Vietnam draws a hard line between electric mopeds and electric motorcycles, and the line is measured in kilowatts, not in looks. Article 34(1)(g) of Law 36/2024/QH15 defines the moped class as 4 kW or less and designed for no more than 50 km/h; anything more powerful is a motorcycle.
Licence and age
| Class | Power | Licence | Minimum age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric moped | up to 4 kW | none | 16 |
| Electric motorcycle | above 4 kW to 11 kW | A1 | 18 for A1 |
| Electric motorcycle | above 11 kW | A | 18 |
What real bikes sit where
The VinFast Evo uses a 2,450 W in-hub motor — licence-free moped territory — and it also comes as an Evo Lite whose speed is limited to below 50 km/h. The VinFast Feliz II and Viper both use 3,000 W motors: still licence-free. Step up to the Dat Bike Weaver 200 with 6,000 W and you are riding a motorcycle that requires an A1 licence.
The practical trade-offs
Mopeds are cheaper to run and simpler on paperwork, but their design speed keeps you in the slow lane on big roads; on Hanoi arterials with 50-60 km/h traffic flow you will feel the ceiling. Electric motorcycles keep up with petrol traffic and offer regenerative braking and larger batteries, but need a licence, and battery charging is a real commitment (a full charge of a 72 V 68 Ah pack takes hours).
Choosing between them
If you ride mostly inside districts at modest speeds and hold no licence, the 4 kW class fits. If you already hold an A1 — many foreign residents do — the faster class opens models like the Weaver 200. For rentals, the shop’s E-Bike sits in the easy class: 200,000 VND per day, availability by contact.