DEVELOPING EV CHARGING STATIONS IN VIETNAM

1 Charging technologies for Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicle (EV) charger technology has evolved rapidly over the last decade and at the
present various types of chargers are available in the market to serve different categories of
EVs. Electric vehicle charging can be classified into different types as shown in Figure 1. Based
on the technology used for charging, it is classified into Conductive (Plug-in/Wired), Wireless
and Battery swapping.

Figure 1: Classification of EV charging technologies

The physical location of the components for converting the power supplied by the grid to
that required by vehicle battery can be categorized as onboard and off-board chargers.
Onboard chargers are located within the vehicle, and the size and power rating are
constrained by the available space within the vehicle. Off-board chargers are located outside
the vehicle, and this setup provides more flexibility in terms of the power that can be
delivered. Both classes of charging devices must contain control circuits and communicate
in real-time with the vehicle battery. This is to ensure that the battery is charged in an
optimum way, avoiding any damage to the battery through overcharging. AC charging uses
an onboard charger while DC and battery swap use an off-board charger. In case of an
wireless charger, a combination of both an onboard and off-board charger are required.
The wireless charging and the battery swap are faced with the most difficult challenges
because they both require massive investment in the infrastructure, standardization between
car types, battery size, power level and even shape.
Conductive (Plug-in/Wired) charging is the most common charging method right now and
it has 2 categories: AC and DC charging.

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Conductive charging – AC

Figure 2: Conductive charging – AC

When the charging station and the EV are first connected, the charge controller in the station
communicates with the EV. Information regarding the connectivity, fault condition and
current limits are exchanged between the charger and the EV.
After the AC power is provided to the EV, the onboard charger has a rectifier that converts
the AC power to DC power. Then, the power control unit appropriately adjusts the voltage
and current of a DC/DC converter to control the charging power delivered to the battery.
The power control unit, in turn, gets inputs from the Battery Management System or the
BMS for controlling the battery charging.
Apart from this, there is a protection circuit inside the onboard charger. The BMS triggers
the protection circuits if the battery operating limits are exceeded, isolating the battery if
needed.

Figure 3: AC conductive charging process

The advantages of this method are:
• The battery can be recharged anywhere using the AC grid and the onboard EV charger
• The EV charger can easily communicate with the Battery Management System (BMS)
and no additional power electronic converters are needed in the EV charger. This
leads to a higher performance and lower cost.
And the disadvantages are:

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 • AC power has to be converted into DC power in the car, and there is a limitation of
the power output for AC charging due to size and weight restrictions of the onboard
charger.
• AC charging needs relatively long time due to the relatively lower charging power.
Conductive charging – DC

Figure 4: Conductive charging – DC

In the first step, the alternating current or AC power provided by the AC grid is converted
into direct current or DC power using a rectifier inside the DC charging station.
Then, the power control unit appropriately adjusts the voltage and current of the DC/DC
converter inside the charging station to control the variable DC power delivered to charge
the battery.
There are safety interlock and protection circuits used to de-energize the EV connector and
to stop the charging process whenever there is a fault condition or an improper connection
between the EV and the charger.
The battery management system or BMS plays the key role of communicating with the
charging station to control the voltage and current delivered to the battery and to operate
the protection circuits in case of an unsafe situation.

Figure 5: DC Charging process

DC charging is suitable for high power EV charging, and the power output of fast charges is
limited only by the ability of the batteries to accept the charging power.

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The advantages of this method are:
• It can be designed with either a high or low charging rate, and is not limited in its
weight and size.
• DC charging with high power requires low charging time.
And the disadvantages are:
• Higher investment for installation of the charger when compared to AC charging.
• Adverse impact on power system: high power demand on the grid esp. at peak hours
• Since the off-board chargers and the BMS are physically separated, reliable
communication is important to ensure correct charging conditions.

1.1 Modes of Charging

The IEC 61851 standard has defined different modes for EV charging:

Figure 6: Mode 1 charging

Charging mode 1 uses regular 230 V, AC sockets:
• Limited to a maximum charging capacity of 2.3 kW to ensure safety as it lacks
communication.
• Supplying circuit shall be provided with an RCD.
• Class II equipment. Normally used for LEVs.

