Hanoi phasing out diesel public buses through 2035

The Hanoi People's Council passed a socio-economic development resolution on Thursday that aims for half of the city's public buses to go electric, with the other half running on natural gas, by 2030.

Some VND43 trillion ($1.69 billion) in spending would be needed to realize the goal, according to the resolution.

The buses operating in downtown urban areas would gradually transition to running on electricity, while other would run on compressed natural gases (CNG), which is considered a clean source of energy for the transport sector.

New bus routes would prioritize the use of clean energy, according to the resolution.

The Hanoi People's Council has requested the People's Committee to ensure the effective usage of investment capital in the phase-out plan.

The urban committee approved the goal of the project, which would lessen air pollution and is in line with Vietnam's international commitments to combat climate change. The committee also requested the People's Committee to look into developing a public transport system that uses electricity and clean energy sources, satisfying at least 45% of all transport demands by 2030. Bus and urban railway systems should be connected, and initiatives to limit personal vehicles should be continued, according to the committee.

The municipal authority affirmed that Hanoi needed to map out power supply lines for its buses, as well as develop infrastructure for charging stations and fire safety measures, among other initiatives. Policies should all aim towards the complete phasing out of vehicles running on fossil fuel, according to the committee.

The capital currently operates 154 bus lines, including 2,034 state-subsidized buses, of which 277 use clean energy.