Motorbikes are the key means of transport in Vietnam 

Energy labels must contain information on the types of petrol needed and fuel consumption of the motorbike to help consumers make an appropriate choice. Before marketing motorcycles, assemblers, manufacturers and importers are required to publicize information on fuel consumption.

Besides this, motorbike manufacturers and assemblers will be responsible for issuing the energy labels and sticking them on prominent sections of their motorbikes. The labels have to be maintained on these motorbikes until they are handed over to customers.

Before the labels are placed, motorbikes must be tested to determine their fuel consumption levels at testing facilities that meet particular standards.

A representative from Vietnam Register noted that the energy labeling rule will apply to new motorbikes that do not yet have a number plate. As such, operational motorcycles will not be affected by the rule.

Associate Professor Pham Xuan Mai from HCMC University of Technology stressed that energy labeling was aimed at making information transparent, controlling the use of fuel and encouraging residents to use fuel-saving types of vehicles to protect the environment.

Consumers, however, prioritize price and quality when buying a motorbike. They are less interested in its level of fuel consumption, so this might make the new rule a failure, Mai noted. Using automobiles as an example, he pointed out that after one year of energy labeling on autos, the results fell short of expectations.

Mai remarked that energy labeling has been applied in many countries for years, but these countries had issued attached policies and provided incentives to encourage consumers to choose fuel-saving means of transportation. The associate professor suggested that customers who buy a fuel-saving motorbike or automobile should be offered a tax reduction, discounts or preferential fees.

Pham Xuan Mai also said that lab test results do not consider conditions affecting motorbikes operating outdoors. In fact, fuel consumption greatly depends on a variety of factors such as traffic and speed, while vehicle manufacturers tend to publicize the minimum fuel-consumption result from the test. Further, many manufacturers provide incorrect information on energy to boost their sales, which is considered an obstacle that registration agencies must control.