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The Diplomat
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Diplomat
Banning Gas Motorbikes in Vietnam Is a Silly Move
Last month, the Vietnamese authorities announced that gas-powered motorcycles and scooters will be banned from central Hanoi starting in July 2026. From January 2028, this ban could be extended nationwide (one imagines to most cities) and, according to some reports, could be expanded to include petrol or diesel cars. The intention behind this move is sound: to get people to purchase electric motorbikes and scooters to reduce citywide pollution and the overall environmental costs of petrol-spewing vehicles. But an outright ban is a blunt force approach. This isn't so much about the timeframe, despite some commentators claiming that 12 months is far too little time to make such a transition, since the vast majority of Hanoi's 8 million residents currently drive gas motorbikes. A 2022 study by the International Council on Clean Transportation found that motorbikes and scooters account for 73 percent of Hanoi residents' transportation needs. However, I'm not so sure a short timeframe is wrong. After all, if you want to outlaw something, it makes sense for the ban to be relatively immediate, not in five or ten years. Protracted bans tend to disinhibit first movers. If Hanoi's authorities said it would come into effect in 2030, then the average motorist would be wise to wait. It's most probable that, in five years, electric motorbikes will be cheaper and more readily available, the infrastructure needed to support them will be far more extensive and convenient, and there might be a major revolution in battery technology that means an electric vehicle bought now could be obsolete compared to what's on offer in a few years. The reason an outright ban is foolhardy is that it will maximize possible downsides. For starters, the communist authorities haven't got a good track record when it comes to enforcing transport bans. Any luck with stopping motorists from parking anywhere they want on the pavement? But suppose that the July 2026 deadline comes along and most of Hanoi's motorbike users haven't ditched their gas-powered machines. What then? Option one: the authorities follow through with the ban, in which case the livelihoods of millions of people will be impacted, and the city authorities will face a host of new problems to contend with. (Some of those problems will certainly have downstream effects on Vietnam's broader environmental goals, thus undermining the entire point of the ban.) Option two: the authorities postpone the deadline, in which case most people will conclude that the intended goal of the ban wasn't very important (weakening the environmental message) and that the authorities will delay again if most people still haven't transitioned to electric vehicles by the time of the new deadline. Far more effective is to try to influence habits and social copying. With limited funds, every city in Vietnam could soon be equipped with simple pavement stations where only electric bicycles and motorbikes can be parked. With a little more money (but not a fortune), solar panels could be installed at each of these stations, allowing people to charge their electric bikes for free. This would have three benefits. First, you'd create spaces where electric bikes can be parked, rather than drivers just leaving their motorbikes anywhere on the pavement, as currently happens. Importantly, it would make the transition to electric vehicles an integral part of improving the city's tidiness, making it as much about social order as environmentalism. ('Nice neighbors drive electric'). Second, by investing in the infrastructure needed to support electric vehicles, it would incentivize first movers. Most people simply won't make the change if it's a headache to charge your vehicle, such as by having to bring your bike indoors. People are used to gas-powered motorbikes (it's a habit). They're not going to adopt a new habit if the old one is far more convenient. Third, and more importantly, it would make driving an electric motorbike effectively free after the point of purchase, a great selling point for the transition. I'm told that VinFast's electric bikes range from $600 to $2,600. The national company has recently started offering some good incentives to people to purchase electric bikes, such as subsidizing the registration fee of an electric bike (5 percent of its value) and free charging until 2027. Additionally, you could prohibit gas-powered motorbikes from parking in most areas of the city and set up a few parking lots for them at inconvenient locations. If a driver of a gas-powered bike wanted to deliver goods, commute for work, or meet friends at a particular restaurant or bar, the fact that they'd have to park so far away from the busiest locations would make it a massive inconvenience for themselves and for others. In other words, you make the transition to electric vehicles a way of avoiding social embarrassment. Who wants to go on a date with someone who has to park 20 minutes away and walk? This could be followed up with another touch of negative reinforcement. Why do people brush their teeth? Everyone says dental hygiene; it's really because you don't want to offend friends or the opposite sex with stinky breath. If Hanoi wanted to get creative, it'd ignore messaging about pollution and environmentalism and, instead, hire a bunch of models and run a publicity campaign claiming that people who drive gas-powered motorbikes are dirtier and smellier than those who drive electric bikes. Get a few influencers involved in this, too, and you're on your way to social stigmatization, one of the easiest ways to effect change. Having said all of this, one must remember a major unintended consequence of the electrification of vehicles that few people consider: it will destroy the repair and servicing sector. Instead of dozens of complex parts found in the internal combustion engine, there are effectively just two or three in an electric vehicle. For drivers, this is fantastic; for mechanics, it's an existential crisis. My guess is that tens of thousands of people currently earn a living in Vietnam by making minor repairs to tens of millions of gas-engine motorbikes. By next July, most of these mechanics in Hanoi could be out of a job. One solution, which would also massively increase uptake in electrification, would be if local government subsidized people to convert their existing gas-powered motorbikes into electric ones. A half-hour spent on YouTube suggests that this isn't such a complicated process, and I'm sure that Vietnam's ingenious mechanics could quickly turn their hands to this. Doing so would provide mechanics with employment, meaning that the Hanoi (and other city) authorities don't have to cope with thousands of unemployed and essentially skill-less residents in a year's time. It would also make the transition to electric fantastically cheaper for most people, since the cost of converting an existing machine is significantly lower than buying a new electric vehicle. And not forcing millions of people to buy new machines reduces nationwide consumption of metals, plastics, and other materials, thereby also supporting the country's environmental goals. On the other hand, it probably wouldn't be a move supported by VinFast and the Communist Party's growth-at-any-cost apparatchiks.