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 Figure 7: Mode 2 charging
Charging mode 2 uses an In-Cable Control Box (ICCB) with a regular 230 V socket:
• Maximum charging capacity of 7.4 kW (1-phase, 32 A) or 22 kW (3-phase, 32 A).
• Charging cable is equipped with an in-cable control box (IC-CPD) which includes
control and safety related functionalities such as restriction of the charging current.

Figure 8: Mode 3 charging

Charging mode 3 determines the adequate charging capacity by communication between
EV and charging point.:
• 1 or 3 phase charging with AC up to 3x63A or 1x70A.
• Extended safety functions:
o Continuous protective earth conductor continuity checking.
o Checking connection before supply power.
o Control charging current, charging time.
• Possible of feeding back electricity from V2G.

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 Figure 9: Mode 4 charging
Charging mode 4 is DC charging and is usually applied for fast charging. Charging capacity
ranges from 50 kW and higher.

1.2 Charging Levels

Internationally, EV charging can be categorized into different levels depending on the power
rating and charging technology used. SAE has developed the EV charging level standards
and the corresponding mode of charging, either on-board or off-board. The levels defined
have their advantages and disadvantages and hence applicable accordingly.
Level 1 AC charging has a nominal supply voltage of 120 V and a current up to 20 A. They
are primarily used in residential settings, which use an on-board single-phase charger and
have a power output of up to 2.4 kW.
The advantages of this level are:
• Cheap and convenient.
• No installation work.
• Minimum addition to peak energy demand.
And the disadvantages are:
• Slowest charging, about 8 to 12 hours.
• No communication protocol.
• No charging control.
Level 2 AC charging has a nominal voltage of 240 V and a current up to 80 A. It uses an
onboard charger and has a maximum power output of 19.2 kW. It is commonly installed in
public parking areas, offices, malls, etc.
The advantages of this level are:
• Energy efficient.

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 • Easy to install.
• Provision of communication and control.
And the disadvantages are:
• Expensive.
• Dedicated installation.
Level 3 DC charging, also known as DCFC (DC fast charging), has an off-board 3-phase
charger that supplies the DC power directly to the battery bypassing the on-board charger.
It has anominal voltage of 200 V - 600 V and a current rating of up to 400 A, which gives a
maximum power rating of 240 kW.
The advantages of this level are:
• Fastest charging speeds.
• Reduces range anxiety.
• Provision of charging control.
• EV and EVSE communication provision.
And the disadvantages are:
• Highly expensive.
• Highly specialized equipment and installation.
• Not supported for all vehicle.

1.3 Connector types

Table 1: Types of charging connector

USA Japan Europe China

AC
only
Type 1 Type 2 (also use for Tesla)

1Φ 120V, ≤ 16A, 1.9 kW 1Φ 230V, ≤ 32A, 7.4kW

1Φ 240V, ≤ 80A, 19.2kW 3Φ 400V, 63A,43kW

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 Tesla Supercharge
Model S, 400V, ≤
AC &
300A, 120kW
DC
CCS Combo 2
200-1000V DC, ≤
350A, 350kW

CCS Combo 1
200-1000V DC, ≤
350A, 350kW

DC
only Chademo
200-500V, ≤ 400A,
200kW GB/T

1.4 DC Fast Charging (DCFC) station

Though typical home chargers of AC Level 1 or Level 2 are well-suited for overnight charging
for typical inner-city driving, the need for recharging away from home on days with longer
driving can cause inconvenience and uncertainty for drivers.
The installation of comprehensive EV fast charging networks would help alleviate range and
charging concerns on longer inter-city drives without requiring very costly EVs with large
batteries.

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Most manufacturers offer EVs capable of fast charging, as shown below:

Figure 10: List of EV models with fast charge (Source: fueleconomy.gov 3/25/2020)

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1.4.1 Architectures
A battery energy storage system (ESS) DCFC architecture with common DC-bus must
provide:
• AC-DC rectification
• Power factor correction
• Voltage control
• Isolation between the battery and the grid (recommended)
Table 2: DCFC Architecture

Architecture Diagram Feature

Dedicated Simple, fewer power

low electronic converters.
frequency Large low frequency
transformer transformer.

Reduce system volumn.

