City officials hope that electrifying motorcycles, a ‘lifeblood’ of Vietnamese transportation, will have a positive impact on air quality and noise in the city’s downtown.
Hanoi, Vietnam will ban gas-powered motorcycles — and later cars — in its downtown, reports Micah Toll in Electrek. “The plan will go into effect on July 1, 2026, and then will expand the following year to cover more districts outside of downtown, and eventually include gasoline-powered cars as well.”
Vietnam has a national goal of phasing out gas-powered two-wheelers by 2045. “And in a country where motorcycles are the lifeblood of daily transportation, with an estimated 72 million of them on the road, this marks a seismic shift.” The change could have a major impact on air quality, noise, and congestion in the city’s densest neighborhoods.
If Hanoi’s ban is successful, other cities like Ho Chi Minh City, the nation’s largest urban area, are likely to follow suit.
FULL STORY: Vietnam setting bans on gasoline motorcycles next year, followed by cars
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