Millions of electric vehicles are about to roll out, challenging charging infrastructure and the rate of imported equipment

A series of energy equipment still depends on imports, along with many bottlenecks in technology, infrastructure and capital... This is an issue that needs to be resolved quickly, so that Vietnam can make a breakthrough in innovation, energy transition and move towards a sustainable green economy.

Experts discuss innovation, join hands to transform national energy - Photo: BONG MAI

The Energy Innovation Forum 2025 was recently organized by the Department of Innovation ( Ministry of Science and Technology ) in coordination with relevant units on September 18 in Ho Chi Minh City, attracting a large number of experts and large enterprises to attend.

90% dependent on external devices

In the context of a strong energy transition, especially related to the boom of renewable energy, Dr. Nguyen Quang Nam - Head of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics, University of Technology (VNU-HCM) - said that the market is driving a great demand for inverters, electric vehicle chargers, storage systems and smart grid management equipment.

However, more than 90% of the above key equipment must be imported, making Vietnam highly dependent on foreign countries. Most domestic enterprises are only at the assembly stage and have not yet mastered core technologies such as semiconductor chips, power control or smart energy management.

This gap is also evident in the electric vehicle sector. According to the forecast of the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association, by 2028 our country will have about 1 million electric cars on the road, increasing to 3.5 million by 2040. But currently there are only a few thousand charging points.

Not to mention the goal of electric vehicles accounting for 30% of new car sales by 2030, requiring tens of thousands of fast charging stations, even super-fast charging systems for electric buses and trucks.

Meanwhile, the smart grid program is still in its infancy. Meanwhile, demand from renewable energy and electric vehicles is growing. EVN aims to digitize the grid by 2030, but to achieve this, it needs to proactively develop domestic equipment.

Dr. Nam emphasized: "Mastering manufacturing technology is not only a technical requirement but also has national strategic significance."

To solve this problem, we need to focus on five key technology directions related to research and development of modern semiconductor chips, domestic inverters, smart storage batteries, two-way charging stations for electric vehicles, and safe digitalization of the power grid.

Don't let green businesses "get stuck" because of the loan problem

According to the World Bank, Vietnam needs to mobilize about 368 billion USD, equivalent to 6.8% of GDP each year until 2040 to achieve the target of net zero emissions.

Mr. Vo Tan Thanh - Vice President of VCCI - affirmed that energy is considered the lifeblood of the economy , linked to national security, sustainable development and quality of life. However, in the process of transitioning from traditional to green energy, Vietnamese enterprises face pressure on capital, technology and global competition.

Presenting the current situation, Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hue - Project Director of KLINOVA Climate Innovation Consulting and Services Joint Stock Company - acknowledged that green credit is growing but the scale is still modest. As of March 2025, green credit outstanding only accounts for 4.3% of the total outstanding debt of the whole system, green bonds only account for 1.5% of total issuance and the whole country has only two ESG funds.

In fact, many businesses implementing green projects still face difficulties in borrowing capital because their projects are small and lack collateral. “Bank loans cannot use carbon credits as collateral, most of them have to use land,” Ms. Hue said.

Therefore, she recommended integrating ESG criteria (measuring the sustainable development of a business) into credit approval, legalizing carbon credits as financial instruments, developing investment funds and green credit guarantees.

At the same time, issue tax and fee incentives, open a direct electricity trading market, and adjust electricity purchase prices to ensure revenue for businesses...

Mr. Pham Viet Hong - Deputy Director of the Department of Innovation (Ministry of Science and Technology) - emphasized that Vietnam is showing great determination in the process of sustainable development and national energy transition. To support the business community, the National Assembly has passed Resolution 198 with many preferential tax policies.

Specifically, according to Decree 198, innovative start-ups are exempt from income tax for the first two years and reduced by 50% for the next four years. Personal income tax and corporate income tax are exempted for capital transfer activities. Newly established small and medium-sized enterprises are exempt from corporate income tax for three years.

Experts and scientists working at start-ups or R&D (research and development) centers are exempted from or have their personal income tax reduced for six years. In addition, the cost of training human resources for enterprises in the chain is included in reasonable expenses when determining taxable income.

Don't let energy security be threatened

“Ensuring energy security is becoming a top priority in economic development,” emphasized Mr. Dang Hai Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Innovation, Green Transformation and Industrial Promotion (Ministry of Industry and Trade).

He said that with a population of 102 million people by 2025, Vietnam's energy demand will increase rapidly. However, since 2023 we have had to import coal and LPG ( liquefied petroleum gas).

To address this issue, the Politburo issued Resolution 70 on energy security by 2030 - vision to 2045, setting a target of total primary energy supply of 150 - 170 million tons, renewable energy accounting for 25 - 30%, electricity capacity of 183 - 236 GW, petroleum reserves at 90 days of net import and development of LNG (liquefied natural gas) infrastructure.

The pillars of action include: energy efficiency, technology development, environmental protection and promoting circular economy.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hang-trieu-xe-dien-sap-lan-banh-thach-thuc-ha-tang-sac-va-ti-le-thiet-bi-phai-nhap-khau-20250918182458424.htm