Isolated DC- DC bus voltage will vary as
DC converter the SoC change.
(Varying DC DC-DC converter must be
bus voltage) designed to allow the
output voltage swing.

DC bus voltage is fixed,

simplifies the design and
Isolated DC-
control of the orther
DC converter
DC/DC converter.
(Fixed DC
Larger and more costly
bus voltage)
isolated than varying DC
bus voltage.

1.4.2 Requirements
The safety standards cover the risk and safety components for equipment and the person
assesing the charging station. The essential aspects of electrical safety are:
• Functional Safety: It includes the safety of a person from moving live part of the circuit
and fire hazards. UL2202 and UL subject 2594 for the North American market state
that the component that produces arc or spark should be 457mm above the floor.

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 o Continuous protective conductor checking.
o Verification of proper connection between EV and EVSE (Electric Vehicle
Supply Equipment – Charging Station).
o Energization and de-energization of power.
o Maintain current within maximum limits.
• Individual’s Safety: To protect the persons from electric shocks while using EVSE
should be minimized by following IEC standards that state that the device’s leakage
current should be lower than 30mA. Insulation failure: To minimize the insulation
failure risk, a proper class of insulation must be provided by considering voltage stress
and pollution in the environment. There should be a safe distance between the two
conductive materials such that they can withstand impulse voltage. This distance is
fixed considering the RMS value of voltages.
• Electromagnetic Compatibility: Safety standards should specify the protection against
electrostatic discharge, electromagnetic disturbance, and voltage surges.
• Charging Control: The control pilot pin carries the charging and discharging signal to
the EV from EVSE. Continuously monitoring the signal on the control pilot pin is an
important protection aspect while ensuring safety during charging and discharging.
Maintaining safety +2% and -2% of tolerance is selected to provide safety during
charging and discharging.
For attaining all the above protection, the IEC 61851 standard maintains all the safety
necessities of a charging station. The globally accepted safety standards for charging station
available in IEC 61851 standard is given below (IEC, 2017):
• IEC 61851-1: General requirements.
• IEC 61851-21-1: Electric vehicle on-board charger EMC requirements for conductive
connection to AC/DC supply.
• IEC 61851-21-2: Electric vehicle requirements for conductive connection to an AC/DC
supply – EMC requirements for off board electric vehicle charging systems.
• IEC 61851-23: DC electric vehicle charging station.
• IEC 61851-24: Digital communication between a DC EV charging station and an
electric vehicle for control of DC charging.
• IEC 61851-25: DC EV supply equipment where protection relies on electrical
separation.
In addition to the above standards, the charging station should also follow NEFA 70E: a
standard for electrical safety at the workplace.

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1.4.3 Comercial examples
Special attention should be paid to the fastest chargers (120-600 kW) since they would
decrease the anxiety of EV owners caused by the lack of large autonomy-range and the non-
possibility of fast-charging. In this sense, many manufacturers are working in EV fast-
charging system development. Some of them are shown in Table 3. According to the data
provided by these manufacturers the power converters have an efficiency of 94-95 %.
Table 3: Commercial fast chargers

Max Max
Manufac Power Efficiency Power
Model Voltage Current
turer (kW) (%) Factor
(VDC) (ADC)

ABB Terra 54HV 50 94 0.96 920 125

Ingeteam Rapid 50 50 94 0.98 500 125

Enel X JuicePump 50 50 95 0.97 500 120

Efacec HV350 160 95 N/A 920 1750

EVBox Ultroniq V2 350 95 0.98 950 368

Figure 11: EV Box Ultroniq V2 Figure 12: Enel X JuicePump 50

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2 Challenges for adopting EV DC Fast Charge
E-mobility is a deep confluence between the transport and power sector and therefore
integration of EV charging infrastructure with distribution grids creates both challenges and
opportunities for the conventional power sector. The key challenges faced in integrating EV
charging infrastructure with the grid are explained in the below sections.

2.1 Voltage Stability Issues

Distribution network, generally due to the high resistance to inductance (R/X) ratios of the
distribution lines, are more susceptible to voltage sags due to high power drawn which may
even surpass the stable voltage operating zones. The relation between active power and
voltage of a bus is represented by the PV curve as given in Figure 13. It signifies the trend of
voltage change with increasing active power.

