Why Are There So Many Motorbikes in Vietnam?

Motorcycles are a common sight on the roads of Vietnam, as demonstrated in this photo by Duy Hieu.

Traffic jams and congestion have been a frequent occurrence in recent days in major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, partly due to the increased shopping and travel demands during the Tet holiday season.

A typical scene during rush hour in these urban areas is the abundance of private vehicles, with a majority of them being two-wheeled motorcycles.

After a booming period from 2016 to 2019, with over 3 million units sold annually, the Vietnamese motorcycle market experienced a prolonged lull.

Automobile sales also witnessed relatively healthy growth during the same period. However, the proportion of households owning four-wheeled vehicles in Vietnam still pales in comparison to the prevalence of two-wheelers.

Nearly Every Household Owns a Two-Wheeler

According to the mid-term population and housing census conducted in 2024 by the General Statistics Office, the majority of households use private motorized vehicles, including motorcycles and automobiles, for their daily activities.

The ownership rate of motorcycles stands at 89.4%, indicating that almost every family in Vietnam owns at least one two-wheeled vehicle.

Two-wheelers are the predominant mode of personal transportation in Vietnam, as captured by Duy Hieu in this photo.

The report also reveals that only 9% of Vietnamese households own automobiles, meaning that out of every 10 households, less than one owns a four-wheeled vehicle. While this percentage is not exceptionally high, it does represent a 3.3-point improvement from the 5.7% recorded in 2019.

According to the General Statistics Office, as of 2024, Vietnam had over 28.1 million households. Combining this figure with the aforementioned vehicle ownership rates, we can estimate that there are at least 25.1 million motorcycles and approximately 2.2 million automobiles in use in the country.

These statistics from the General Statistics Office highlight a significant imbalance in the ratio of motorcycles to automobiles in Vietnam.

Specifically, there are currently 11 times more motorcycles than cars on Vietnamese roads.

While these figures may not perfectly reflect the current state of Vietnamese transportation, they do provide a basis for understanding the popularity of motorcycles in the country.

This imbalance is likely a contributing factor to the overwhelming presence of motorcycles during traffic jams and congestion, outnumbering other four-wheeled vehicles.

Vietnam Ranks Fourth in Global Motorcycle Market

Data from Motorcycles Data, a specialized source for motorcycle sales figures from various global markets, indicates that as of October 2024, motorcycle sales in Vietnam reached 2.35 million units, reflecting a 1.9% increase from the previous year.

This purchasing power also cements Vietnam’s position as the fourth-largest motorcycle market in the world, following India, China, and Indonesia.

Vietnam boasts the fourth-largest motorcycle market globally, as illustrated in this photo by Duy Hieu.

Additionally, data shared by the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMM) reveals that for the entire year of 2024, the combined sales of its five member companies amounted to 2.563 million units.

This equates to more than 302 motorcycles being sold every hour in Vietnam by companies such as Honda Vietnam, Piaggio Vietnam, Vietnam Suzuki, SYM Vietnam, and Yamaha Motor Vietnam.

Compared to the 2022 motorcycle sales figures provided by VAMM, the 2024 sales showed a 5.46% increase. However, they still fell short of the 3 million units sold annually during the 2016-2019 period and in 2022.

In addition to the VAMM members, the Vietnamese two-wheeler market also includes prominent brands in the large-displacement motorcycle segment, such as Kawasaki, KTM, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, and Royal Enfield, as well as electric vehicle manufacturers like VinFast, Pega, Dat Bike, and Yadea.

The Road to Automobile Popularity is Less Traveled

The Vietnamese automobile market experienced continuous growth from 2020 to 2022, peaking at over 404,000 units sold in 2022.

However, according to a report by the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA), automobile sales in the country dropped significantly to 301,989 units in 2023 before slightly rebounding to 340,142 units in 2024.

This instability hinders Vietnam’s potential to become a hotspot for the automotive market in Southeast Asia.

Data collected by the ASEAN Automotive Federation (AAF) up until September 2024 further underscores Vietnam’s position in the region regarding automobile purchases.

With 225,583 units sold as of September 2024, Vietnam ranks fifth among Southeast Asian countries in terms of automobile sales, according to AAF’s data.

Indonesia leads the pack with 633,218 automobiles sold to customers during the first nine months of last year. Malaysia follows closely as the second-largest automobile market in the region, with 594,037 units sold. Meanwhile, Thailand witnessed a decline of over 25% in sales, reaching 438,303 units.

Just ahead of Vietnam, the Philippines secured the fourth position in Southeast Asia for automobile sales as of September 2024. The island nation recorded a total of 344,307 automobile sales, marking a 9.4% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

Vietnam has yet to become the focal point of the automotive market in Southeast Asia, as seen in this photo by Phuc Hau.

In the foreseeable future, the four-wheeler market in Vietnam is expected to gain momentum from the robust sales of electric vehicles. Last year, VinFast emerged as the best-selling automotive brand in Vietnam, with over 87,000 units sold. The VF 5 model contributed more than 32,000 units, making it the top-selling car in 2024.

Additionally, the popularity of versatile vehicles such as small MPVs, C-segment SUVs, and pickup trucks continues to significantly influence the growth of the Vietnamese automotive market.

It is evident that in the near future, motorcycles will remain the predominant mode of personal transportation in Vietnam, with a gradual shift towards electric motorcycles and automobiles, particularly small electric cars. Transportation infrastructure and culture pose challenges to the widespread adoption of automobiles, as a significant increase in the number of cars could exacerbate existing traffic issues.

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