Vietnam: 100,000 to 350,000 Charging Stations Will Be Built in the Next 15 Years

Against the backdrop of escalating climate change and environmental pollution, the Vietnam government is launching a suite of support policies for NEVS (NEVs), aiming to propel the widespread adoption of this eco-friendly mode of transportation. However, a critical bottleneck looms large: the development of charging infrastructure, which has failed to keep pace with the meteoric rise of EVs on Vietnamese roads.

According to a report by the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), in 2024, the total sales of EVs in Vietnam approached 90,000, marking a 2.5-fold increase from 2023 and an astonishing 11.2-times leap compared to 2022. It is projected that by 2030, Vietnam will have about 1 million NEVs, and this number may grow to 3.5 million by 2040.

In response to this exponential growth, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued a clear directive: Vietnam needs to embark on an ambitious project to construct between 100,000 and 350,000 charging stations over the next 15 years. The target is to ensure that there is approximately one charging station for every 10 EVs, a ratio deemed essential for seamless EV integration.

At present, many NEV marques entering the Vietnamese market still face many difficulties. Even in the past one to two years, although some Chinese NEVs became popular the Vietnamese market, these models eventually chose to withdraw from the market. Their inability to overcome the challenges associated with charging station construction, underscoring the pivotal role of infrastructure in market sustainability.

Experts point out that the problem with the EV charging infrastructure is the absense of technical regulations on construction location, site, charging source standards, electrical safety, fire safety, etc. The regulatory void inevitably leads to a lack of synchronization in the construction of charging piles and stations, creating a fragmented and inefficient charging network.

From the perspective of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the head of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management Department of the Climate Change Bureau said that the problems with charging infrastructure are not only the insufficient number and the lack of construction standards. The construction of charging stations is to facilitate the use of the public, but also to consider a series of issues such as power supply, power type and transmission method.

To address these issues, a representative of the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA) revealed that the key lies in legislation. Clear and specific legal provisions regarding power supply and charging standards are needed, providing a solid framework for companies to plan, research, and invest with confidence.

The deputy director of the Department of Science, Technology, Environment and Building Materials disclosed that the Department is working with relevant units to formulate relevant standards and establish a charging station system in highway service areas, bus stations and urban areas to maximumize convenience for EV owners.

At present, the hurdles in charging infrastructure stand as the primary impediment to the development of NEVs in Vietnam. Solving this problem requires a coordinated effort. Government management departments must take the lead in streamlining regulations and incentivizing infrastructure development, while new energy vehicle manufacturers should invest in research and innovation to simplify and enhance the charging experience. By accelerating the construction of charging infrastructure, Vietnam can lay a solid foundation for the transition from traditional fossil fuel transportation to green mobility, bringing the nation closer to achieving the Net Zero target by 2050, as committed by the Vietnamese Prime Minister at the COP26 conference.