Figure 13: Power – Voltage (P-V) Curve. Source: Voltage Stability and Reactive Power
Planning. Entergy Transmission Planning Summit New Orleans, LA July 8, 2004.
Based on the line resistance and reactance, each bus has a critical voltage which corresponds
to the maximum active power that can be drawn from the bus, and any further increase in
load at the bus will lead to voltage collapse.
As EV charging entail a higher power demand compared to other residential loads, high
penetration of EV will significantly increase the power demand in low voltage grids, which
can potentially lead to voltage stability issues. In addition to this, EV charging may coincide
with other loads in the system, as the EV users are likely to charge their vehicles in the
evening period when they return to the premises. This coincidence between EV charging
period with the peak demand period may further aggravate the voltage stability issue.

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2.2 Phase Imbalance
If single-phase chargers are not uniformly distributed among the phases of the distribution
network, it may lead to unbalanced phase voltages and current loading. Unbalanced
operation of the network results in higher losses in the network, voltage issues and is
detrimental to overall system health. For example, if power demand in one phase is higher
than the other two phases, there will be voltage drop in the phase with high demand, while
potentially leading to overvoltage in other two phases, due to shifting of the neutral point
in a three phase four wire distribution system.

2.3 Increase in Peak Load

Uncontrolled EV charging could increase the peak load on the grid if the time of charging
of the vehicles coincides with the existing load peak. This could contribute to overloading of
the transmission system, distribution network assets like transformers and cables etc. This
extra load would also lead to increase in generation and thus increase the electricity price.

2.4 Overloading
As mentioned above, the coincidence of EV charging with the network peak load, may
further stress the system. This increased EV load can cause overloading in different assets of
the distribution network, such as distribution transformers, cables, fuses etc. This overloading
can significantly reduce the lifespan of the equipment, while simultaneously reducing the
efficiency of energy transmission.

2.5 Power Losses

With added current flowing through the lines due to the extra EV charging load, the loss in
the system also increases making the supply of power less efficient. Besides, unbalanced
loading can lead to uneven losses among the three phases.

2.6 Power Quality

EV chargers, which are basically AC/DC and DC/DC converters are power electronic
converter-based devices. These power electronic devices act as a non-linear loads in the
system and introduce voltage and current harmonic distortions into the supply. The level of
distortion is proportional to the number of EV chargers operating simultaneously in the
distribution network.
The EV chargers also bring voltage excursions which the end use customers can detect as
flickers in their lighting devices or change in speeds in the electrical motors.
The amplitude (or rms) value of a particular harmonic In can be defined in relation to the

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fundamental I1 or the rms value Irms as:
𝐼𝑛
𝐼𝑛 (%) = × 100%
𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠
The total harmonic distortion (THD) is defined as the ratio between rms value of all the
harmonics to the rms value of the fundamental component and can be expressed as:

𝑁
𝐼𝑛 2
𝑇𝐻𝐷𝑖 (%) = √ ∑ ( ) × 100%
𝐼1
𝑛=2

2.6.1 Conductor losses

In presence of harmonic content, the added current flow increases the cable losses in the
network. The current due to harmonic can be expressed as:

𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 𝐼1 √1 + 𝑇𝐻𝐷𝑖2

This increased current leads to increase in conductor losses.

2.6.2 Neutral Conductor
Harmonics can be categorized into positive sequence harmonics, negative sequence
harmonics and zero sequence harmonics based on their order.
The 3rd, 6th, 9th order harmonics are called zero sequence harmonics and also known as
Triplen harmonics. These harmonics are in phase with the fundamental and circulate
between phases and neutral as shown in Figure 14.

