The hidden stigma facing electric motorbike users in Hanoi

"But after a year I had to sell it," she says. "The bike had no issues, but the people around me were just too judgmental."

Public concern over electric vehicles surged in late 2023 after several fires broke out in apartment buildings in Hanoi. Although the investigation concluded that the fire was caused by a short circuit in a petrol-powered motorbike, many people refused to believe it and blamed electric vehicles instead.

Since then parking lots across the capital have segregated e-bikes and limited charging hours. Landlords are also reluctant to rent out to people who own electric bikes and ban overnight charging altogether.

Quynh experienced these restrictions firsthand. Though it needed to be charged overnight, her bike plug was frequently pulled out, either by her landlord or other residents. Many times she would wake up in the morning to find the battery drained, leaving her without transport and unable to get to work. She had been warned for some time that her bike posed a fire risk, and was eventually evicted.

An apartment building in Dong Ngac Ward, Hanoi has designated separate parking areas for motorbikes and electric bicycles near the security post, with staff assigned to monitor them. Photo by VnExpress/Phan Duong

Finding new accommodation was no easier. "As soon as I mentioned I had an electric motorbike, they would shake their heads," she says. Older buildings lacked safe parking or charging areas, and public lots offered no roof or proper infrastructure. After two months of searching, she rented a room in Thanh Xuan Ward, eight kilometers from her office.

But charging still felt like a forbidden act. "Every time I rolled out my bike, it felt like people were avoiding me the way they used to avoid Covid patients during the pandemic." Eventually she gave up and sold the vehicle.

Minh, 27, who has used an electric motorbike for two years, lives in an apartment complex in Vinh Tuy Ward and has faced similar struggles. Her building has a designated charging station, but its electricity is cut at 11 p.m. for safety. Charging typically takes up to eight hours, but the number of outlets has not kept up with demand as more and more people switch to electric vehicles.

Often her charger is unplugged mid-cycle by other people. "The worst part is that the charging area is next to the guard post, and I have to walk 300 meters across two towers to get there," she says. "It is even more exhausting when I am carrying my toddler and work gear."

Online, electric motorbike users have voiced their frustrations on forums and social media groups. In a July 22 thread titled "The most annoying things about owning an electric motorbike," hundreds shared their experiences.

"Security guards at apartment buildings and shopping malls treat us differently," one user wrote. "People say only fools ride electric bikes. At some cafés, I am told that even if they had the money they would never buy one."

"I parked my bike under a shaded area at the supermarket, but when I came back, it had been moved into the sun," another said. "At my apartment, they do not even allow electric bikes in the parking lot."

A VnExpress survey of 2,500 readers found that 48% of electric motorbike users felt discriminated against. Of these, 42% had difficulty charging their vehicles, while 6% were denied parking altogether. Another survey of nearly 13,000 readers showed that if petrol motorbikes were banned, only 24% would consider switching to electric vehicles. Most said they would choose public transport (34%) or ride-hailing services (29%).

The main source of stigma is the fear of fire. Le Hung, owner of a five-story boarding house in Hanoi’s Cau Giay District, says he has not accepted tenants with electric bikes for nearly two years.

"I know it is unfair, but fire prevention rules are strict. The building’s wiring is old. If something happens, I cannot afford the risk."

Associate Professor Do Van Dung, vice president of the HCMC Association of Automotive Engineering, says: "People’s concerns are not baseless. They come from worries about fire hazards, insufficient charging infrastructure, and the feeling of being pushed into a transition without enough support."

He notes that many users fear running out of battery on the road, even on short daily commutes of 20–50 km, due to the lack of charging stations. Long charging times and high battery costs also make e-bikes more expensive than petrol ones. Fires involving poor-quality electric vehicles in 2023–2024 prompted many apartment managers to tighten restrictions.

Minh’s apartment complex in Vinh Tuy Ward, Hanoi has a separate parking area for electric vehicles, with the power supply automatically cut off at 11 p.m. each day. Photo courtesy by Minh

"Lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in e-bikes, can ignite if short-circuited, overcharged or exposed to water," Dung says. "Although statistics show electric bikes are 10 times less likely to catch fire than petrol ones, when they do, the fires are harder to extinguish."

Tran Thien, a veteran motorbike technician in the southern Dong Nai Province with 16 years’ experience working on electric vehicles, agrees. He says most EV fires are caused by unregulated modifications, non-standard parts and improper charging.

"People are afraid because it is something new.

"Petrol bikes catch fire all the time, but no one notices. Electric bikes are still unfamiliar, and so when one catches fire, it makes the news."

Dung describes this as a natural transition period. "Electric motorbikes help reduce emissions and noise, which makes sense in densely populated cities like Hanoi and HCMC. As they gradually replace petrol bikes, pollution will decrease."

To support the shift, he recommends installing smart charging stations in underground parking lots using 3–7 kW slow chargers with app-based management systems. He also urges manufacturers to switch from traditional lithium-ion batteries to safer and more durable lithium iron phosphate batteries, which can last up to 20,000 charge cycles.

Battery packs should include thermal insulation and automatic shut-off sensors to prevent overheating. He also advises users to stick to official chargers, avoid unsupervised overnight charging and have their vehicles serviced regularly. He warns that Vietnam could face an environmental challenge by 2050 when millions of EV batteries expire as they contain heavy metals and are expensive to recycle.

He proposes reusing old batteries for solar energy storage before full recycling. While the government currently offers subsidies of up to VND5 million (US$191) per vehicle and tax exemptions, he says implementation still lacks a clear roadmap.

"On one side we have environmental goals and on the other is the everyday reality of citizens. If this conflict is not resolved properly, public stigma will become the biggest barrier to electric mobility."