HCMC - With deployment of EV charging stations and battery swap cabinets behind schedule, the HCMC Department of Construction has urged relevant units to accelerate deployment to meet the 2026 targets.

The city has planned to install 60 charging stations and 3,000 battery swap cabinets by the end of April 2026, with a target of reaching 100 stations and 20,000 swap cabinets by the end of the year. Authorities have identified 762 sites for 2,111 battery swap cabinets and approved 300 locations for 850 units, but firms have installed just 411 cabinets at 173 sites so far, missing city-set targets. In response, the Construction Department has instructed two traffic management units to fast-track a review of transport infrastructure, including bus stops, sidewalks, vacant land and canal corridors. The list of viable sites for charging stations and battery swap cabinets will be submitted by April 10. The two units are also tasked with proposing sidewalk locations for battery swap cabinets that ensure traffic safety and urban aesthetics, while monitoring and supervising installation and operations by businesses. Any construction that violates permits or exceeds approved use of roadways and sidewalks, or causes sanitation or traffic safety issues, will be subject to inspection and enforcement. The department has urged businesses to fast-track installation at designated sites, with a target of more than 3,000 battery swap cabinets operational citywide by April 20. Expanding charging infrastructure is critical to driving EV adoption in HCMC. Earlier, several companies announced major investments in the sector, including V-Green’s VND10 trillion program to build 99 charging stations nationwide and a US$130 million EV battery plant project in Hue.