Ho Chi Minh City curbs pollution by shifting to green transport

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Bui Minh Thạnh said scientific analyses show that diesel-powered vehicles are among the main sources of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx), which directly affect public health and the urban environment. The city is therefore focusing on several core directions to reduce pollution.

These include reviewing and updating emission standards, tightening vehicle supervision and strengthening environmental discipline in transport activities. Businesses are encouraged to upgrade engines, install exhaust treatment systems, adopt cleaner fuels and use internationally compliant emission-reduction solutions.

At the same time, the city is restructuring transport infrastructure, prioritising low-emission vehicles, optimising routes and applying smart management technologies. It is also mobilising social resources and promoting cooperation with neighbouring southeastern localities to roll out inter-provincial emission-control programmes, while advancing public–private partnership (PPP) models in environmental technology investment.

The green transport transition has already produced encouraging results. The city’s bus network comprises 176 routes with a fleet of 2,386 buses, of which 627 are electric (26.3 per cent) and 451 run on compressed natural gas (CNG), accounting for 17.9 per cent.

In the taxi sector, HCM City has 18,613 vehicles, including 13,124 electric taxis, or about 71 per cent. Nearly 89,000 ride-hailing motorbikes are in operation, around 28 per cent of them electric. The city also has 39,566 electric cars, about 25,000 of which are used for transport services, alongside 86,978 electric motorbikes.

According to the municipal Department of Construction, these figures show that the shift to green vehicles is gaining momentum, delivering tangible benefits in reducing emissions and noise. Many transport firms have proactively invested in and deployed electric taxis and electric ride-hailing motorbikes.

Alongside vehicle conversion, the city has paid special attention to charging and battery-swapping infrastructure. At present, there are five charging stations for electric buses with 56 ultra-fast chargers.

The city also has around 1,000 electric car charging stations, 300 fast chargers for electric motorbikes, and 50 battery-swapping points.

In the next phase, the southern metropolis plans to expand battery-swapping cabinets for electric motorbikes and add at least 1,500 fast chargers for electric cars in key areas, helping shorten charging times and accelerate the shift to green transport.

A strategic solution to transport-related pollution is developing high-capacity public transport, especially the urban railway system. Since the beginning of this year, Metro Line No.1 (Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien) has served more than 15 million passengers, easing congestion and improving air quality in central areas and the eastern gateway.

Under the urban railway development plan linked to National Assembly Resolution No. 188/2025/QH15, the city aims to basically complete six metro lines by 2030, encouraging a shift away from private vehicles. Together with metro expansion, HCM City will continue to enlarge its electric and green bus network, targeting a public transport share of 15-20 per cent of travel demand.