Dozens of new electric bus routes for Ho Chi Minh City
The city began to roll out the buses last week on Friday, August 1st. This means that over 26 per cent of the city’s public transport fleet is now electric, with a total of 613 electric buses in operation. These are combined with roughly 500 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, meaning that almost half of Ho Chi Minh’s public transport fleet uses alternative fuel sources. The city says it’s now aiming for 100 per cent green energy-powered buses by 2030.
There’s no word on which brand the fully subsidised electric buses are, but some specs have been revealed. They feature capacities of between 30 and 60 seats as well as standard technical features such as GPS, onboard cameras, free wifi, automated announcements, and contactless payment. The city has also said that children under 1.3m in height will travel for free, as will disabled people, war veterans, injured soldiers, and senior citizens.
Nguyễn Vĩnh Toàn, deputy director of the Department of Construction, said that a network of charging stations has also been set up to ensure consistent service, and that the expansion will greatly improve transport quality and reduce emissions. He added: “This marks a major step in the city’s gradual transition to green energy in public transport.”
The move is all part of a broader national strategy in Vietnam to decarbonise transport. Under a government roadmap, all public buses are expected to run on ‘clean’ energy by 2030, while Ho Chi Minh City itself is also developing financial incentives for EV purchases. This includes buy-back schemes for old vehicles as well as subsidies for new purchases. However, the country still lacks sufficient charging infrastructure and continues to face challenges with its national grid, which suffers regular outages and is still dependent on coal.
0 Comments