Roadmap shaping up to phase out gas bikes

As Hanoi moves towards low-emission zones to improve air quality, success will also depend on a well-paced roadmap, adequate infrastructure, and an approach that places people’s daily lives at its core.

- By Hoang Kim

The planned shift towards cleaner mobility in Hanoi presents significant socioeconomic challenges, especially for lower-income groups such as ride-hailing drivers, who rely heavily on motorbikes for their livelihoods.

At a workshop on low emission zones held at the end of December, Dang Thuy Trang, director of public affairs at Grab Vietnam, noted that more than 70 per cent of ride-hailing drivers are freelance workers with unstable incomes. High upfront costs remain a major barrier to switching vehicles, with over 53 per cent of Grab drivers saying they can afford no more than $80 per month in instalments for an electric motorbike, while around 56 per cent lack access to home charging facilities. These constraints translate into considerable financial pressure for hundreds of thousands of drivers and their families.

“Grab has proposed that the city provide at least $400 in support per driver for vehicle conversion. For poor and near-poor households, we recommend a subsidy of up to 100 per cent, capped at $800,” Trang said. “In parallel, we are offering zero-interest loans over 24 months for electric vehicle purchases, along with proposals for tax and fee reductions and preferential electricity charging rates for service drivers.”

The establishment of low-emission zones has become a key pillar of the capital’s development strategy, particularly following Hanoi People’s Council’s issuance of Resolution No.57/2025/NQ-HDND in November. The resolution sets out a pilot roadmap from July 2026, including a ban on petrol motorbikes in nine inner-city wards, alongside measures to prioritise green transport, electric vehicles, and stricter emissions control.

According to Hanoi Department of Construction, the city currently has around seven million motorbikes in operation, including approximately 120,000 ride-hailing motorbikes, of which 88 per cent are petrol-powered.