ISCM-UEH Experts Attend Solar & Storage Live Vietnam 2025 Forum
Since 2017, the forum “SOLAR & STORAGE LIVE VIETNAM” has become a prestigious annual event, bringing together leading experts, policymakers, scientists, and businesses from both domestic and international backgrounds. It serves as a platform for exchanging and discussing opportunities and challenges in the renewable energy sector, helping Vietnam integrate strongly with the global trend of green economic development. With the message: “Energy Transition: Accelerating the Net Zero Economy,” the forum “SOLAR & STORAGE LIVE VIETNAM 2025” will gather more than 120 high-level representatives from both domestic and international backgrounds as speakers to share experiences on the development trends of electric vehicles and the challenges in energy transition in Vietnam.
As an entity within the smart city ecosystem in Vietnam, playing a pioneering role in research and development of smart and sustainable urban areas, the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM-UEH) has made significant contributions to shaping strategic development, policies, and energy solutions to promote smart transportation. At the invitation of the forum's organizing committee, Mr. Phạm Nguyễn Hoài, with expertise in smart urban planning and the integration of transportation infrastructure with technology, participated as a speaker in the panel discussion “The Future of Electric Vehicles in Vietnam: Challenges to Overcome.”
In the panel discussion, Mr. Phạm Nguyễn Hoài made several observations. Specifically, the integration of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure into urban transportation planning in Vietnam currently faces many challenges. In recent years, planning has been moving towards greater integration, but it still primarily focuses on spatial development dynamics and tends to be "top-down," with citizens as the ultimate beneficiaries but not truly participating actively. Additionally, some urban planning is influenced by large companies in the housing and industrial development sectors, which further reduces the feasibility of integrating EV infrastructure.
Speakers engaging in discussion during the panel
According to M. Pham Nguyen Hoai, for electric vehicles to not only serve as transportation but also become a part of the "smart ecosystem," several important factors need to be considered. First, a reliable energy source is required to power the vehicles. This necessitates the development of renewable energy and the exploration of reasonable energy sources in Vietnam. Supportive policies and funding should also be established to encourage businesses and startups to research and implement innovative solutions for electricity production. Second, there needs to be a system for energy storage and charging stations, similar to current gas stations, to conveniently supply electricity to electric vehicles. The smart ecosystem will be formed when the government and businesses collaborate to generate and utilize electricity while turning emissions from electricity production into valuable products. This not only supports each other but also enhances the quality of life for citizens.
With the coordination of Mr. Nguyen Cong Minh Bao (Co-founder & Executive Director of Green Transition), the panel discussion also provided insights into the importance of vehicle-sharing platforms in the electrification of transportation, as well as perspectives from electric vehicle manufacturers through the contributions of Mr. Tran Thang Loi (Thai Hung Corporation), Mr. Nguyen Phuc Lam (Co-founder & Executive Director of SENCAR Mobility), and Mr. Hoang Hong Minh (Executive Director of dichung). At the conclusion of the discussion, all speakers agreed that for electric vehicles to truly develop in Vietnam, government policies, local government involvement, infrastructure planning, participation from businesses, and proactive engagement from citizens are essential.
Topics related to electrification in transportation and the promotion of smart transportation are also being taught in the Master's program in Smart and Creative Urban Management at the Institute of Smart City and Management.
News and photos: Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM), Organizing Committee of SOLAR & STORAGE LIVE VIETNAM, and ISCM Communications Department.