Figure 14: High neutral current due to Triplen Harmonics

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Due to this reason, the presence of these harmonics increases the size requirement of the
neutral conductor compared to the phase conductors, so that the neutral can carry out this
extra current.
2.6.3 Electrical machines
The generators and motors are also affected by the harmonics in terms of efficiency
reduction, overheating and derating. The increase in the eddy current and hysteresis loss
due these harmonics results in increased core losses. Simultaneously, the copper loss, which
is proportional to the square of current, also increases with increased harmonic content.
Additionally, the negative sequence harmonics have the effect of force against torque
rotation causing motor vibration, added heat generation, need for derating etc.
Similar to motors and generators, transformers also face the same effects of increased core
and copper losses. The presence of triplen harmonics can also heat up the neutral conductor
in delta-wye distribution transformers. There is also the potential risk of resonance between
the transformer inductance and supplied capacitive loads, at the harmonic frequencies.
Additionally, there is noticeable noise and heat generation in laminated transformer cores
at certain harmonic frequencies.
Moreover, two close conductors carrying alternating current in the same direction causes
more magnetic flux in the area between the conductors, thereby leading to uneven current
distribution known as the Proximity Effect. This effect, similar to Skin Effect is proportional
to frequency, so for higher order harmonics the AC resistance of winding conductors will be
further increased which results in added losses.
2.6.4 Circuit Breakers and Fuses
The thermal-magnetic tripping mechanism in circuit breakers responds proportionally to the
rms current. Therefore, a distorted current signal, which has Irms much higher than the
fundamental I1 can cause undesired tripping. Also, circuit breakers that are designed to
operate at zero current crossover points, can trip in the case of very distorted current with
several zero crossovers within the fundamental period.
Similarly, for fuses, the rating of the fuse needs to be designed based on the rms current. So
current with high rms values can cause the fuse to blow out.
2.6.5 Flicker
Harmonics in the network supplying power to lighting circuits can cause fluctuations of light
intensity, visible to the human eye. This phenomenon mainly affects fluorescent and
incandescent lamps.

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2.7 Impact on Reliability
From the point of view of the power system, EV charging changes the load pattern and
consequently the generation needs, which affects the efficiency and the security of supply.
The additional demand is highly stochastic and is dependent on a myriad of different factors
such as EV user travel behaviour, charging time preference, charging power required, time
of charging etc. The same EV user and EV can one day charge at fast DC chargers with power
>50kW, and the next day charge at slow AC charger <10kW. This variability of power needs,
stresses the requirement of energy generation. Further, if the distribution network is not
designed to handle the added load, then the failure rate of the distribution network assets
may increase hence reducing the reliability of the power supply.

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3 Opportunities for EV charging in Vietnam
3.1 Pilot programmes & Initiatives
3.1.1 Free charging stations and free two-wheeled Evs
Pilot programmes on the deployment of charging stations have been carried out by private
enterprises, especially electric vehicle suppliers. From November 2018, free e-motorcycle
charging points have been installed at convenience stores of the VinMart+ network by
VinFast. In addition, Vingroup and Petrolimex have a comprehensive agreement on the
establishment of charging stations for EVs at gas stations. Up to 2020, VinFast intends to
deploy 30,000 to 50,000 charging stations in all of Viet Nam’s provinces. For electric cars, the
first quick charging system was opened in Da Nang in December 2017. This pilot project is
funded by Central Power Corporation in cooperation with Mitsubishi. The charging system
allows battery charging to its maximum capacity in just half an hour. The system was
manufactured in Japan at the cost of USD 31,000.
In several cities, some pilot programmes on the usage of electric bikes have been conducted
by private enterprises and international organisations. For example, BeforeAll and
BooVironment installed three free charging stations in Hanoi in 2016. In terms of vehicle
supply, a pilot project (Easy Move) was implemented at the campus of Ho Chi Minh National
University. 100 e-bikes are parked at a station in the university village. Students can
experience e-bike services at no charge in the first three months. They need to install the
mobile app Easy Move and use QR codes to unlock the bikes. A similar initiative by UNDP,
Viet Nam MBI, Ecotek and the Government of Hue city has been proposed. According to this
initiative, a pilot programme of e-bike sharing was carried out from October to November
2020 at Ecopark, including the provision of 500 e-bikes, the installation of 50 charging
stations, and a control centre.
3.1.2 Pilot operation of electric four-wheelers
From the 2000s, electric four-wheelers have been used for the transportation of tourists and
visitors in restricted areas, such as golf courses, recreational parks and resorts. As per
Resolution No. 05/2008/NQ-CP, Chairpersons of provincial people’s committees have been
assigned to promulgate regulations regarding operation times and areas for motorised four-
wheelers. As of January 2018, pilots of electric four-wheelers have been widely carried out
for the transportation of tourists or visitors in 21 provinces and central-level cities (including
Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Khanh Hoa, Thua Thien Hue, and
Quang Ninh). There are 637 operators (including 50 enterprises and 587 business

