Vietnam sets 2027 deadline for EV charging at expressway rest stops

HANOI, Vietnam – The Department for Roads has ordered investors and operators of roadside rest areas to complete the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure before January 1, 2027, as the country accelerates its transition toward green mobility. The directive follows a ministerial order issued on August 6 calling for the urgent rollout of charging systems to support the growing adoption of electric vehicles across Vietnam's expressway network.

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Provincial authorities have been instructed to review the status of charging system deployments at rest stops under their jurisdiction and submit reports to the road administration by August 25. They are also required to push investors and rest-stop operators to hasten development of the infrastructure and promptly resolve any difficulties arising during construction.

Under the National Technical Regulation on road rest stops, at least 10 percent of parking spaces at these facilities must be designated for EV charging. The department has urged investors to go beyond this minimum and assess actual demand to consider providing more charging spaces, given the increasing adoption of electric vehicles on long-distance routes.

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Newly built rest stops must include EV charging stations and designated parking spaces from the outset, while existing rest stops operational before October 5, 2024, must be upgraded to meet the requirements by the January 2027 deadline. A recent review of 21 rest stops on the eastern North-South Expressway revealed that only four had partially operational charging systems, eight were under construction, and the remainder had not yet begun installation, prompting the urgent directive.