VinFast’s electric motorbike sales surged by 501 percent in the first six months of 2025, continuing to lead the rapidly growing electric vehicle segment in Vietnam, followed by the Chinese brand Yadea, with a 37.5 percent growth, trailed by Dibao, Pega, and other brands.

The latest report by MotorCycles Data showed that in the first six months, total two-wheeler sales in Vietnam reached 1.6 million units, a 19 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Among motorbike manufacturers operating in Vietnam, Honda and Yamaha both saw sales growth, with increases of 6.2 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

HSBC Q4/2024 report predicted that electric motorbikes will lead the Vietnamese electric vehicle market. Compared to electric cars, electric motorbikes are more affordable, have a higher degree of component standardization, and boast a significant ratio of localization. Vietnamese consumers are believed to be more likely to shift to electric motorbikes, simply because motorbikes are more affordable compared with expensive cars.

In Vietnam’s transportation electrification process, HSBC predicts that the market share held by Japanese companies, which primarily focus on internal combustion engine vehicles, will decline as they are overtaken by domestic firms dominating the electric motorbike segment.

Under a plan to convert 400,000 petrol-powered two-wheelers used by ride-hailing drivers in HCMC to electric, the HCMC Institute for Development Studies (HIDS) noted that, technologically, petrol and electric two-wheelers differ only in certain components and systems directly related to operation, such as the power generation unit and transmission system.

Other component groups, such as frames, lights, brakes, rims, and tires, are fundamentally similar. Currently, Vietnamese manufacturers still have to import three component groups as the components, namely controllers, electric motors, and batteries, cannot be made in Vietnam.

Thus, domestic electric two-wheeler manufacturers like VinFast, Pega, Yadea, Dat Bike, and Selex can still continue to take full advantage of and benefit from a decades-old supply chain that has long served major petrol-powered two-wheeler brands like Honda and Yamaha. This supply chain, existing for nearly three decades, produces millions of vehicles annually for both domestic and export markets.

This is seen as a strong foundation for domestically produced electric motorbikes to ensure quality and safety.

However, some consumers remain skeptical and biased against this green mode of transport. Some even claim that electric vehicles are more prone to fires than petrol-powered ones.

Scientists, citing statistics from some countries, especially Poland, have denied the claim.

“The figures show that the notion of EVs being more fire-prone than petrol ones is unfounded. In our country, many petrol vehicle fires go unnoticed, but a single electric vehicle fire sparks a social media frenzy. It’s similar to how air travel is the safest mode of transport globally, yet a single aviation accident becomes a shocking event,” an expert said.

The expert noted that in Vietnam, several factors could cause electric vehicle fires, such as battery quality, particularly modified batteries; incorrect battery types; improper charging practices; and a lack of standardized charging ports. Thus, controlling the quality of electric motorbikes in the market is crucial.

Tight control needed

According to the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM), by 2024, approximately 3 million electric motorbikes and bicycles were in circulation nationwide. This figure highlights the immense growth potential of Vietnam’s electric vehicle market.

Amid the rapid growth of the electric motorbike market, ensuring product quality is an urgent requirement. 

Le Yen Thanh, CEO of Phenikaa MaaS Technology JSC, stated that electric vehicle manufacturers use various battery types. High-quality batteries come with robust electronic protection systems to ensure safety, while low-quality batteries often lack protective circuits and are prone to incidents.

Thanh advises consumers to choose products from reputable, safety-certified brands and avoid cheap, unverified models.

There are many electric motorbike brands in the domestic market, including products with unclear origin and surprisingly low prices, especially Chinese imports. Some models are offered at just VND10-15 million. 

These prices are just half or a third of those for genuine models, thus attracting students, young people, and low-income consumers. However, cheap electric motorbikes often fail to meet technical safety standards, with components like brakes, lights, and horns either subpar or entirely omitted, posing road safety risks.

Hoang Hiep