issued by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh applies to the area inside and along the main ring road that encircles the centre of Hanoi. The local government has been tasked with phasing out the two-wheelers by the deadline.
Like the rest of Vietnam, motorcycles are the main mode of transport for most of Hanoi's 8 million residents. The city has nearly 7 million motorcycles and just over a million cars.
But as incomes rise and more people switch to private vehicles, air pollution from traffic has become a growing concern. Hanoi is often enveloped in thick smog, ranking among the most polluted cities worldwide.
Vietnam also wants to switch from fossil fuel to electric vehicles to cut pollution and tackle climate change. Local EV maker VinFast is leading the shift by holding nearly a fifth of the market share, according to the European Chamber of Commerce. But it still has only a small share of the two-wheeler market.
A man rides a motorbike on a street in Hanoi, Vietnam. Some Vietnamese are worried the ban will hit the working class the hardest. Photo: EPA
But many are concerned about the unclear plan for phasing out the vehicles.