Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city, was recently named the world’s most polluted city by IQAir. This result could be overturned by a projected growth of the country’s EV market this year.
THE AIRPOCALYPSE
Hanoi is one of several Southeast Asian cities to enter the top 10 of IQAir’s list. The capital city was crowned the “world’s most polluted metropolis” in the report released last January 3.
IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, revealed that Hanoi’s air contains high levels of PM2.5 pollutants which have reached 227 micrograms per cubic metre. PM2.5 pollutants are microparticles that can severely damage one’s lungs by entering the bloodstream. Hanoi’s air quality surpasses the World Health Organisation’s standards of average daily exposure greatly. The city’s air contains 227 micrograms per cubic metre, 15 times more than the WHO’s recommendation.
Reports claim that Hanoi’s polluted air claims at least 70,000 lives per year, second only to cancer as the leading cause of Vietnamese deaths. According to the organisation, extended exposure to air pollution can lead to strokes, heart diseases, and lung cancer.
Furthermore, Hanoi’s heavy haze has caused the country approximately AUD 21 billion in damages. This amound is nearly 7 per cent of Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP). These results alarmed authorities, who urged Vietnamese citizens to wear masks when venturing outdoors.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese citizens have expressed frustration with the city’s poor air quality. “The air quality has been so extremely bad that I really don’t feel I can breathe easily in the open air. I have to wear masks all the time,” said a motorist to news outlet AFP.
Though climate experts can’t pinpoint one cause, experts have traced it two factors. First, citywide construction in Hanoi; and second, vehicle emissions. These emissions are from Hanoi’s large volume of 7 million motorcycles and more than 1 million cars. Additionally, to the north of Hanoi, bustling coal plants produce emissions as well, contributing to the city’s haze. Widespread burning activities for farming may have also aggravated air pollution.
In an interview with AFP, climate expert Huy Nguyen revealed that Vietnam’s current weather is worsening Hanoi’s air pollution. In which case, “pollutants seem to be locked in a giant atmospheric glass cage that they cannot escape, and they accumulate day after day,” he said. Nguyen stated that a monsoon coming from the northeast of the country can help pollution conditions recover significantly.
EVs AS AN OPTION
Late 2024 saw the Vietnamese government introduce target goals for a nationwide shift to electric vehicles (EV), for both motorcycles and cars. By the year 2030, Vietnam expects 22 per cent of its motorcycle fleet and 30 per cent of vehicles to be electric. These targets are part of the government’s 9-solution plan to improve the country’s air quality. Furthermore, the country aims to achieve carbon neutrality overall by the year 2050 which drives the motivation to electrify even further.
Luckily for Vietnam, the country’s EV market has greatly expanded last 2024. Though its auto market is projected to slow down this coming year, its EV segment is predicted to grow even further. Industry experts expect a growth rate of 25 to 30 per cent in the coming year, with a prediction of overall passenger vehicles to be 15 to 20 per cent electric. Thanks to local EV brand VinFast and foreign automakers such as BYD, Toyota, and Honda, it is possible for EV sales to increase faster this year. VinFast and BYD in particular provide consumers with more accessible and affordable options for EVs.
Government incentives, infrastructure support, increasing corporate investments, and changing consumer preferences are aiding the present EV growth. Currently, the government offers a zero per cent registration fee for BEVs until February 28, 2027.
Though EVs cannot answer Hanoi’s air pollution problem alone, it can significantly reduce carbon emissions that are plaguing the city. Hanoi will need vigorous support from its government transition to EVs. The city may need complementary solutions alongside EVs. Furthermore, Hanoi will need to increase its allocation of EV charging ports to accommodate the growth of EVs.
If Hanoi sees success in reducing air pollution, other cities in Vietnam and even Southeast Asia can follow suit.
Was this article interesting? Leave us a like if so!
