Who actually needs public charging stations for electric scooters?

In the first half of 2025 Vietnam was the world’s third largest market for electric scooters, according to consulting firm Motorcycles Data. Demand is set to grow as more legacy manufacturers launch electric models and Hanoi and HCMC gradually restrict the use of gasoline motorcycles.

Like for electric cars, charging options are a deciding factor for buying electric scooter. Investment in public charging stations for two-wheelers is currently limited, and their numbers are much lower than for electric cars.

Minh Quan, 32, of HCMC, has used a VinFast Evo200 for two years. He rides 40-50 kilometers daily and rarely charges at VinFast public stations; he does it in his apartment building.

Electric bike charging ports in a shopping mall in HCMC. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nhan

VinFast says the Evo200 can travel around 200 kilometers per charge.

Quoc Huy, 29, uses the same vehicle but charges daily at shopping centers or cafes with charging services, a model that is becoming increasingly popular. "I carry passengers for 150-200 kilometers or more each day. I charge wherever it is convenient when the battery is low or during meal breaks."

The daily travel distance varies for electric scooter owners, and so does the need for public charging stations. For manufacturers, the decision to build these stations depends on customer demand.

"Most owners who drive short distances charge at home," Phuoc Nguyen, CEO of EV startup Selex Motors, says. "Public charging is only necessary for those who travel hundreds of kilometers a day, such as delivery and passenger transport drivers."

Scooters are compact, with small batteries that can be charged overnight at home, he says. On the other hand, cars have bigger batteries, and many owners lack space to park and install chargers, and so depend more on public charging stations, he explains.

A charging network manager says scooter batteries can be charged with household power, and so owners can easily charge them at home, though motorbike-taxi drivers who are on the road all day need public charging facilities.

Many apartment managements do not install car charging stations due to space or electrical concerns, forcing car owners to depend on public stations. But most provide charging spots for scooters.

Electric scooter brands encourage customers to charge at home though companies such as VinFast, Dat Bike and Selex Motors do provide public charging stations.

V-Green, the company developing VinFast’s charging network, says it has installed and operates more than 150,000 charging ports for both scooters and cars across the country without providing a breakup.

VinFast scooter charging stations can be found in most Vincom shopping malls, but few people -- mostly ride-hailing drivers -- use them in HCMC.

Selex Motors’ main focus is the ride-hailing segment. While its Camel 1 model targets personal users and delivery businesses, Camel 2 is designed for passenger transport. It set up stations for swapping rather than charging batteries. They enable riders to install a new battery at a station and resume their journey within a few minutes.

Experts consider this model optimal for electric scooters. Selex is currently the only company with public battery-swapping stations.

An electric bike rider swapping batteries in Hanoi. Photo by courtesy of Selex Motor

Recently automobile producer TMT announced it would launch five electric scooters by the end of 2025 and adopt the same battery-swapping model.

In Taiwan and India, battery-swapping stations have grown in popularity because they can replace batteries much faster than conventional charging. Honda is also developing removable batteries that fit multiple scooter models.

In 2022 Dat Bike opened its first ultra-fast charging station in HCMC that can charge a vehicle adequately in 20 minutes to travel 100 kilometers. But plans to expand stalled following customer feedback.

A coffee shop-electric bike charging station hybrid in HCMC. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Trung

The electric scooter market has grown rapidly over the past two years. Service drivers make up the majority of its buyers due to the lower operating costs compared to gasoline bikes.

As manufacturer-installed charging stations fail to meet demand, more independent charging points have emerged in repair shops, cafes and rest areas.

Cong Thanh, owner of a charging point in Tam Binh Ward, HCMC, has been in business for over a year. "Most of my customers are ride-hailing drivers who stop to eat and rest for a few hours while their scooters charge, for a fee," he says.