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households) with 2,302 EVs. Based on these pilots, additional provinces will deploy pilots of
electric four-wheelers in the future.
In terms of electric cars, Mitsubishi is cooperating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to
study efficient EV usage and public policy programmes that can support the speedy
adoption of sustainable automotive technology. Under the agreement, the Japanese
carmaker will share its knowledge on tax and subsidies related to these vehicles, and will
conduct research on charging infrastructure and the country’s road system. Mitsubishi plans
to introduce EVs to the local market as part of a long-term strategy, but for now, Viet Nam’s
existing support policies for EVs remain severely underdeveloped.
3.1.3 Pilot operation of electric buses
Up to now, electric buses have not been used for the operation of public passenger transport
in Viet Nam. However, Vingroup announced an operation plan for electric buses in Hanoi,
Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc island (Kien Giang province). In 2019, Vingroup established
VinBus Ltd. with the charter capital of VND 1,000 billion. VinBus will be responsible for the
operation of electric buses. Tentatively, VinBus will formulate and operate 15 e-bus lines,
including 10 in Hanoi and 5 in Ho Chi Minh City. The number of projected electric buses is
from 150 to 200 vehicles.
In October 2020, the Ministry of Transport sent Official Correspondence No. 10250/BGTVT-
VT to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City people’s Committees regarding the operation of public
passenger transport by electric buses. According to the MOT, the development of public
passenger transport by electric buses is compatible with orientations and strategies in Viet
Nam, such as Decision No. 1168/QD-TTg on Automobile Industry Development, Decision
No. 985a/QD-TTg on the National Action Plan of Air Quality Management, and Resolution
No. 12/2020/NQ-CP on Reinforcement of Traffic Safety and Prevention of Traffic Congestion.

3.2 Charging infrastructure

Developers of charging infrastructure solutions are rare in Viet Nam. Until now, there have
only been a few pilot projects on installing charging infrastructure; for example, Mitsubishi
Motors Viet Nam completed the installation of the first charging station for EVs in Hanoi and
two fast-charging stations for Da Nang DOIT in 2017. At the same time, the Central Power
Corporation (CPC) under the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVNCPC) put into operation a quick
charging station in Da Nang. DHL is planning to create several fast charging points for
private use.
In an attempt to advance the market for EVs, VinFast cooperated with Austria-based
electrified transportation firm Kreisel Electric to develop a battery pack solution for electric

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cars and buses so VinFast can deliver a total package including EV, charging infrastructure,
and services. Previously, VinFast also collaborated with the state-run company PVOil, one of
the largest oil distributors in the country, to develop 30,000-50,000 charging stations across
Viet Nam by 2020. So far, however, only 200 charging stations at VinMart+ convenience
stores have been put into operation.
3.2.1 The existing state of the grid
As the EV market grows stronger and more powerful, the requirements on the quantity and
capacity of charging stations will increase sharply. The power sources from these charging
stations will mainly come from the national grid.
By the end of 2019, the total installed power source capacity of the whole system reached
54,880MW, an increase of 13% (6,320MW) compared to 2018. The scale of Viet Nam's
electricity system ranked second in ASEAN (after Indonesia) and 23rd in the world.
The produced and imported electricity of the whole power system reached 240 billion kWh,
increasing 2.35 times compared to 2010 (101.4 billion kWh). The national commercial
electricity output in 2019 reached 209.77 billion kWh, an increase of 2.46 times compared to
2010 (85.4 billion kWh), corresponding to average commercial electricity growth in 2011-
2019 of 10.5%/year (an increase by 10.97%/year in 2011-2015 and by 9.49%/year in 2016-
2019). The largest load capacity of the whole system (Pmax) in 2019 was 38,249 MW. The
average commercial electricity output per capita increased by 2.2 times, from 982
kWh/person (2010) to 2,180 kWh/person (2019).
The transmission grid system has received a large amount of investment, basically meeting
the requirements of connection, releasing capacity of power source projects and enhancing
the transmission capacity of the whole power system. The power backup rate was 43% in
2019, and the power system in 2019 ensured power supply for load needs.

