At a press briefing in Hanoi on April 9, Nguyen The Huu, deputy head of the Electricity Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade said EV adoption has accelerated, driven partly by higher fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.
Technology vehicle drivers charging electric vehicles (Photo: Bao Quyen).
Citing data from the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, Huu said that by the end of 2025, Vietnam had around 215,000 electric cars and nearly 2.6 million electric motorbikes. These vehicles consume an estimated 652 million kWh, accounting for just 0.2 to 0.3 per cent of total commercial electricity demand.
By 2030, the number of electric cars is projected to reach between 1 million and 1.6 million, with electric motorbikes rising to 8 million to 13 million. Electricity demand from EVs could then reach 3.1 billion to 5.6 billion kWh annually, or roughly 0.68 to 1.1 per cent of total demand.
While the overall consumption remains manageable, officials stressed that the key challenge lies in peak load capacity rather than total usage.
For example, if 100,000 electric cars simultaneously use fast chargers rated at 60-120 kW, the instantaneous load could reach 6-12 GW, equivalent to about one-eighth to one-quarter of the system’s current peak capacity.
Authorities warned that localised grid overload could occur in densely populated areas or locations with a high concentration of charging stations if distribution networks are not upgraded in parallel.
In the longer term, the main challenge will be synchronising the development of medium- and low-voltage grids with EV charging infrastructure.
To address these risks, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is working on coordinated solutions, including updating power development plans, prioritising distribution grids in high electrification areas and introducing pricing mechanisms to encourage off-peak charging.
The ministry is also promoting the development of smart charging stations integrated with distributed energy sources to reduce pressure on the national grid.