The Journal
25-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Journal
Weight-based tax for cars and SUVs considered to offset cost of switching to EVs
A WEIGHT-BASED TAX could be on the cards for SUVs and large cars according to briefings for the government ahead of the Budget. The Tax Strategy Group, an expert advisory panel at the Department of Finance, has said that a new levy would be a way of offsetting the losses from the existing tax bases due to people switching to electric vehicles. It has previously been reported that the electrification of the fleet is costing €1.5 billion per year in lost motor tax, VAT, and petrol and diesel excise receipts. In its annual reports ahead of Budget 2026, which is expected to be announced in October, the tax experts said that as the composition of the vehicle fleet in Ireland changes and the Irish transport network electrifies, 'existing tax bases will be eroded' and a way to plug the hole needs to be found. The tax group cited data from the International Council on Clean Transportation which said the average weight of passenger vehicles in Ireland increased by approximately 28% between 2001 and 2022. Advertisement It said this weight upsurge was 'concerning for several reasons' as the heavier vehicles require greater energy and resource consumption and because there there are claims that a heavier vehicle fleet 'creates further challenges in terms of traffic congestion, road infrastructure degradation, air pollution, road space and road safety'. 'The growth in EV sales will inevitably see a reduction in motor tax, fuel excise and VRT receipts in the years ahead,' the officials siad. 'To maintain Exchequer receipts, tax structures must be amended over time in line with the changing vehicle composition.' It also explored similar schemes in other EU member states such as France, which has introduced the scheme as an additional charge, on top of motor tax, with a cap of €50,000 and an exemption for EVs. France has introduced weight-based taxes for every petrol or diesel car that went over the permitted 1,800 kilogram allowance. This works out to €10 for every additional kilogram. According to the Tax Strategy Group, there is 'scope to replicate' the French tax, as it is designed to be 'minimally distortive while also incorporating desired' environmental objectives. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
In defence of Delhi's old-vehicle ban
It took just two days for Delhi's drive to enforce a 10-year-old ban on overage vehicles to fizzle out. The two days, July 1 and 2, saw many protests, mostly on social media. It was enough for the BJP-led Delhi government to suspend the operation to deny fuel to these vehicles and seize them. In sharp contrast, there were few posts by authorities or even clean air advocates countering the protests with science and data, especially about the health impact. The rollback is a test of political will for Delhi's — and even India's — fight against air pollution. The damage can be deep unless the government shows it means business and gets 10- and 15-year-old vehicles off the road one way or the other. The enforcement agency has passed Part 1 of the test. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has agreed to the Delhi government's push to suspend the operation. But it is a temporary relief. From November 1, overage vehicles will be targeted not just in Delhi but also in five cities bordering it, that is, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Sonipat in Haryana, and Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. Larger sweep By April 1, 2026, the ban will be extended to a wider area, the National Capital Region, which includes much of Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. But there is no place for complacency. First, the roll-out of the key policing technology — the ANPR, or automated number plate recognition cameras — is the responsibility of the governments. The CAQM wants monthly reports on the preparation for the ban. Second, the argument by several protesters that overage vehicle does not mean a polluting vehicle will not stand scrutiny. The CAQM says end-of-life vehicles make a 'significant contribution' to air pollution in Delhi and its neighbourhood. Other studies, such as that by the International Council on Clean Transportation, show overage vehicles, mostly Bharat Stage 2, BS3, and BS4 ones, are roughly 10 and five times more polluting, respectively, than the latest BS6 standard. It is important to note that the ban affects a minority of Delhi's population of 34 million. It may impact far fewer vehicles than the 6.1 million being widely cited, which is the number of registrations on record. But the number of vehicles still actually running on Delhi's roads is estimated by some experts to be a few lakh. Equally important is that very few use private vehicles. Seven out of 10 use public transit or cycle or walk, according to the CAQM. Initially, both the State government and the CAQM have shown a rare resolve before the ban started on July 1. Back on March 1, Delhi's Environment Minister M.S. Sirsa promised action by July-end. Sure, it was postponed to July, but the government's intention was clearly towards enforcement. The rollback now suggests a loss of political appetite for decisive action against air pollution. The best way to improve air quality is to cut the sources of pollution, such as old vehicles. But that means taking hard decisions. On the eve of the July 1 ban, the CAQM tweeted a warning, 'Few hours left…' for the enforcement to start, its mandate being 'liquidation of (a) large fleet' of end-of-life vehicles. This was the first, high-profile, widespread enforcement that the CAQM was throwing