Hanoi set to ban gas-powered motorbikes in city center starting July 2026

The ban, ordered by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh under a directive issued July 12, will apply to all fossil fuel–powered motorbikes and scooters operating within Ring Road 1, which goes through downtown area and includes the Old Quarter.

By 2028, the restrictions will expand to include gas-powered private cars within Ring Roads 1 and 2. By 2030, Hanoi aims to restrict all personal fossil fuel vehicles inside Ring Road 3, which goes around Hanoi's outer layer and connects with highways and expressways connecting to neighboring provinces.

Officials say the plan is designed to transform Hanoi into a low-emission city, with a full shift toward electric vehicles and clean public transport over the next five years. The city has been tasked with finalizing its Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) blueprint by the third quarter of 2025, laying out how it will modernize transit, expand charging infrastructure and move away from dirty fuels.

By 2030, Hanoi's public transport system is expected to fully connect major routes, crowded neighborhoods and major travel hubs using electric buses and metro lines. The government also wants more charging stations and better services for clean vehicles across the city.

Meanwhile, Hanoi will roll out financial incentives for companies that build or assemble electric vehicles.

Fossil fuel vehicles in central area will face higher registration and parking fees, and starting late 2025, the city will ban single-use plastics in restaurants, hotels and eateries inside Ring Road 1.

The city’s People’s Council approved the LEZ plan back in December 2024. Starting January 2025, pilot zones will go live in areas which were formerly Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh Districts. After 2031, low-emission zones will be mandatory in all high-pollution areas.

Crackdown on pollution

The directive also calls for tougher enforcement of pollution laws and a major upgrade to Vietnam's environmental monitoring systems.

Authorities are under pressure to put an end to chronic pollution in cities, industrial parks, craft villages and river basins. Local leaders will be held accountable for inaction, while the Ministry of Public Security will investigate major violations, including corruption and obstruction of environmental law.

New rules expected by 2025 will raise fines, expand enforcement powers and give police full authority to handle all environmental offenses. Facilities causing prolonged or severe pollution may face shutoffs of electricity or water, and even lower credit scores.

The government will also roll out real-time monitoring at factories and other high-emission sites, with all data funneled into a national environmental database. A public list will name which facilities have or have not installed required sensors.

To fund the green shift, the Ministry of Finance is drafting new fees for vehicle emissions and tax breaks for investments in clean tech, waste treatment and green transport. Officials are also pushing for smart monitoring tools, artificial intelligence and public-private partnerships to build the infrastructure needed for a low-carbon future.