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 a) According to the owner b) According to the type of power
(GENCO - Power Generation Joint Stock source
Corporation; EVN - Vietnam Electricity
Group; PVN - Vietnam Oil and Gas Group;
TKV - Vietnam National Coal and Mineral
Industries Group)
Figure 15: Power capacity structure of the whole system by the end of 2019
Regarding renewable energy: by the end of 2019, the capacity of renewable energy sources
on the power system reached 5200 MW including 4823 MW of solar power and 377 MW of
wind power. The total capacity of renewable energy sources accounts for about 9.4% of the
system's total power capacity. Before 2019, there were no solar power plants connected to
the 110kV grid and above.
However, in the first 6 months of 2019, 89 solar power plants with a total capacity of 4550
MW were connected to the national grid.

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A summary of the current status of power sources through statistics on installed capacity of
power plants, as well as a development plan for power capacity are provided below:

Target/year 2020 2025 2030

Load demand (MW) 39826 59778 84203

Total installed capacity (MW) 59304 103318 138093

Total installed capacity (wind and sun) 7470 22660 38700

Ratio renewable energy sources (wind and sun) 12.60% 21.93% 28.02%

Total installed capacity (no wind, no sun) 51834 80658 99393

Ratio backup sources (no wind, no sun) 30.2% 34.9% 18.0%

Where:

Domestic coal thermal power 13681 16841 16961

Imported coal thermal power 6150 18302 21162

Gas turbine +Domestic gas thermal power 7097 13058 10636

Existing gas turbines switch to LNG 0 803 4147

Gas turbine uses new LNG 0 1500 10100

Flexible source using LNG (ICE+SCGT) 0 0 1400

Thermal power + oil gas turbine 1933 337 138

Hydroelectricity 17531 19731 19731

Small hydroelectricity (under 30MW) 3600 4800 5000

Onshore + nearshore wind power 730 9220 16110

Offshore wind power 0 0 3100

Solar power (MW) 6740 12840 18890

Biomass electricity and other renewable energies 570 1440 2830

Storage hydroelectricity and storage batteries 0 0 1200

Imported from China 700 1700 1700

Imported from Laos 572 2746 4989

(Source: International Energy Agency, 2020)

Viet Nam has great potential for developing renewable energy for electricity
generation (up to 855GW). Renewable energy will play an increasingly important role in

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the structure of national power sources (expected to account for 40.3% by 2045 as shown in
Figure 12).

Figure 16: Total installed capacity (MW) and peak load (MW)

3.3 Summary
On the basis of the analysis presented above, it can be concluded that Viet Nam can be
considered as a region with little activity in the EV sector. The stakeholder mapping provides
an overview of the EV activities that are currently underway and shows what is still lacking in
Viet Nam. At present, Viet Nam has an electric motorcycle segment with a limited number
of original production and supply firms. However, these businesses are learning from
technology suppliers to make more complete products for electric scooters and electric
bicycles. Currently, densely populated Vietnamese cities are facing the need to reduce
emissions and will be potential markets for EV development. In addition, the combination of
the development of public transport and private EVs can help Vietnamese cities shift from
using vehicles with internal combustion engines to EVs.
One challenge, however, is the limited network of charging stations and the absence of
businesses supplying charging station infrastructure. In addition, Viet Nam also shows
few opportunities in the field of manufacturing EVs or supplying original equipment for EVs;
expertise and capacity in this area is limited.

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 Figure 17: Charging EVs with renewable energy
The renewable energy industry in Viet Nam is flourishing, and therefore will strongly support
e-mobility development in reducing pollution and green house gas emissions. In addition,
using EVs is energy efficient and saves operating costs. Thereby, the development of EV
chargers ultilizing renewable energy will contribute to reducing the pressure on fossil
fuels, which are gradually becoming scarce and exhausted.

