Ho Chi Minh City will need to invest at least US$7 billion in electricity infrastructure to support a network of public electric vehicle charging stations, while a comprehensive master plan for charging station locations has yet to be developed.

Speaking at the seminar "Green Transition: What Is Needed to Accelerate?", organized by Thanh Nien newspaper on June 26, Dr. Pham Viet Thuan, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Natural Resources and Environment Economics, said the transition to greener transport will place enormous pressure on the city's electricity transmission system.

According to Thuan, one of the biggest challenges lies in the capacity of the existing power transmission network and its ability to manage electricity demand. If all gasoline-powered vehicles in Ho Chi Minh City were replaced by electric vehicles, the city would require approximately 46,000 MW of generating capacity, representing an enormous burden on the electricity system.

He also noted that the city has yet to develop a comprehensive master plan for its charging station network.

"There must be a detailed plan identifying where charging stations will be located. This is also an issue of power system safety, because not every substation has sufficient capacity if all charging stations operate simultaneously. For example, in the former District 1 area, where demand for EV charging is expected to be high, the capacity of existing substations will need to be reassessed," he said.

Charging infrastructure requires long-term planning
Sharing a similar view, Ha Huy Cuong, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Nam A Bank, recalled his visit to Dalian in China.

Although more than half of the city's vehicles are electric, he observed very few charging stations along public roads because the charging infrastructure had been centrally planned and concentrated in designated locations.

He therefore argued that infrastructure planning for the green transition must begin immediately, including clearly designated locations for electric bus depots and public charging stations.

Preliminary calculations by the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Natural Resources and Environment Economics estimate that electricity infrastructure alone for the city's public charging station network will require investment of at least US$7 billion.

Prioritizing high-emission transport sectors

As an immediate solution, Dr. Pham Viet Thuan suggested that instead of spreading investment resources too broadly, the government should focus on a mandatory transition roadmap for three categories of vehicles: public buses, delivery riders and taxis.

These three groups are estimated to account for approximately 80% of carbon dioxide emissions from urban transport.

Addressing electricity supply as electric motorcycles and cars become more widespread, Bui Trung Kien, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVNHCMC), proposed that investors consider developing integrated rooftop solar and EV charging station models.

Such systems would make use of solar power while promoting green transportation and reducing environmental pollution.

Ho Chi Minh City currently has around 22,800 rooftop solar power systems in operation, with a combined installed capacity of approximately 1,800 MWp.

Electricity generated by rooftop solar systems currently accounts for around 4.66% of the city's total commercial electricity output.

Tran Chung