its weight behind. Pollution control analysts have often criticised the agency for not exercising its considerable powers. Another point of debate is the credibility of the ANPR cameras. Mr. Sirsa questioned its accuracy and cited it as a reason to put the enforcement on hold. Ironically, on March 1, the Minister had taken ownership of the monitoring system calling it 'our gadgets'. The CAQM has now rebutted complaints stating that various 'progress review meetings' on the ANPR were held with the government of Delhi and other neighbouring States. It has made clear that it is standing by both the ANPR tech and the liquidation of end-of-life vehicles. Reliable tech In a sign that the ANPR is reliable, a source said that about 35,000 vehicles were caught with expired pollution-under-control certificates (PUCC) and a fine of almost ₹178 crore was levied. All data relevant to the ban's flip-flop should be made public. With ANPR, authorities have what an official described as a 'foolproof' tech which, for the first time since the 2014-15 ban was ordered, has made city-wide enforcement possible. There are less than four months for the enforcement to resume. The question is will there be attempts to undermine it again? The CAQM appears determined to see this through and it is a chance to demonstrate that it is serious about cutting air pollution at source, rather than resort to questionable steps such as smog towers and mist guns. Air pollution puts off foreigners and foreign investment as officials like Amitabh Kant, former G20 Sherpa, and Ashwini Tewari, Managing Director of the State Bank of India, have pointed out. Cracking down on extreme air pollution in Indian cities is one of the key levers Mr. Kant identifies to spur the Indian economy to $30 trillion by 2047. True, the ban is not perfect. For instance, the pollution-under-control checks (PUCC) do not test for pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and PM2.5, which affect human health extensively — from eyes, nose and throat irritation to premature death. And for many there is no alternative to private cars. Public transit has poor last-mile connectivity, it is often crowded and hard to use, despite a world-class Metro and new electric buses. Pavements are largely non-existent in the megacity. However, the argument many protesters make is what about other sources of pollution such as construction, industry, power plants, farm fires, and waste burning. Valid point, but does that mean pollution by overage vehicles should not be tackled? And there are steps being taken against these other pollution sources too. Maybe not enough, and, yes, implementation and execution remains a challenge. The battle against air pollution is a simultaneous, multi-pronged operation. Yet, by rolling back the enforcement on July 3, a proper crack at implementation was nipped in the bud. How the government tackles overage vehicles — and the CAQM — now will signal how serious it is about air pollution. As it is, the BJP government's plans to install outdoor air purifiers in Delhi's Nehru park has raised questions, given how the previous AAP government's smog towers plan flopped. Shelf life Anyone buying a car or two-wheeler in Delhi has known for years that their vehicle comes with a 10- or 15- year shelf life, depending on whether it's diesel or petrol. Perhaps the mass seizure of overage vehicles is likely to be a one-time operation. But reducing the number of vehicles especially private ones is a goal of many world cities to make these more liveable. Vehicles are a significant expense for a household, but the cost of vehicular pollution imposed on public health and the economy is far greater as research has shown. Think of the traffic policemen, schoolchildren, gig workers and the vast majority who need to work outdoors, breathing in high amounts of NOx and PM2.5. A new report in Nature, a science journal, shows how air pollution is linked to a significant number of lung cancer cases in people who have never smoked. While the rollback on the ban on old, polluting vehicles has been thwarted, for now, another rollback is still possible. The government is considering whether to dilute or scrap its widely appreciated 2015 policy to reduce pollution from coal-fired power plant. (The author is an independent consultant for climate change reporting; views are personal)
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Battery electric cars produce 73% less emissions
Battery electric cars sold in Europe produce 73% less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than their gasoline counterparts, according to research firm, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). Meanwhile, other powertrains, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids, show only marginal or no progress in reducing their climate impacts, the ICCT said. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT European automakers will have longer to comply with EU C02 emissions targets for cars and vans and could reduce potential fines after the European Parliament gave its backing to a softening of the rules. Only battery electric cars can deliver the large-scale emission cuts needed to address Europe's most polluting transport mode, with passenger cars accounting for nearly three-quarters of the sector's emissions, the ICCT said. While hybridization offers some benefits, these reductions are relatively small when compared with the battery electric cars' emissions savings, which makes it insufficient to meet the long-term climate targets, the research company added. BY THE NUMBERS Hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars offer only 20% and 30% lower lifetime emissions than gasoline, respectively, as plug-in hybrids are found to be driven less on electricity than previously assumed, the company said. Europe's electricity mix is decarbonizing faster than expected, ICCT said, adding that by 2025, renewable energy sources are projected to account for 56% of electricity generation in Europe, representing an 18-point increase compared with 2020. KEY QUOTES "Battery electric cars in Europe are getting cleaner faster than we expected and outperform all other technologies, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids," said Marta Negri, researcher at the ICCT.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Delhi's clean air fight needs more than a blanket ban on old vehicles
