Buildings like HH Linh Dam were approved for fire safety more than a decade ago under standards designed for internal combustion vehicles. Traditional Spinkler fire-fighting systems can extinguish gasoline vehicle fires, but for electric vehicles, they only provide temporary cooling. The fear of the management board is understandable, even though their ban faces legal objections.

Singapore, with a population density and condominium model very similar to Hanoi and HCMC, does not ban EVs in basements. Instead, it issued the extremely stringent TR 25 Standard. Any charging station to be installed must have an emergency disconnect switch located within 15 meters. The logic is pragmatic: when a fire occurs, the first thing firefighters need to do is cut off all power to safely access the scene.

In the case of HH Linh Dam, the Hoang Liet Ward People's Committee said the law does not prohibit EVs. 

It is true that current laws don’t prohibit EVs, but no agency specifies what buildings and EV owners have to do to ensure safety.

The National Technical Regulation QCVN 06:2022/BXD and the Circular issuing Amendment 1:2023 QCVN 06:2022/BXD, the National Technical Regulation on fire safety for houses and constructions currently do not have a separate chapter detailing regulations on EV charging stations in underground basements. 

Vietnam also lacks specific regulations on safe distance between charging vehicles, and mandatory requirements for fire-resistant load-bearing partitions between charging compartments, and especially, regulations on insurance liability.

This gap has forced condominium management board to ‘play safe’ by prohibiting EVs. They fear criminal responsibility if a fire occurs more than they fear an administrative fine for illegal prohibition. This is a reality that authorities need to acknowledge: when the law lacks specific guidance, people will create their own "customs" to protect themselves.

Solutions

To solve the problem, Vietnam needs a clear policy roadmap, based on international experience but suitable for its infrastructure, which has not been modernized over many years.

First, it is necessary to clarify that for old condominiums like HH Linh Dam, a complete ban is unconstitutional and runs against the trend. The solution is to establish a "Safety Buffer Zone." Building management boards should plan electric vehicle charging areas near basement exits or near forced ventilation locations, keeping them far from gasoline vehicles. 

In this area, mandatory specialized firefighting equipment, such as fire blankets, an inexpensive yet highly effective solution widely adopted by Malaysia and South Korea to isolate initial fires, must be added.

Second, fill the legal gap. The Ministry of Construction needs to urgently issue supplementary technical standards for indoor charging stations. Instead of waiting for overly sophisticated research, appropriate agencies can immediately refer to the US NFPA 88A standard or Singapore's TR 25, which require the installation of emergency power disconnect systems, increased density of sprinkler nozzles in charging areas, and mandatory fire-resistant partitions to prevent fire spread. 

With technical standards, management boards will have grounds to require residents to comply or refuse non-standard vehicles, instead of banning everything.

Third, solve the problem of "Whose responsibility is it?" One of the biggest fears of residents is that a fire will burn down the entire building and no one will be held accountable. Learning from the US and Brazil, Vietnam needs to legalize liability insurance. 

EV owners wishing to charge in the condominium basement should be required to purchase an extended civil liability insurance package, where the beneficiaries include the building management board. This shifts financial risk from the community to insurance companies, reducing the psychological burden on residents.

Fourth, high technology can cure fear. It is advisable to use monitoring technology. Instead of costly patrol personnel, condominiums should invest in AI thermal camera systems. This technology is no longer overly expensive, allowing for the detection of hot spots on the vehicle battery dozens of minutes before ignition, providing enough time for intervention. Residents should also share this cost with the condominium management board since safety benefits everyone.

Banning EVs from basements is a step backward for civilization. But to open the basement doors to EVs, it is impossible to rely solely on slogans or administrative orders. The involvement of the entire system to upgrade infrastructure, issue technical standards, and ensure fairness in insurance is needed. 

Hoang Hiep