The Viet Nam Register Department has warned the public against buying Chinese mini electric cars as their technical standards are yet to be verified by state agencies.

A Chinese mini electric car. Viet Nam Register Department has warned people against buying these cars as their quality is yet to be checked by state agencies. — Photo news.zing.vn

The warning was followed by a series of recent advertisements on the Internet about two to four-wheeler mini electric cars that cost VND30 million to VND70 million (US$1,300-3.100).

The car has two to four seats, an average speed of 60km per hour and weighs 400kg.

Several customers are willing to buy the electric car because it is small and can easily navigate narrow city streets, in addition to having an eye-catching look and functioning like a petrol-driver car.

Car sellers on social networks firmly told customers that the mini electric cars are allowed to run in Ha Noi and HCM City, Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper reported.

Nguyen To An, head of the vehicle certification department, said driving mini electric cars in streets in Viet Nam was illegal as the register department was yet to verify the car's quality and grant registration certificates to any Chinese electric cars.

The department has legalised the registration of only American mini electric cars that can be driven in specified areas such as resorts or amusement areas, he said.

He said if electric cars were driven in streets, their drivers would be punished and the vehicle seized.

VNS