Electric vehicle charging infrastructure: A challenging yet necessary development
Host Đăng Việt in conversation with journalist Lê Tùng Anh on the topic of electric vehicle charging options outside of VinFast.
In this discussion, host Đăng Việt and journalist Lê Tùng Anh delve into the challenges faced by electric vehicle owners who don’t drive a VinFast, given the company’s extensive charging network across Vietnam.
Host: VinFast has a significant advantage over its competitors in the electric vehicle market due to its comprehensive charging infrastructure across the country. So, where can electric vehicle owners who don’t drive a VinFast charge their cars? Lê Tùng Anh, what are your thoughts on this?
Porsche Taycan, the first officially distributed electric car model in Vietnam, marked the beginning of electric vehicles in the country, followed by VinFast and a few other brands. It is evident that lacking a public charging network can be a significant hurdle for automotive brands selling electric vehicles.
In reality, purchasing a non-VinFast electric vehicle doesn’t mean you can’t charge it. However, the more pertinent question is how to charge it efficiently.
Firstly, home charging is the most optimal solution for owners of non-VinFast electric vehicles. Nonetheless, this option inadvertently limits the potential customer base for these vehicles.
Home charging requires homeowners to have a parking space on their property, which can be challenging in large cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Consequently, these customers tend to be more affluent, and the electric vehicle becomes their second or third car, bought more for the experience than daily use.
The challenges of owning a non-VinFast electric vehicle in Vietnam.
Alternatively, if home charging is not an option, owners can utilize charging stations provided by third-party companies. Currently, there are about ten companies offering this service in Vietnam, with notable names such as EVerCharge, EV One, and Charge+.
However, these companies primarily provide smaller charging stations. While some have installed high-power DC charging stations, they are mainly located at luxury car showrooms like Porsche and Audi to serve their customers. Affluent individuals who own multi-billion-dong cars are willing to pay higher charging fees. Nonetheless, the number of charging stations is still insufficient to meet the growing demand.
Investing in charging infrastructure is a chicken-and-egg situation. Businesses need revenue to sustain their operations before considering profits, while customers buying non-VinFast electric vehicles are waiting for a more comprehensive charging network to feel confident about their purchase.
The challenges of developing a comprehensive electric vehicle charging network in Vietnam.
In reality, charging infrastructure is a complex issue that will take time to resolve. Currently, even generating revenue to sustain operations is challenging for these companies, let alone rapidly expanding their charging networks.
Many people are willing to buy and experience new electric vehicle models outside of VinFast. However, after purchasing, their usage is mostly limited to simple, short-distance trips close to home. I recall a story about a Hyundai Ioniq 5 owner who took two weeks to drive across Vietnam, which is only feasible for those with ample time and financial resources, not the majority.
Therefore, I believe that the market needs a significant boost, which could come from automotive brands or large investors.
Some automotive brands offer a portable charger as a gift to their customers, allowing them to charge their vehicles anywhere. What are your thoughts on the feasibility of this option?
This is indeed a charging option. For example, someone traveling from Hanoi to Nghe An, about 300 kilometers away, and staying there for a few days, can leave their car at the hotel to charge and use taxis for local transportation. Obviously, this scenario highlights the inconvenience of relying solely on portable chargers.
A typical portable charger has a power output of 2.2-3.5kW, while a standard battery pack has a capacity of 50-80kWh. As a result, it can take half a day or more to fully charge the battery, making our trips less enjoyable and more dependent on the charging schedule.
Consequently, I believe that for most people, a non-VinFast electric vehicle would be their second car. When traveling long distances, they would rely on their gasoline-powered car, using the electric vehicle for shorter, local trips.
The limitations of relying solely on portable chargers for electric vehicles.
What challenges do private charging station installers face in Vietnam at the moment?
The infrastructure for charging stations is not a simple matter. It’s not just about having the financial resources to purchase charging stations and land to set them up. There are several other factors to consider, including legal regulations, fire safety requirements, and the electrical infrastructure in the area where the charging station will be located.
To illustrate this point, let’s consider an area with a maximum allocated electricity capacity of X kW. After supplying enough electricity for the residents, if there is a surplus of Y kW, it can then be used for charging stations.
In a scenario where a charging station has already been installed and is utilizing the full capacity of the electrical infrastructure, another company cannot set up an additional station. To do so, they would need to bring in electricity from other sources, either from the medium or low voltage grid, which is a costly and time-consuming process.
After consulting with companies providing charging infrastructure, it became evident that having financial resources is not enough to install charging stations in Vietnam.
The complexities of installing private charging stations in Vietnam.
Can you share the strengths and weaknesses of three prominent charging infrastructure providers: EV One, EV Charge, and Charge+?
Charge+ is a significant player in Singapore, known for its strategic and committed approach to the industry. They even planned to build an electric vehicle highway across Southeast Asia. However, after conducting research in Vietnam, they encountered numerous challenges.
Charge+ has signed an agreement with Porsche Vietnam to develop 17 high-power DC charging stations, but this will take three years to complete. This timeline underscores the difficulties even a financially strong company like Charge+ faces in Vietnam.
Regarding EVerCharge, they sell portable chargers and develop charging infrastructure. They have installed 150kW DC charging stations in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. They are always ready to survey potential sites upon request. However, as mentioned earlier, issues with the electrical grid and legal aspects of the land have slowed down their progress. Despite having sufficient capital, EVerCharge currently operates only three high-power DC charging stations, in addition to smaller 22kW stations.
Previously, GSM (a ride-hailing app) had a policy prohibiting their drivers from using third-party charging stations, which negatively impacted these companies as a significant portion of electric vehicles on the road today are GSM taxis.
The impact of GSM’s previous policy on third-party charging stations.
Thank you, Lê Tùng Anh, for your valuable insights.
The Trên Ghế program is a collaboration between Ho Chi Minh City Television and VCCorp; in cooperation with AutoPro; with commercial exploitation by AdWheel; and in association with Giovanni.
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