The move stirred controversy among residents, particularly when Hanoi’s People’s Council had just issued a resolution on a roadmap to restrict gasoline motorbikes in low-emission zones.

The management board of HH Linh Dam - Dien Bien Construction No.1 Private Enterprise has issued a notice on temporarily stopping and then fully ceasing the reception and parking of electric motorbikes and electric bicycles in basement areas.

From December 1, 2025, no new electric motorbikes or electric bicycles will be accepted in the basement. Complete termination of parking will begin on February 1, 2026. The stated reasons are basement overload and fire and explosion risks from unsafe batteries and chargers.

The management board said: “This decision is necessary to ensure the safety of lives and property for all residents, while helping maintain stable and sustainable building operations.”

The notice surprised many residents because numerous households have used and parked electric motorbikes and electric bicycles for years. 

Many families sold their gasoline bikes and switched to electric ones to align with green transport policies. Now they find themselves “caught in a dilemma.”

Hoang Minh Hanh, a resident of HH2B, said: “If there are fire and explosion concerns, the management board has to propose solutions instead of issuing such a notice. We switched to electric vehicles following the city’s orientation, but now we are refused parking. It is very inconvenient.”

Do Van Tung said many families which have switched to electric vehicles are now “stuck”: continuing to use electric bikes is inconvenient without parking, but returning to gasoline bikes will soon be difficult when entering central zones.

After receiving the notice, many residents searched for parking spaces. Some fear that during rainy or stormy days, they may have to park in makeshift lots hundreds of meters away, which wastes time and poses safety risks. Others say this pressures them to revert to gasoline motorbikes.

However, some residents support the management board. With tens of thousands of residents and nearly as many vehicles, the basement at HH Linh Dam is already overloaded. Adding more electric vehicles with battery-charging risks has led to some residents supporting restrictions.

“They have reasons to make such a decision, because the basement lacks proper fire prevention systems; there is no separate area for electric and gasoline vehicles, and no maintenance budget to update charging systems. They will still comply if any agency issues an official document requiring mandatory acceptance, but they have managed to evade responsibility," said Vu Manh Hai, a resident.

Infrastructure is the problem

Some legal experts believe the management board’s decision to ban the parking of vehicles in general, and electric vehicles in particular, is inconsistent with current legal regulations.

Lawyer Duong Duc Thang, director of Duc Tri Tin Law Firm (Hanoi Bar Association) cited the 2025 Housing Law as stipulating that the parking area in apartment buildings includes motorbikes, electric motorbikes, electric bicycles, and other personal vehicles. Accordingly, residents have the right to use the parking infrastructure, unless there is a professional basis or a written document from a competent authority on fire prevention and fighting safety.

“If the infrastructure does not meet fire safety standards for storing or charging electric vehicles, the developer and management board must upgrade or create separate areas in a reasonable and lawful manner. Banning all electric vehicles lacks legal basis and directly affects residents’ legitimate rights,” Thang said.

Furthermore, the ban contradicts Hanoi’s green mobility goals. Many recent documents mention gradually reducing gasoline vehicles and promoting electric vehicles. If apartment complexes cannot guarantee parking, the city’s policy will become difficult to implement.

“Many older apartment complexes were built before the electric vehicle boom and lack design standards for charging zones, ventilation, or specialized fire suppression. But insufficient infrastructure cannot be grounds to deny residents’ rights,” a transport expert explained.

The situation at HH Linh Dam and many large apartment complexes in Hanoi reflects a major barrier in the green transition: incomplete infrastructure.

In reality, the growing presence of electric vehicles in buildings is not temporary. Manufacturers continue expanding market share, prices are more affordable, and authorities are pushing pollution reduction by replacing gasoline vehicles.

Dinh Hieu