Amid economic difficulties and fuel price spiraling more people in Hanoi have opted to use electric bikes instead of motorbikes.

A wider range of electric bikes are on sale

While previously only students and old people used electric bikes, increasing numbers of office workers have adopted such mean of transportation.

Several bike stores along Ba Trieu, Ton Duc Thang, Kham Thien and Tay Son Streets have switched to sell electric bikes due to increasing demand.

Nguyen Huy Hung, owner of an electric bike store on Ton Duc Thang Street said, “Demand often increases at the beginning of the school year and after the Tet holiday. However, spending on such vehicles has considerably increased in recent months. Some stores can sell 15 to 20 electric bikes a month, compared to only five to ten vehicles the same period last year.”

Nguyen Van Bac, an official of Dam Minh Anh Co., Ltd which trades in smart electric bikes, said revenues from the firm’s branches in Hanoi and Haiphong have increased by 2.5 fold in the first quarter of this year compared to a year earlier. Their sales in March increased by over 30% compared to the first months of the year.

Battery powered electric bikes are priced at from VND8-12 million (USD381.67) each while vehicles fuelled by cells have higher prices, at between VND10 million and VND12 million (USD477.01-USD572.51) each.

Best selling trademarks mainly use Japanese technologies, including Honda, Yamaha, Bridgestone, Giant, Asama, and Geoby.

Most electric bike traders said demand would be on the rise in the time to come as a result of recent sharp hike in petroleum prices.

Nga, a woman from Vinh Phuc Ward, said she has decided to travel by electric bike for over a month as she lives seven kilometres from her office.

“Previously I had to pay over VND600,000 (USD28.62) for petrol to fuel my automatic scooter every month. Since I travelled by electric bike I’ve saved around VND500,000 (USD23.85) per month,” she noted.