Vietnam faces challenges with millions of e-scooters and an unreliable power supply. Despite this conundrum, some resourceful Vietnamese individuals are using their e-scooters to enhance the stability of the electrical grid and assist small businesses in avoiding blackouts.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s most populous city, power outages are a common occurrence. While larger businesses may have generators to rely on during outages, many small, independent businesses lack such resources.
However, a group of e-scooter enthusiasts, predominantly users of Dat Bike e-scooters, have initiated a grassroots project called Re:Charge to address this issue. Dat Bike, a local Vietnamese brand established in 2019, has a vibrant online community supporting its users.
The initiative involves converting e-scooters equipped with large batteries into mobile power sources to assist businesses during power outages. The project is currently supported by around 10 users, but they aim to expand their reach and involve more participants.
Re:Charge has set up a hotline for local businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and has already helped various establishments like eateries, bakeries, coffee shops, a tattoo parlor, and a grocery store. The group offers their services at no charge, instead seeking small gestures of gratitude like free snacks from the businesses they assist.
Dat Bike e-scooters are equipped with up to a 5kWh battery, which can be coupled with 1kW or 2kW inverters to produce a 220V power source. These inverters can power essential equipment for several hours, making them valuable for businesses during outages.
The group is actively promoting their efforts through a Facebook page and a Vietnamese TikTok account, aiming to recruit more users to join their cause.
Electrek’s Take
This small-scale initiative in Vietnam exemplifies the positive impact of EVs during power outages and emergencies. By utilizing relatively small battery capacities, like the 5kWh batteries in Dat Bike e-scooters, communities can provide vital assistance to local businesses in need. This project underscores the potential benefits of EVs in offering mobile power solutions and highlights the importance of bidirectional charging technologies for future applications.