Only four rest stops on North–South Expressway offer EV charging

Only four rest stops along the eastern segment of the North–South Expressway currently boast partially functional electric vehicle (EV) charging systems, according to a recent review. Tran Hong Minh, the Construction Minister, has directed relevant authorities and investors to expedite the development of EV charging infrastructure at these rest stops.

Currently, four out of the 21 rest stops have partially operational charging systems, while an additional eight are in the construction phase. The remaining rest stops have not yet initiated the installation of charging infrastructure and lack a scheduled completion date. Some of these stops have not even chosen an investor or operator, nor have they determined a timeline for when the charging stations will become operational.

The minister has tasked the relevant authorities with instructing investors and rest stop operators to promptly review design plans, available land, power supply capacity, and contractual obligations. They are also instructed to develop detailed implementation plans for each site. The minister emphasized that the scale of charging infrastructure should align with traffic demand, the projected growth in electric vehicles, and long-term operational requirements.

Furthermore, the charging stations should be developed concurrently with the construction, renovation, and upgrading of rest stop facilities. The directive also specifies the selection of investors with robust financial capacity and a proven track record in developing, building, managing, and operating large-scale EV charging networks to ensure consistent infrastructure across the expressway.