The Hanoi Department of Construction has submitted the proposal to the municipal People’s Committee while reporting progress on plans to transition to environmentally friendly transport in the capital.
Officials said the department had worked with relevant agencies, TMT Motor Corporation and several cyclo service providers to study vehicle designs suitable for tourism use.
However, TMT said potential suppliers declined to participate after reviewing the project, citing the small scale of the planned fleet, about 80 vehicles, and the requirement to retain the traditional cyclo design.
The department is now coordinating with the Hanoi Tourism Corporation to further study the development of electric cyclos for visitors. The company is currently conducting surveys and assessing the feasibility of the project.
Authorities also said adding motors to existing cyclos to convert them into three-wheeled motor vehicles would not meet national technical standards.
Under Vietnam’s road traffic safety law, three-wheeled motor vehicles must be registered, licensed and operated by drivers with appropriate driving permits.
To ensure the tourism cyclo service complies with legal regulations while maintaining fair competition among transport services, the Department of Construction has proposed allowing the Hanoi Tourism Corporation to pilot electric cyclos for 12 months.
