Vietnam electric motorbike demand rises

Electric vehicles not requiring a driver’s license saw an 89% jump in sales year-on-year, and those that require one grew at 197%.

Sales of traditional gasoline-powered vehicles grew by 14.8%.

2.08 million motorbikes of all types were sold, a 15.2% increase, according to research platform Motorcycles Data.

Customers look at an electric motorbike in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Trung

Honda and Yamaha continued to dominate the motorbike market, and were followed by VinFast.

Honda’s sales rose by 6.3% and VinFast’s by 447% from the same period last year. But Yamaha’s sales declined by 8.6%.

Industry analysts attributed the heightened demand for electric motorbikes to their lower operating costs.

Government policy is another driving factor. Hanoi has introduced a roadmap for gradually banning internal combustion engine motorbikes starting in July 2026, while HCMC is considering similar restrictions.

In anticipation of the impending restrictions in the country’s two largest cities, electric motorbike manufacturers have ramped up promotions.

Incentives include cash discounts, complimentary accessories and trade-in support for customers switching from gasoline to electric vehicles.

The recent back-to-school season also contributed to higher sales, with many parents buying electric motorbikes their children can drive without a license.

VinFast accounts for the largest share of the electric motorbike segment. It aims to sell around 1.5 million electric motorbike in 2026 through more than 600 distributors nationwide.

To put this number in context, Honda’s sales in 2024 were around 2.14 million.

Yadea, Dat Bike, Selex Motors, and HK Bike are the other major brands in the electric two-wheel vehicle market.

Vietnam is now the third largest electric motorbike market in the world behind China and India.