Expanding the scope of National Technical Regulations for electric vehicles

The Ministry of Transport is seeking comments on the Draft Circular promulgating National Technical Regulations on technical safety quality and environmental protection for automobiles (hereinafter referred to as the Draft Circular).

Compared with the current Regulation issued in 2015 (QCVN 09), the Draft Circular expands the scope of regulation to types of automobiles that do not use fossil fuels, including: pure electric vehicles, Hybrid vehicles, Hybrid electric vehicles, Hydrogen fuel vehicles, and Hydrogen electric vehicles.

According to the Ministry of Transport, up to now, QCVN 09 has been applied for 8 years and has raised a number of new issues that need to be considered, revised and supplemented appropriately to strengthen control of technical safety quality and environmental protection for automobiles, ensure harmony with international standards, and create favorable conditions for automobile manufacturing and assembling enterprises.

Besides, fossil fuel cars are one of the sources of greenhouse gas emissions causing global climate change.

Currently, the Governments of all countries have a common trend of actively changing policies to invest in developing electric cars, green energy and building plans to eliminate vehicles using fossil fuels. Following the general trend of the world , Vietnam is currently rapidly developing electric cars, green energy; developing hybrid cars, smart vehicles.

Therefore, it is necessary to review, update and supplement regulations to meet the needs of vehicle technology development, ensuring state management of technical safety quality and environmental protection for newly manufactured, assembled and imported vehicles in Vietnam.

Countries have a common trend of actively changing policies to invest in developing electric cars and green energy.

In recent years, Vietnam has signed free trade agreements with European Union (EVFTA), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UKVFTA), Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and ASEAN. Participation in these agreements requires the development and harmonization of technical standards and regulations to ensure safety and harmonization with the world's common technical level of vehicles.

Amending and supplementing a number of contents related to technical requirements; inspection and testing methods; expanding the recognition of testing and certification results according to international practices, suitable to the actual conditions of Vietnam to support business development.

In addition, the Draft Circular also provides additional regulations on smart vehicles, including: automatic vehicles and self-driving vehicles. According to the Ministry of Transport, the expansion of regulations aims to meet Vietnam's practical needs for using this type of vehicle and in accordance with the Prime Minister's strategic orientation for Vietnam's transport development.

In fact, in the Technical Regulations system (QCVN), there are currently only 5 QCVNs specifically for electric vehicles, including: QCVN 68/2013/BGTVT and Amendment 1:2015 National technical regulations on electric bicycles: QCVN 75:2019/BGTVT - National technical regulations on Motors used for electric bicycles; QCVN 76: 2019/BGTVT - National technical regulations on Batteries used for electric bicycles; QCVN 90: 2019/BGTVT - National technical regulations on Motors used for electric motorbikes and scooters; QCVN 91: 2019/BGTVT - National technical regulations on Batteries used for electric motorbikes and scooters.

In particular, the QCVNs have not covered all issues of vehicle quality and safety for users of motorbikes, scooters and electric vehicles. In addition, the number of electric cars is growing but currently there is no specific QCVN for these vehicle lines .

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/mo-rong-pham-vi-quy-chuan-ky-thuat-quoc-gia-doi-voi-xe-o-to-dien-a645956.html