How will green transformation roadmap for Ho Chi Minh City public transport be applied?

Accordingly, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport is drafting a resolution on a roadmap for the conversion and support policies for the conversion of public passenger transport vehicles using green energy buses in Ho Chi Minh City for the City People’s Committee to submit to the People’s Council in the upcoming session.

Ho Chi Minh City aims to convert 100 percent of diesel-powered buses to e-buses by 2030 Photo: Vinbus

Specifically, the conversion of vehicles in the 2025-2029 period will be as follows:

Subsidized bus routes, public passenger transport vehicles using CNG and diesel fuel will continue to operate until the end of signed contracts. After the contracts expire, the conversion will follow these steps:

- Buses using CNG and diesel fuel that have been running for over 15 years will be replaced by new vehicles using electricity and green energy.

- Buses using CNG that have been running for less than 15 years will continue to provide public passenger transport services, but must ensure that they will not be used for more than 15 years.

Diesel-powered buses will continue to be in service until 2029, but no more than 15 years of service. The specific roadmap is as follows:

In 2025: 32 bus routes which run on diesel (572 vehicles, of which 148 vehicles have been used for 10-15 years) will continue to operate until the end of 2026, then switch to electric buses from 2027.

In 2026: 15 bus routes which run on diesel (310 vehicles, of which 41 vehicles have been in use for 10 - 15 years) will continue providing services until the end of 2027, and switch to electric buses from 2028.

In 2029: 19 bus routes (268 vehicles) that will end contracts at the end of 2028, will switch to electric buses in 2029.

In 2030: 17 bus routes (138 vehicles) that contracts will expire at the end of 2029, will switch to electric buses in 2030.

In addition, for non-subsidized bus routes (including inner-city and inter-provincial routes): 100% of the buses will be replaced by new electric buses.

In particular, according to the proposed document, 100% of new bus routes opened from 2025 onwards will use electricity.

In addition, from 2030, 100% of buses will use electricity and green energy. During the conversion process, public transport units will be encouraged to make conversions earlier.

In addition, the Department of Transport also proposed a roadmap for investing in electric charging stations and CNG filling stations. In the 2025-2030 period, Ho Chi Minh City will invest in 25 electric charging stations, 269 charging posts at bus stations and parking lots managed by State units, meeting requirements for the vehicle conversion. In the 2025-2026 period, Ho Chi Minh City will invest in 3 CNG filling stations at Nga Tu Ga coach station, District 8 bus station and the new Mien Dong coach station.

In particular, in order to attract investment from transport units in the bus system, the city will implement policies, such as offering preferential interest rates for long-term loans to purchase vehicles. Enterprises that want to borrow capital to invest in electric charging stations, and CNG stations will also receive loans at preferential interest rates from the city...