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4 Solutions for EV charging in Vietnam
4.1 Public/office charging
As stated above, EV charging using renewable energy is suitable in Vietnam due to the
potential of abundant wind and solar energy. Solar panels, wind turbines and EVSEs can be
installed in office/public space such as shopping malls, stadiums, factories or university, etc.
Large workplace parking lots are often relatively open territory where little shade currently
exists; solar collectors could be installed without requiring the removal of numerous trees or
other obstructions. The employees can charge their Evs during daily working time or when
shopping in the malls for free, thus reduce their transportation cost. The adoption of electric
bus may also benefit from these type of renewable energy parking structures. Certainly, local
society benefits by reducing their output of carbon dioxide as the gasoline requirements for
commuter traffic would be reduced.

Figure 18: Public/office charging station

The external batteries can act as buffers which help overcome challenges in term of grid
integration, which described in part 2:
• The capacitance of the battery help reduce the ratio between reactive energy and
active energy, increase power factor, stabilize grid voltage. The external batteries act
as a buffer which reduce noise and improve power quality of the grid, thus have
positive impact on reliability and lifetime of electrical distribution system.

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 • The charging station will connect with three-phase grid, help reduce phase imbalance,
reduce losses in transmission line, provide energy to local loads and charge EV in high
sun time.

Figure 19: Battery as a buffer/replacement for grid

4.2 Technical Approach:

• Integration of various energy sources for developing an EV charging station and a
back-up supply system for the local loads.
• Design of control strategy such that various energy sources are utilized
simultaneously or one after another for continuous charging of EV. The Maximum
Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm has to control the wind turbine’s generator
rotational speed or control output voltage of PV arrays in order to achieve optimal
output power.
• Include grid connection so drivers can charge vehicles without dependence on solar
and wind production.
• In absence of the grid an the inability of the wind and solar energy to meet the
charging and local loads demand simultaneously, the EV battery and local external
batteries supply the load using power converter.

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 • The charging station provides the on-demand reactive power (Inductive/Capacitive)
to the grid.

Figure 20: Circuit diagram of proposed solution.

The proposed solution integrates the onsite solar PV arrays and wind turbines with the
public/office and grid energy management system as show in Figure 19. The proposed
charging station utilizes a voltage source converter (VSC) for interfacing the wind turbines,
PV array and EV to the grid sharing the common DC link, which is stabilized by large external
batteries . The PV array uses a boost converter, WECS uses another boost converter and EV
uses a bi-directional DC converter for making connection with the VSC. The VSC enables the
bi-directional power flow between the grid and the DC link. Similarly, the EV can have
bidirectional power exchange with the DC link. The VSC utilizes an interfacing inductor for
having the power exchange with the grid. The permanent magnet brushless DC machine
(PMBLDCM) is used as a generator for the WECS. The nonlinear household loads are
connected at point of common interconnection (PCI) of the charging station. An insulated
gate bipolar junction transistor (IGBT) based bi-directional switch connects the grid and PCI
of the station. In islanded condition, the switch remains open whereas in grid connected
condition, the switch is closed for making connection. On both sides of the bi-directional
switch, RC filters are used for filtering the high frequency switching noise.
Technical requirements:
• Ensure functional safety, individual’s safety, electromagnetic compatibility.
• Utilize MPPT algorithm to maximize power output of renewable sources, reduce
power consumption from grid.
• EV Charger should follow these standards, but not limited to:
o IEC 61851 Conductive charging system – general requirements.

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 o IEC 61851-21 Electromagnetic compatibility
o IEC 62196 Plug-in connector
o IEC 60364-7-222 Grid connection
o CEN/TC 301 Consistent symbols for charging station
o ISO 15118 Communication
o ISO 17409 Requirements on grid connection

Figure 21: EVSE standards

• Renewable energy connection to the grid should follow these standards, but not
limited to:
o IEEE Std 1547 Standard for Interconnection Distributed Resources with Electric
Power Systems.
o IEEE Std 2030 Guide for Smart Grid Interoperability of Energy Technology and
Information Technology Operation with the Electric Power System (EPS), and
End-Use Applications and Loads.
o TCVN 7447-7-712:2015 (IEC 60364-7-712:2002): Requirements for special
installations or locations – Solar photovoltaic (PV) power supply systems.
o TCVN 11855-1:2017 (IEC 62446-1:2016): Photovoltaic (PV) systems -
Requirements for testing, documentation and maintenance.

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