Major urban areas like Hanoi are grappling with steep technological and socio-economic hurdles in their bid to shift toward greener transportation, with motorbikes and private cars still ruling their roads, according to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Quang Truong from the Energy Innovation Centre at the UK’s University of Warwick.
Talking with Vietnam News Agency reporters based in London, Truong warned that rolling out ultra low emission zones (ULEZ) or low emission zones (LEZ) there is no easy feat. Infrastructure gaps, particularly in electric power systems, are a major sticking point. Limited grid capacity and restricted access to renewable energy hinder large-scale electrification, risking grid stability and affecting electricity access for households, industries, and social activities.
The electric vehicle (EV) charging network is also lagging, with too few stations, poorly planned locations, and weak management systems holding back progress, Truong noted.
Beyond physical infrastructure, investment in smart technologies for real-time data, communication, safety, and cybersecurity across users, operators, providers, and government agencies is lacking. These systems, he stressed, are fundamental for LEZs to function effectively.
Socio-economic barriers add another layer of complexity. EVs and cleaner transport options remain out of reach for low-income residents, and access to reliable low-or zero-emission public transit is uneven. Without hefty government subsidies or social support, he cautioned, emission zone policies could hit vulnerable groups hardest.
To address these issues, Truong called for a deep dive into the transport sector’s path to net-zero emissions, especially for road transport. LEZ policies must sync with national and local decarbonisation plans to support long-term sustainability goals.
Before rolling out LEZs, he urged comprehensive impact assessments covering technical feasibility (infrastructure readiness, vehicle data), economic impacts (costs and benefits to governments, commuters, and public health), social implications on low-income groups and behavioural shifts, and operational needs (enforcement, data governance, safety, and cybersecurity).
Crucially, he advocated for a phased and tailored approach to LEZ rollout, recognising it as a long-term and complex process that requires careful planning and incremental steps. Pilot LEZs, he suggested, should be introduced in high-traffic or heavily polluted areas such as central districts, with moderate restrictions that could gradually tighten as enforcement capacity and public acceptance improve.
For Hanoi specifically, he recommended targeted support for low-income workers and small businesses reliant on older gasoline or diesel vehicles. These could include subsidies, vehicle trade-in schemes, and investments in affordable public transport options.
To win public backing, he proposed widespread education campaigns on air quality and health impacts, alongside training courses for academics, engineers, urban planners, and technicians to fast-track the shift to low- and zero-emission transport systems./.
