Feature: Chinese e-motorcycles ride through Vietnam's green transition

HANOI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese electric motorcycle brands are becoming an increasingly common sight on the streets of Vietnam's major cities, as the country accelerates its shift toward greener urban transport.

From July 1 this year, Hanoi began piloting low-emission zones as part of a roadmap to limit gasoline-powered motorcycles from next year. Meanwhile, southern hub Ho Chi Minh City also plans to pilot low-emission zones from July 2027.

More Vietnamese residents are turning to electric motorcycles, with Chinese brands emerging as popular choices thanks to their competitive prices, diverse models and growing presence in the Vietnamese market.

At a Yadea store in Hanoi, the change is already visible.

"Sales have increased by 20 to 30 percent since Hanoi announced its roadmap to phase out gasoline-powered motorcycles," said Le Thu Ha, a sales representative at the store.

Rising demand has even left some models temporarily out of stock, with customers in some cases having to place orders weeks in advance, another Yadea sales representative told Xinhua.

According to Motorcycles Data, a website that tracks motorcycle sales, Chinese electric motorcycle brands recorded impressive growth in the first seven months of this year in the Vietnamese market, with sales of Yadea and TAILG rising 57.2 percent and 43.6 percent, respectively, from the same period last year.

For some buyers, the decision is not only about changing their daily commute but also preparing for a future in which gasoline motorcycles may no longer be an option.

Vi Thi Mai, a Yadea customer in Hanoi, bought an electric motorcycle for her daughter to ride to school.

"In the next five to seven years, Hanoi plans to ban gasoline-powered motorcycles. I want to prepare in advance for my daughter. I see this as an investment in the future," Mai said.

For others, the appeal is more immediate, with lower running costs making electric motorcycles a cheaper way to get around the city.

Nguyen Phi Long, who owns a TAILG electric motorcycle, said a friend's recommendation prompted him to try the brand.

"I feel that riding an electric motorcycle is more environmentally friendly, and the operating costs are lower than those of a gasoline-powered bike," he said.

Beyond cost and environmental considerations, design is becoming another factor attracting young consumers to electric motorcycles.

Nguyen Thanh Thuy, who visited a Yadea store in Hanoi to learn more about its models, said she found the brand's designs particularly suitable for Vietnamese and Asian consumers.

"They offer a wide variety of models. Specifically for women, the vehicles are very compact, lightweight, easy to maneuver and easy to ride," she told Xinhua.

As consumer preferences shift, Chinese electric motorcycle makers are also seeing opportunities to expand their presence in Vietnam.

Chinese brand Aima currently has more than 100 stores in Vietnam, with annual sales exceeding 30,000 units and plans to further expand in Southeast Asia.

For Yadea, Vietnam is emerging as a potential springboard for its overseas expansion.

"The successful experience accumulated in the Vietnamese market is expected to be replicated in other overseas markets, with Vietnam serving as a pivot for further expanding our overseas business," said Liu Jia, general manager of Yadea Vietnam Company.

Tran Van Mieu, vice chairman of the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment, said Chinese technology has been well received by Vietnamese consumers.

He expects the shift toward greener transportation to create a more dynamic market in Vietnam, which could in turn become an important destination for Chinese green-transportation products seeking to expand into overseas markets.