“Our family owns six motorbikes, the newest one is three years old, and the oldest nearly 30. They’re all crucial to our livelihood,” Hung, 70, of Ba Dinh Ward, says.

Hung and his wife sell chickens, commuting over 40 km daily to Ha Dong Ward to buy them. Their two sons work as delivery and motorbike taxi drivers. Other family members, despite being office workers and students, also rely on motorbikes for their daily commute. The decision to ban petrol-powered motorbikes within Hanoi’s Ring Road 1 has left the family anxious.

Under Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s Directive 20, Hanoi aims to phase out fossil fuel-powered motorbikes by July 1, 2026. The next phases would restrict personal petrol and diesel cars within Ring Roads 1 and 2 by 2028 and Ring Road 3 by 2030.

While some people are excited about the change, families like Hung’s are nervous that the timeline is too abrupt for them to adapt.

“We understand the policy is meant to cut pollution, but we can already see the challenges ahead for people like us,” Hung says. “How can we afford over VND100 million (US$3,830) to buy six electric bikes within a year?”

Three years ago Hung’s family tried switching to electric bikes to save on fuel costs. However, after just a few months they abandoned the idea.

He recalls that often he would return home exhausted at night and forget to charge the bike, meaning it was not ready for his daily commute by morning. He also worried about fire risks, which made him hesitant to leave it plugged in overnight.

What disappointed him most was the bike’s poor load capacity, which made it impossible to carry two people and cages of chickens. After a few months, the battery quickly deteriorated, and they had to sell the bike for half of what they had paid.

Now he struggles to imagine his small courtyard packed with six electric bikes charging every night, knowing that a blackout would leave the entire family stranded, unable to work or attend school.

But not everyone shares Hung’s concerns.

Hoang Minh, 35, an office worker from Dong Da Ward, supports the petrol motorbike ban. For more than a year he has combined his electric bike with the sky train for his daily commute from Chuong My Ward. Although the electric bike requires him to leave home earlier and travels more slowly, he appreciates not having to deal with traffic or pollution during the morning rush hour. “My wife and I save nearly VND1 million a month on petrol,” he says.

On social media, the debate over the ban has ignited heated discussions. One group supports the measure, calling it an urgent step toward improving quality of life. One user, Phi Long, comments: “I switched to an electric bike almost a year ago. It runs smoothly, has no petrol smell, and is low-maintenance. With more government support, many others will follow suit.”

However, others argue that the timeline is too abrupt, placing huge strain on families. They suggest halting new petrol motorbike registrations, then gradually phasing out older vehicles that fail emissions standards every five years, with financial support for the transition. They also call for increased investment in green public transportation and better infrastructure.

A survey by Read on July 13 found 58% of respondents saying banning petrol bikes by mid-2026 is “unfeasible,” while only 18% said it was feasible.

Assoc Prof Dr Bui Thi An, director of the Institute of Natural Resources, Environment and Community Development, supports the regulation but emphasizes the importance of a practical and socially responsible implementation strategy.

Hanoi has nearly seven million registered motorbikes, most of which are crucial for people’s livelihoods, she says. Facilitating this transition is a significant challenge for policymakers, she says. “If there are not comprehensive replacement plans and adequate support policies, people’s lives will be turned upside down.”

Transport expert Dr Nguyen Xuan Thuy, a former director and editor-in-chief of the Transport Publishing House, says air pollution is a global issue. He notes that Hanoi and HCMC are among the cities with high levels of particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide. In 2024 Hanoi authorities identified five primary sources of air pollution: road traffic (including road dust), industrial emissions, household activities, biomass burning, and agriculture.

According to the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, petrol and diesel vehicle emissions contribute 46% of fine particulate matter, with motorbikes accounting for over 90% of volatile organic compounds in traffic emissions.

“However, whatever measures are adopted must ensure necessary and sufficient conditions for a smooth transition,” Thuy says. “If implementation disrupts people’s lives or complicates the situation unnecessarily, it will not gain widespread support.”

An suggests that, instead of merely setting deadlines, authorities should adopt integrated solutions such as subsidies for transition, infrastructure upgrades, improved green public transportation, and addressing the shortage of charging stations.

Every day Gia Linh, 28, rides her motorbike 80 km from her home in Me Linh District to Hang Da Street in Hoan Kiem Ward and back, trying to save on soaring rental costs.

She tried using buses but found them inconvenient and often running late due to traffic jams. For her, petrol motorbikes are the most practical choice: they are easy to navigate in traffic, rarely break down and gas stations are everywhere. Taken aback by the ban proposal, she believes electric bikes are only suitable for short-distance riders.

For long-distance commuters like her, constant charging leads to battery degradation, requiring costly replacements every two years.

“I support reducing emissions, but why focus on motorbikes, the lifeline of many, when private cars, which emit more and take up more space, are not targeted?”