Starting July 1, 2025, refuelling of old vehicles (15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel models) has been banned in Delhi to implement the mandate from the Commission for Air Quality Management. However, in the face of public fury, the Delhi govt has put this programme on hold, citing 'operational and infrastructural challenges'. While the fate of 62 lakh overage vehicles remains uncertain, questions have emerged around the purpose and the method of enforcing such measures for clean air. Why is it necessary to phase out old vehicles — especially old private vehicles? And is a sweeping age-based ban the only answer? Why aging fleets are a concern There is a reasonably strong case for replacing older vehicles with clean and near-zero emissions vehicles. The older vintages were designed under significantly weaker emission norms and emit far more pollution than those complying with the current Bharat Stage VI (BSVI) emissions standards. For instance, a BS III diesel car — over a decade old in Delhi — emits up to 11 times more particulate matter (PM) than a BS VI vehicle. A very old heavy-duty diesel truck meeting BS I norms can spew 36 times more PM than one meeting BS VI norms. Wear and tear only worsen these emissions. This is not fully captured by the current Pollution Under Control (PUC) certification system which relies on idle engine emissions. This method fails to measure pollutants under varied real-world conditions such as acceleration or variable speed of driving. Evidence also shows that a small fraction of vehicles is responsible for a disproportionate share of emissions. For instance, a national estimate by the International Council on Clean Transportation shows that pre-2003 vehicles constituted less than 20% of total vehicles but accounted for nearly half of all vehicular particulate emissions and a third of nitrogen oxide emissions in 2011. The accumulating old fleet can thus lock in enormous pollution. A rigorous emissions monitoring system should target such vehicles. That said, even newer vehicles can become high emitters if poorly maintained or malfunctioning. These too must be identified and addressed. There are also material benefits to retiring End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs). A joint report by the International Energy Agency and NITI Aayog found that recycling ELVs and recovering critical materials can reduce raw material costs by up to 40%. However, India's current recovery rate stands at 70–75%, well below the global benchmark of 85–95%. Moving beyond age-based bans 122270629 While the clean-air benefits of fleet renewal are clear, a standalone and a blanket age-based ban is not a scalable and sustainable strategy. A more effective strategy would combine vehicle age with other indicators such as fitness, maintenance, and emissions performance. This can be complemented by targeted age-based bans as needed. The 2021 scrappage policy by the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) defines ELVs as those without valid registration or deemed unfit through Automated Testing Stations (ATS). While all commercial vehicles have been mandated to undergo fitness tests only in the ATS nation-wide, the deadline has been extended. But Delhi can lead by enforcing ATS testing for commercial vehicles. However, stricter ELV criteria and better emissions tracking are also needed for private vehicles. More advanced on-road monitoring, like remote sensing, is needed to go beyond the PUC programme. Emission monitoring machines placed by the roadside can efficiently identify the worst polluters. Central rules need to be notified immediately to implement this. The scrappage policy can start with the worst polluters — like old diesel trucks and commercial vehicles — and gradually include other ELVs. To make this work, financial incentives will be required. The MoRTH policy allows for tax concessions, which states like Delhi have begun using. These can be strengthened with manufacturer buyback schemes and linked to cleaner or electric vehicle purchases to maximise emission gains. It is, however, clear that if fitness testing, emissions performance, selective bans with financial incentives are to serve as viable alternatives to blanket age-based bans, then emissions monitoring must be both advanced and stringent to identify ELVs effectively. Smart on-road monitoring and disclosure mechanisms must be part of the solution. Currently, it is evident from the VAHAN database of MoRTH that, as of July 2025, out of 8.7 lakh vehicles tested in the ATS nationally, only 304 vehicles have been officially declared as ELVs. Finally, the public outcry over age-based bans also reflects a deeper issue: the lack of adequate mass transport options. Delhi needs massive augmentation of public transport and mobility systems, along with vehicle restraint measures like parking management area plans with increased parking pricing, to restrain personal vehicle usage. Roychowdhury is executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment
