Hanoi ride-hailing drivers turn EV charging stations into makeshift dorms

At 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 6 a sharp alarm echoed in the mezzanine of a boarding house in Van Phuc alleyway in Hanoi’s Ha Dong Ward.

Ngoc Toan, 31, rubbed his eyes and climbed down a narrow iron ladder. Below, his electric motorbike blinked a notification: 80% charged after just over an hour. "I’ll give it another 30 minutes to top off before I start the afternoon shift," he says. Nearby two other drivers remained wrapped in thick blankets, catching up on sleep.

Toan is among thousands of ride-hailing drivers in the capital shifting from gasoline to electric vehicles, a transition that cuts fuel costs but creates a new paradigm: 1.5 to three hours of idle time while batteries recharge. That gap has fueled the emergence of a new service model across Hanoi: charging hubs that double as budget boarding houses.

Inside a charging-and-rest hub for electric ride-hailing drivers in Thanh Liet Ward, Hanoi, on Jan. 6, 2026. Photo by VnExpres/Phan Duong

At a charging hub in Van Phuc managed by Thanh Loi, peak hours often see around 20 electric motorbikes plugged in at once. The ground floor is reserved for charging, filled with motorbikes and cables, while the upper level houses enclosed, dormitory-style sleeping rooms.

Loi launched the model last October after observing the daily struggles of electric ride-hailing drivers. He initially drew inspiration from hammock cafes popular in HCMC but quickly realized the concept needed adjustment for northern Vietnam. "Drivers in the southern cities love to rest on hammocks exposed to the open air because it is hot year-round," he explains. "But northerners crave privacy, enclosure and, most importantly, protection from the biting winter cold or the humid weather of spring. So I invested in bunk beds, warm mattresses, and two-way air conditioning."

It paid off quickly, as, within a week, all 30 charging ports were regularly occupied. A Zalo messaging group for the station soon had 200 members who book charging slots daily or monthly. A single charge-and-rest session costs VND20,000–30,000 (US$0.8–1.14). Monthly packages priced at some VND1.6 million include an overnight bed, electricity, water, air conditioning, hot showers, and unlimited charging. "Ride-hailing drivers currently account for 30% of my tenants," Loi, who owns around 30 boarding rooms, says.

Similar hubs have appeared across Hanoi. Seven kilometers away in Thanh Liet Ward, another facility uses its basement and first floor for charging, with specialized fire extinguishers lining the walls, while the upper floors have been converted into sleeping quarters.

A motorbike repair shop that also serves as a charging and rest hub on Nguyen Xien Street, Hanoi, Jan. 6, 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Nguyen

On Nguyen Xien Street, another hub offers a bundled service comprising a three-hour charge and hammock rest for VND20,000–26,000, and is regularly filled above capacity. Vu Hoang, who launched it in 2024, now operates two outlets in Hanoi. "Next week we are making charging free to draw drivers in for repairs," he says. "The market for charging points has become quite saturated."

A VnExpress survey found more than 20 such private charging hubs in Hanoi’s most populated wards like Thanh Xuan, Dong Da and Hoang Mai in the final months of 2025. Drivers routinely share locations in group chats to plan routes and avoid running out of battery mid-shift.

Addressing fire safety fears

Beyond comfort and efficiency, the hubs ease growing tension between electric ride-hailing drivers and landlords. Before moving into the Thanh Liet charging hub, app-based driver Manh Linh, 26, lived a nomadic routine.

After borrowing money to buy an electric motorbike to cut costs, he encountered resistance from his landlord. "The moment I brought an electric motorbike home, the landlord’s face soured," he says. "They banned charging in the house, even in the common courtyard, fearing fire risks."

To keep working, Linh spent months drifting. He worked all day and spent nights or lunch breaks in shopping mall lobbies or park benches for four to five hours while his motorbike charged. "I couldn't even eat or nap in peace," he says. "I was constantly terrified that someone would steal my charger or pull the plug. That anxiety drained me more than 10 hours of driving did."

Dang Khoa, 26, a former pharmaceutical representative who switched to ride-hailing six months ago, shared a similar experience. He was living at a relative’s house, and saw tension rise each time he charged his motorbike. "They treated the vehicle like a ticking time bomb," he says. "The mental pressure was so high I did not dare charge at home."

Four months ago he moved into the same charging hub as Linh. For VND1.5 million a month, he says he gained peace of mind. The hubs use high-load electrical systems that charge faster than household outlets, with staff monitoring charging and unplugging motorbikes once batteries are full. "There’s someone to watch the motorbike, someone to unplug it when it’s full, and I get to sleep in a real bed without the fear of being evicted," Linh says.

Electric ride-hailing drivers take a meal break during charging time at a hub in Ha Dong Ward, Jan. 6, 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Phan Duong

Over time these stations have evolved into small driver communities. Le Hieu, 39, used to constantly worry about his e-bike’s battery level. "If my battery dropped below 30%, I’d have to reject long-distance fares and only take 10 km trips so I could make it back home," he says.

Now he relies on five familiar charging hubs across the city, turning his midday charging break into a social hour for refreshments and shared advice. "If someone gets a high-paying long-distance fare but their motorbike battery is low, we sometimes swap vehicles or lend one," he says. "There’s a different kind of brotherhood here because we all share the same EV struggles."

The model has also reshaped drivers’ daily routines. Rather than pushing through exhaustion, many now structure their day into morning, afternoon and late-night shifts, with rest periods built in. "I divide my day into three shifts, interspersed with quality naps," Hieu says. "Hitting my VND500,000 daily target is much easier when my health is actually being looked after."

But despite their popularity, the mushrooming of these hubs raises regulatory questions. While operators say they are equipped with fire extinguishers, having dozens of lithium battery packs charging in close quarters, often near bedding, remains a concern for fire safety authorities.

At 2:00 p.m. on Jan. 6 the alarm rings again at the Van Phuc boarding house.

Toan gets out of bed, unplugs his motorbike, checks his app and heads back into the Hanoi traffic, resuming work in the cold winter air with a full battery.