Solving the problem of charging electric vehicles in apartment buildings.

The Ministry of Construction, in coordination with the Hanoi Department of Construction and other relevant departments and agencies, recently conducted a field survey at several apartment buildings in the capital city that had received complaints regarding the provision of parking and charging facilities for bicycles, electric motorbikes, and electric cars. The aim was to understand the reality on the ground, listen to the concerns and aspirations of residents, investors, and local authorities. Through this survey, many difficulties and obstacles were identified, and solutions were considered.

Infrastructure for electric vehicles in apartment buildings is hotter than ever.

According to information from the Ministry of Construction , the inspection team checked three apartment buildings: HH Linh Dam apartment building (Hoang Liet ward), Times City urban area (Vinh Tuy ward), and CT1 Thach Ban apartment building (Long Bien ward).

The infrastructure for electric vehicles in apartment buildings still has many shortcomings and needs to be addressed.

Through discussions with the management board, the operating management unit, the investor, and residents, the working group noted the main difficulties and obstacles such as: a shortage of parking spaces in apartment buildings, especially when a portion of the area has to be allocated for parking/charging electric vehicles; approved building designs that do not meet the increasing demand for parking/charging spaces for electric vehicles; a lack of unified standards and guidelines; and the absence of regulations on the responsibility for renovating and supplementing electric vehicle parking areas in apartment buildings already handed over by the investor. Buildings are concerned about fire safety and the excessive legal liability, leading to the temporary suspension of accepting and charging electric vehicles…

In response to the aforementioned shortcomings, the Ministry of Construction organized a conference to gather feedback on amending QCVN 04:2021/BXD, the National Technical Standard on Apartment Buildings, to include a section on charging stations and battery swapping stations for electric vehicles.

At the meeting, opinions from management agencies, departments, institutes, and businesses all indicated that: Charging station infrastructure systems, especially in apartment complexes, need to be regulated with strict technical criteria, including solutions for fire and explosion prevention, ventilation and smoke extraction, requirements for compartmentalization, as well as requirements for scale, protection of the electrical system, and overload prevention.

In addition, detailed instructions are needed for the use and maintenance of charging equipment and batteries to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of users, equipment, and structures. Delegates agreed that QCVN 04:2021/BXD still adequately meets current practical requirements; however, to suit new needs, regulations on charging stations and battery swapping stations should be added.

The draft national technical regulations should be finalized soon to address shortcomings arising from practical experience.

On December 11, 2025, the Ministry of Construction issued Document No. 14998/BXD-KHCNMT&VLXD regarding the development and completion of the National Technical Regulation on safety for apartment buildings equipped with electric vehicle charging stations/booths. In the document, the Ministry of Construction requested the Department of Housing and Real Estate Market Management to urgently implement the task of "Developing and completing the national technical regulations on safety for apartment buildings (existing and newly constructed) equipped with electric vehicle charging stations/booths" as directed by the Government and the Ministry of Construction.

According to the Ministry of Construction, this addition is necessary to meet the development of electric vehicles, ensure the safety of future green transportation infrastructure, and stems from legal and practical requirements such as: completing the legal framework; enhancing the effectiveness of state management over this new category; ensuring absolute fire safety and life safety through requirements for fire zoning, fire fighting equipment, and placement.

QCVN 04:2021/BXD concretizes the Government's policy on green energy transition; ensures the safe operation of technical systems and building structures when integrating high-capacity charging stations; and meets the requirements of integration and harmonization with international standards. In practice, QCVN 04:2021/BXD on apartment buildings currently stipulates mandatory technical requirements for car garages in the design, new construction, or renovation of civil works.

The additional content regarding charging stations and battery swapping stations in this revision has been drawn from the regulations and standards of many advanced countries, as well as current Vietnamese National Technical Regulations (QCVN and TCVN). Simultaneously, many relevant and practical aspects need to be reviewed and updated, particularly technical requirements for parking spaces for new vehicles, electric vehicle charging areas, regulations on the construction of charging stations/poles in car garages, and requirements for fire prevention, explosion control, and emergency evacuation.

Adding regulations for charging stations and battery swapping stations to the National Technical Standard for Apartment Buildings is not merely a technical requirement, but an urgent state management solution aimed at creating a safe and modern living environment, promoting the development of green transportation infrastructure, and ensuring the sustainable development of Vietnamese cities in the new era.

In summary, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh emphasized that the arrangement of infrastructure for electric vehicles in apartment buildings still has many shortcomings and requires solutions. Based on this, the Deputy Minister assigned the Department of Housing and Real Estate Market Management to coordinate with the Institute of Construction Science and Technology to comprehensively incorporate the discussion points; and to coordinate with the Hanoi Department of Construction to conduct surveys and assessments for each type of building.

Urban housing types, including townhouses and apartments, especially those built before 2020 or 2010, have different characteristics, requiring a suitable approach. Regarding technical aspects, the Deputy Minister requested clarification on three main requirements for electric vehicles: parking areas, charging areas (charging stations), and battery swapping areas (battery swapping stations). The regulations should also specify separate requirements for cars and motorcycles. Furthermore, they should fully incorporate relevant specialized technical standards such as fire safety, charging stations, and battery swapping stations.

Furthermore, the drafting agency needs to incorporate feedback from the apartment building's management board, local authorities, and the investor; and refer to information from complaints and reports on actual management practices to finalize the draft. In particular, rigid figures should not be stipulated without a comprehensive assessment, to avoid risks from rapidly changing realities. For existing buildings, the management board should decide on the proportion and scale of electric vehicle parking areas based on actual usage. Repairs and renovations must comply with construction laws. Simultaneously, research should be conducted on a plan to allocate a separate area for electric vehicles, such as separating the electrical system, access routes, and implementing fire safety measures to ensure safety, limit fire spread, and protect residents.

The Deputy Minister also emphasized the need to encourage the model of arranging electric vehicle parking areas, charging stations, and battery swapping stations separately from buildings, located on campuses or adjacent to each other, to increase options for residents, instead of relying solely on basement space. In addition, the drafting agency should research and add requirements for equipment to collect used batteries at charging or swapping points to support management (although this content is not yet included in the specialized standards).

The Deputy Minister instructed the Department of Housing and Real Estate Market Management and the Institute of Construction Science and Technology to urgently incorporate feedback and finalize the draft, ensuring that it is completed within the first quarter of 2026 as assigned by the Minister.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/doi-song/go-kho-van-de-sac-pin-cho-xe-dien-o-chung-cu-i790952/