For nearly three weeks now, instead of driving his car from home to the office, Nghiem Van Dang in Phu Thuong ward (Hanoi) has used an electric motorbike bought about six months ago. His wife uses it for short-distance travel, taking their child to school and going to the market.
Now, the electric motorbike has become his daily means of transport for commuting between home and work. The reason is rising fuel prices.
“Previously, commuting by car cost me about VND4 million per month for gasoline. Now, using an electric motorbike, I only spend VND200,000 on charging and parking fees at the apartment complex,” Dang said.
More importantly, he no longer has to worry about lining up for fuel as seen in early March or contributing to pollution.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has released a notice on coordinating with the State to ensure energy security amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The ministry has called on people to restrict the use of personal vehicles, prioritize carpooling, use public transport, or ride bicycles for short distances.
“People can consider using electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, or vehicles using biofuels such as E5/E10 according to the roadmap from June 1,” the ministry recommended.
The trend of shifting to energy-saving vehicles, especially EVs, is gradually expanding amid fuel price volatility.
Changing consumer behavior
Vo Tri Thanh, Director of the Institute for Brand Strategy and Competitiveness, noted that Vietnam, like many countries, has committed to green growth goals, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050.
In this strategy, energy and transportation are two key, closely linked priority sectors.
Citing the oil crises of 1973 and 1978, Thanh said these shocks, besides their negative impacts, created important “pushes.”
First, they promoted technological innovation, from energy saving to the use of alternative energy sources. Second, they changed the behavior of consumers and organizations, forcing them to use energy more efficiently.
Today, the goal is not only energy saving but also being “green” and “clean,” with three basic requirements: reducing environmental pollution; cutting emissions in line with national commitments; and limiting negative impacts on natural ecosystems.
In this context, EVs are the result of both market pressure and sustainable development requirements.
For electric vehicles, there are also two parallel impacts. One is promoting technological innovation, from energy efficiency to alternative energy use. The other is influencing market behavior, as consumers weigh costs, convenience, and increasingly stringent environmental and safety criteria.
Thanh said the transition process needs to be linked to energy and emissions. EVs are truly “green” only when electricity sources also shift to clean energy and the entire production–consumption chain operates sustainably.
The important thing is to correctly identify market behavior trends and develop an appropriate roadmap that both meets practical needs and aligns with long-term goals.
From an energy security perspective, he said a more comprehensive view is needed. Energy security is associated with three factors: sufficiency, stability, and sustainability, including both primary energy (gasoline, oil, coal) and secondary energy (electricity).
The shift to EVs can reduce primary energy consumption but will increase electricity demand, requiring advances in technology and higher electricity production costs.
If electricity comes from clean sources, electric vehicles will also help reduce emissions. Otherwise, if electricity is still generated from non-green sources, emissions are essentially shifted from one sector to another.
Using EVs is an important development direction and contribution to energy security, but they are not the only solution. The issue must be approached comprehensively, linked to the entire energy system and sustainable development goals, Thanh noted.
Pham Van Quan, Deputy Director of the Industry Agency, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade has been focusing on building a legal framework, including standards and regulations related to EVs.
By the end of 2025, the ministry had coordinated with relevant agencies to develop standards and regulations for charging equipment, charging stations, and batteries. At the same time, it has developed support programs, including incentive policies to promote the electric vehicle industry. Currently, EV users enjoy certain tax and registration fee incentives.
Tam An
