Hanoi considers time-based ban on gasoline motorbikes in downtown area from 2026
Hanoi is preparing to introduce low-emission zones that will gradually restrict gasoline-powered motorbikes in the city’s core from July 1, 2026.
The proposal, submitted by the municipal People’s Committee to the city’s People’s Council, outlines a multi-stage roadmap designed to reduce air pollution while limiting disruption to business activities and daily life.
Under the draft resolution, low-emission zones are defined in accordance with the 2024 Law on the Capital and apply to areas with strict environmental protection status, frequent traffic congestion, or consistently below-average air quality measurements based on national and city monitoring data.
The plan begins with a pilot zone covering nine central wards inside Ring Road 1 in 2026, before expanding to 14 wards within Rings 1 and 2 from Jan. 1, 2028.
By Jan. 1, 2030, restrictions would apply across a much wider area within Ring Road 3, encompassing 36 wards and communes including Cau Giay, Thanh Xuan, Hoang Mai, Long Bien, Dong Anh and Noi Bai.
From 2031 onward, any area meeting the qualifying criteria would be required to implement low-emission controls.
Within these zones, gasoline motorbikes would be banned during designated hours or in specific areas, and app-based motorbike transport services would also be restricted.
Cars that do not meet Euro 4 emission standards would face phased limitations as well.
The city is also setting a green-transition timeline for commercial vehicles, including requiring all newly purchased or replacement taxis to use clean energy from July 1, 2026, and fossil-fuel motorbikes used for transport services to shift to greener alternatives before 2030.
Further measures include prohibiting new registrations of fossil-fuel vehicles when outdated ones are scrapped, particularly for vehicles owned by organizations, and banning fossil-fuel trucks over 3.5 tonnes from circulating in low-emission zones.
The draft differs from the stricter roadmap outlined in a directive earlier this year, which called for a full ban on fossil-fuel motorbikes within Ring Road 1 by July 1, 2026, and expanded restrictions within Rings 1 and 2 by 2028.
Hanoi officials said the adjusted approach reflects feedback from departments, local authorities, business associations and industry groups, including the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam, which suggested a more gradual rollout aligned with infrastructure capacity, social welfare considerations and public behavior.
City agencies are still developing charging-station standards, green-mobility infrastructure and related policies, some of which have yet to be issued by ministries under government assignment. Authorities describe the effort as complex and directly affecting millions of residents, requiring synchronized implementation and enough time to shift public habits.
The new proposal will be considered at the 28th session of the municipal People’s Council from Nov. 26 to 28.
The move comes as Hanoi continues to struggle with hazardous air quality. The National Environmental Report for 2016–2020 found average PM2.5 concentrations nearly double national limits, while PM10 levels exceeded standards by 1.3 to 1.6 times. The city attributes 58–74% of emissions to road traffic, especially motorbikes, alongside dust from road surfaces.
Hanoi currently has more than 8 million registered vehicles, including 6.9 million motorbikes and 1.1 million cars, with an additional 1.2 million vehicles entering from other provinces on a regular basis.
By Vo Hai – VnExpress.net – November 24, 2025