HÀ NỘI — The motorcycle market continues to grow steadily despite the transport sector's ongoing transition to greener mobility.

The Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM) announced that combined sales of its five member companies reached 638,431 units in the second quarter of this year, up 4.4 per cent from a year earlier.

The increase comes despite widespread expectations that the domestic motorcycle market has reached saturation and as major cities accelerate plans to curb the use of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles while promoting electric mobility.

The latest sales figures underscore the sector's resilience amid Việt Nam's transition towards greener transport.

In many localities, particularly Hà Nội and HCM City, policies aimed at reducing emissions, gradually limiting fossil fuel-powered vehicles and encouraging the use of electric vehicles are either under consideration or already being implemented.

Despite these policy shifts, demand for motorcycles remains robust. They continue to be the primary means of transport for many Vietnamese thanks to their flexibility, affordability and ability to meet daily travel needs in both urban and rural areas.

Rather than reducing the size of the market, the energy transition is encouraging manufacturers to broaden their product portfolios by introducing more electric models alongside fuel-efficient motorcycles to meet evolving consumer demand.

VAMM comprises five manufacturers – Honda Vietnam, Yamaha Motor Vietnam, Piaggio Vietnam, SYM Vietnam and Vietnam Suzuki – with Honda Vietnam accounting for nearly 86 per cent of the domestic market thanks to its broad product portfolio.

The association's sales figures reflect domestic sales by its five members only, excluding exports as well as sales by non-member manufacturers such as VinFast, Yadea and other electric motorcycle brands.

As a result, the actual size of Việt Nam's motorcycle market in the second quarter was likely much larger than the 638,431 units reported by VAMM.

In recent years, the electric motorcycle segment has grown rapidly, driven by the entry of domestic and international manufacturers, rising demand for environmentally friendly transport and government policies promoting zero-emission vehicles.

At the same time, established manufacturers are continuing to develop next-generation internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycles while expanding their electric vehicle portfolios, marking a new phase of competition that extends beyond conventional gasoline-powered models.— BIZHUB/VNS