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| An EV charging station of VinFast (Source: VinFast) |
This is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create great tremendous opportunities for the electric vehicles market.
The transition to EVs is a huge effort toward Vietnam's net zero goal and environmental protection, and it will also boost the national economy, especially in reducing oil import costs and creating millions of jobs.
According to a report from the World Bank, for EVs to become mainstream, especially among first-time car buyers, the charging station system plays a key role. It is estimated that Vietnam needs 2.2 billion USD by 2030 to build a network of public charging stations, and this figure will increase to 13.9 billion USD by 2040, and 32.6 billion USD by 2050 to meet most of the population's EV demand.
With the rapid development of EV technology and the trend towards green transportation, the demand for this type of vehicles is expected to increase strongly in the near future. It is predicted that more than 2.8 million EVs will be consumed from 2024 to 2035, and another 3 million in the 2036 - 2050 period if the development of the charging station network is accelerated.
Major manufacturers such as VinFast have pioneered in this field, not only investing themselves but also implementing the franchise model that enables businesses and people to participate in developing the charing network. This model helps promote not only the use of EVs but also the sustainability of the EV industry in Vietnam.
Public-private partnership models are also evaluated as a key for luring investment in charging stations. Electricity companies, fuel distributors, and specialised charging service providers can also contribute to the scheme.
Insiders said to further promote the scheme, the Vietnamese Government needs to have favourable and clear policies that facilitate the engagement of the private sector. This can be achieved through financial and non-financial incentives and the formation of a clear roadmap for EV adoption with strict technical standards for charging infrastructure.
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| An EV charging station in Da Nang city (Photo: tienphong.vn) |
International studies have shown that subsidies for developing charging infrastructure are 5-6 times more effective than subsidies for purchasing EVs. This demonstrates that if the Government focuses on building charging stations, Vietnam can accelerate the transition to EVs while reducing the dependence on fossil fuel energy sources.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dam Hoang Phuc from Hanoi University of Science and Technology said a clear mechanism will attract investors, thereby driving the development of Vietnam's charging station network.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Phuong Hien, Deputy Director of the Institute of Transport Strategy and Development, said strong policies on energy transition are now available, but there is still a shortage of support policies for charing infrastructure development. Given this, investing in charging stations is an essential step for the Government to effectively boost the transition to EVs and green transport.
Hanoi ensures sufficient goods stockpiles for Tet holiday
The Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade and enterprises are gearing up for the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday with plans to ensure a robust supply of goods and stabilise prices to meet consumer needs during the peak shopping season, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
Deputy Director of the department Nguyen The Hiep said that businesses have already increased their stockpiling by an average of 7-25% as compared to the previous Tet preparation. Notably, domestically-made products, particularly those under the One Commune, One Product programme, make up 90% of the offerings.
Cuoi Quy high-tech organic vegetable cooperative in Dan Phuong district outlined Tet production plans in early October. They plan to expand the cultivation of leafy greens and high-quality vegetables under VietGAP standards so as to supply the market with a wide range of offerings.
Similarly, Vissan Joint Stock Company, a leading meat processing firm in the country, has increased its inventory by an additional 10-20%. It is ramping up production to provide nearly 1,200 tonnes of fresh food and 4,000 tonnes of processed products for more than 120,000 retailers nationwide.
Hiep said retailers negotiated with producers regarding supply sources and prices three to six months in advance.
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| Hanoi is working to ensure a robust supply of goods to meet consumer needs during Tet holiday. (Illustrative photo: VNA) |
Saigon Co.op, BRGMart, HaproMart, and Central Retail have prepared business plans to serve the nation’s biggest holiday, with inventory rising 25-30% against the previous season.
MM Mega Market's business director Dinh Quang Khoi revealed that the company finalised its plans with major suppliers a month ago. Meanwhile, BRGMart's marketing external relations manager Nguyen Thi Hien said the firm is collaborating with suppliers to forecast consumption and outline inventory plans, projecting a 2-3-time increase compared to regular monthly volumes.
According to Director of Co.opmart Hanoi Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, the year-end inventory increases around 30-40% as compared to the normal level and nearly 10% from the previous Tet holiday. The company is committed to maintaining stable prices and even increasing promotional offers.
Hiep stressed that along with market regulation measures, the department will continue working with enterprises to stabilise the market while joining hands with competent authorities to supervise food safety compliance among enterprises./.
Vietnamese students bag gold medals at ICPC Asia Hanoi 2024
Two local teams have won gold medals at the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) Asia Hanoi, which is underway from December 10 to December 13 at the Hanoi University of Industry, according to Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
The winning teams include HCMUS-AtCoder of Ho Chi Minh City University of Science and UIT.KHQ. TheUnkillabeDemonKings of Ho Chi Minh City University of Information Technology.
The ultimate champion of the competition was the fruit_advantages team of the National Taiwan University.
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| Two Vietnamese teams win gold medals at ICPC Asia Hanoi (Photo: kinhtemoitruong.vn) |
The top teams will continue to be selected to attend the second ICPC Asia Pacific Champion Competition which will be held in February, 2025, in Singapore.
The ICPC is widely considered to be the oldest, largest, and most prestigious programming contest in the world, with the event being an algorithmic programming contest for college students. They will work together to solve the real-world problems, fostering the spirit of collaboration, creativity, innovation, and showcasing an ability to perform under pressure.
The contest provides opportunities for students to independently research, enhance creativity, teamwork skills, and integrate international standards in information technology at universities and colleges in Vietnam and across Asia.
In addition, the 33rd Vietnam Student Olympiad in Informatics (OLP’24) was also held, attracting a huge number of talented Vietnamese students.
The winner of OLP’24 went to Nguyen Duc Thang of the National Economics University.
Spectrum of the Seas cruise brings nearly 5,000 passengers to Khanh Hoa
Spectrum of the Seas, Asia's largest luxury cruise ship, docked at Cam Ranh International Port in the southcentral province of Khanh Hoa on December 13, carrying nearly 5,000 tourists and crew members onboard, said Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
The majority of the tourists took part in a tour of Nha Trang City, while others chose to visit Wyndham Grand KN Paradise Cam Ranh or explored a range of local attractions by cyclo.
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| Spectrum of the Seas docks at Cam Ranh International Port (Photo: A.Phat/tuoitre.vn) |
In the afternoon of the same day, the cruise ship departed the port and headed for Hong Kong (China).
This marks the second time this year that the ship has arrived in Nha Trang. In September, it brought tourists to visit Nha Trang Bay, but could not dock due to repairs going on at Nha Trang International Port, forcing passengers to be transferred by smaller boats.
Spectrum of the Seas belongs to the Quantum-Ultra line of ships and was manufactured by Meyer Werft of Germany, being put into service at the beginning of 2019. The 347-metre-long vessel boasts 16 decks, more than 2,000 cabins, and can accommodate up to 5,600 passengers./.