Local authorities, they say, need to quickly develop charging stations and battery-swap stations outside residential areas.

In recent days, the announcement by several major apartment complexes in Hanoi such as HH Linh Dam or CT1 Thach Ban to stop accepting electric motorbikes and electric bicycles in their basements has sparked intense debate. While management boards cite fire and explosion risks due to inadequate infrastructure, many residents worry that their rights are being affected.

Electric vehicle manufacturers, battery producers, technical experts, and local authorities all affirm that the claim that electric vehicles have a high risk of fire and explosion and are unsafe is unfounded. The core solution is not to “ban” electric vehicles, but to properly manage and standardize technical requirements in apartment buildings.

Concerns about fires, explosions

The communications representative of a major electric motorbike manufacturer in Vietnam said that it is understandable that apartment buildings issue notices banning electric vehicles due to fire and explosion concerns, but this measure is not viewed correctly from a technical standpoint.

According to the manufacturer, certified electric vehicles have batteries designed with multiple layers of protection, thermal control, and automatic shutdown when issues arise. If placed and charged correctly, fire or explosion is nearly impossible.

“Lithium-ion batteries today are completely different from 5–7 years ago. If the vehicle is produced by an official manufacturer, equipped with a proper Battery Management System (BMS) and maintained correctly, the fire risk is extremely low. The issue lies in whether parking basements meet fire safety standards and electrical safety requirements,” the representative said.

A representative of one of Hanoi’s major electric motorbike and battery manufacturers said that certified batteries are encased in multiple fireproof and shockproof layers with strict production standards. Some battery models even have automatic shutdown and discharge features when the temperature rises abnormally.

“Instead of banning EVs, apartment buildings should set technical criteria, for example, only accepting vehicles with certified batteries, batteries with intact inspection seals, and refusing modified vehicles or those using uncertified batteries. This is also how modern parking facilities in many other countries operate,” the representative said.

The product expert at a Yadea Vietnam sale agent shared the same view, stating that most of the recent concerns about battery fires in apartment buildings stem from incomplete information about battery technology and charging methods. 

In reality, most electric motorbikes and electric bicycles on the market today charge directly from 220V household outlets, just like air conditioners, washing machines, or water heaters.

“The charger of each vehicle is integrated with overcurrent and overheat protection, and it automatically cuts off when fully charged. This means that, in principle, proper charging under normal conditions does not naturally create fire risks,” the expert explained.

Regarding these concerns, the People’s Committee of Hoang Liet Ward issued a document to the investor and management unit of HH Linh Dam, emphasizing that current fire prevention and rescue laws do not prohibit or restrict parking or charging electric vehicles in apartment buildings.

To date, there has been no official conclusion or scientific research confirming that electric vehicles have a higher risk of fire and explosion or are inherently unsafe. Electric vehicles are a global trend with many advantages over gasoline vehicles.

According to the Hoang Liet Ward authority, to ensure safety, building management boards must propose solutions such as setting up separate charging areas with safety measures, fire-fighting equipment, and proper monitoring, rather than imposing a sweeping, unconditional ban.

Charging stations outside residential areas

Nguyen Xuan Thuy, an urban traffic expert, said that suspending or banning electric vehicles from underground parking is an extreme reaction and does not align with the law or the national policy on green mobility.

According to Thuy, apartment buildings with basements must ensure residents’ right to park vehicles, including electric vehicles. They cannot ban electric vehicles simply due to risk concerns, as the core issue lies in infrastructure, not the vehicles themselves.

“Gasoline vehicles also pose fire risks but are controlled through standards and technical measures. Electric vehicles should be viewed similarly. In my opinion, the key is to clearly separate two activities: parking and charging. Local authorities must study the model of charging stations and battery-swap stations located outside residential areas,” he said.

Electric vehicles can be parked in basements if the area meets minimum safety requirements: good ventilation, fire-resistant partitions, fire alarms, smoke detectors, heat detectors, emergency exits, 24/7 monitoring, and separate zones for electric vehicles to avoid mixing them with gasoline vehicles.