The Ministry of Construction is revising nationwide apartment building standards in condos to add rules for EV charging and battery-swap stations, strengthening fire prevention, ventilation, and electrical safety, amid rising concerns from residents.
On December 11, the Ministry of Construction held a conference to collect feedback on amendments to QCVN 04:2021/BXD, the National Technical Regulation on Apartment Buildings, proposing new provisions related to electric vehicle charging and battery-swap stations.
Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh chairs a conference on revising national standards for EV charging stations in apartment buildings.
The conference was chaired by Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Sinh and attended by representatives from regulatory agencies, research institutes and enterprises. Discussions focused on ensuring that EV charging infrastructure in apartment buildings meets strict technical requirements, particularly in terms of fire prevention, smoke extraction and ventilation, electrical system protection, and overload control.
Currently, QCVN 04:2021/BXD regulates technical requirements for car parking facilities in new and renovated civil buildings. The proposed amendments draw on international practices as well as existing Vietnamese technical standards to address emerging challenges posed by the rapid growth of electric vehicles.
Concluding the meeting, Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Sinh emphasized that EV charging facilities in apartment buildings still face significant shortcomings and require clear, practical solutions. He stressed the need to distinguish technical requirements for different housing types and vehicle categories, including cars and motorbikes.
He also called for flexibility in the regulations, warning against rigid numerical thresholds that may not align with real-world conditions. In addition, he encouraged solutions that locate EV parking, charging and battery-swap areas outside buildings, within or adjacent to residential complexes, to enhance safety and provide more options for residents.