VietNamNet Bridge – There is a “fever” for electric motorbikes in HCM City, on the heels of gas price increases.

Saigon people, particularly students, are now favouring electric motorbikes. Running at the same speed as 50cc motorbikes, electric bikes are renovated to look like motorbikes and called electric motorbikes. This kind of vehicle is a good choice for high-school students thanks to its reasonable price, no registration and no helmet required.

The owner of a bike shop on Vo Thi Sau Street, District 3, said this product is selling very well. His shop can’t satisfy buyer’s needs though he buys nearly 500 units a month. Most components are imported from Taiwan and China for assembly in Vietnam. The price is between VND6-7 million per unit.

Vu Tien Hao, Director of Delta Co, Ltd, an importer of electric motorbikes, said his company has sold more than 10,000 units through its agents throughout the country. The firm can’t meet the increasing demand for this product.

However, the boom of this vehicle is a headache for traffic police. According to current rules, owners of this kind of vehicle don’t have to register or wear helmets while the vehicle can run up to 40km per hour, equivalent to a 50cc motorbike.

A representative of the HCM City Traffic Police Agency expressed his concern about this vehicle, saying that though the law doesn’t force electric bike riders to wear helmets, they should voluntarily use helmets for their own safety.

(Source: VNE)