HCMC – The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is seeking feedback on a draft circular that introduces two options for electricity tariffs applied to electric vehicle (EV) charging, aiming to align with current regulations and practical needs.
Under the prime minister’s Decision 14/2025, tourism accommodations and EV charging operations have been added to the retail electricity pricing framework. The proposed circular provides detailed guidelines for tariff application to ensure consistency and efficiency.
The MoIT said the guidance is necessary as EV charging could place significant pressure on the national grid, particularly during peak hours.
The draft outlines two tariff options. The first applies a general retail electricity rate for all charging stations and facilities, including those for electric buses, provided they install separate meters. For households with residential electricity contracts, home charging would be billed under the residential tariff.
The second option provides more flexibility, distinguishing between cases with and without separate meters. With a dedicated meter, the tariff would follow the registered electricity usage purpose. Without a separate meter, the current household or business tariff would apply, depending on the existing contract.
Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) and several power corporations support requiring separate meters for charging stations, except for home users, citing grid pressure during peak demand.
However, HCMC Power Corporation argued that separate meters are not always necessary. For example, cafés or shops offering EV charging services could be billed under a single business tariff for their total electricity use.
