LoginThe World’s Scooter Capital Is About To Flip The Kill Switch On Gas Power
- Hanoi will start banning gas-powered bikes from central districts on July 1, 2026.
- The ban will expand to more areas by 2028 and cover the entire city by 2030.
- Around 5.6 million of Hanoi’s 7 million motorcycles in use today still run on gas.
As scooters and motorcycles weave through Hanoi’s crowded streets, they reflect a way of life as much as a mode of transport. But starting in mid-2026, the Vietnamese capital will begin phasing out a familiar sight: combustion-engine two-wheelers. In a country where affordable motorbikes are deeply ingrained in daily life, this marks a dramatic transition, one that may set a precedent for other cities and countries in the region.
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A new directive announced by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh says that gas-powered scooters and motorcycles will be banned from most of the capital’s downtown areas, starting July 1, 2026. The ban will then extend to a larger part of Hanoi from January 1, 2028, and then encompass the entire city by 2030.
A City Built on Motorbikes
It’s believed that Hanoi is home to approximately 7 million motorbikes and scooters, the vast majority of which are gas-powered. There are approximately 72 million motorbikes and scooters across the entire country. The ban aims to reduce toxic emissions and pollution levels in the city.
According to VNExpress, approximately 5.6 million of the motorbikes registered in Hanoi run on gasoline, and roughly 1.3 million are electric. There are also about 1 million cars on the city’s roads. While several companies sell electric motorbikes in Vietnam, including Selex Motors and VinFast, there’s reportedly a “woeful lack of infrastructure for charging.”
Is The Switch To Electric Achievable?
Many of the electric bikes currently available come with swappable batteries, similar to those found in abundance in Taiwan. One of the main issues of the electric transition is that there are no government incentives for purchasing electric motorcycles. However, registration fees are waived for electric cars.
The economics paint a challenging picture. Last year, the average Hanoi resident earned the equivalent of just under $6,250. A new electric scooter typically costs between $1,150 and $1,900, placing it out of reach for many. The former chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Transport Association has suggested the city offer financial support in the form of subsidies, grants, or low-interest loans to make the transition more accessible.
