Circular 53/2024/TT-BGTVT on the classification of road vehicles and identification signs for motor vehicles utilizing clean energy, green energy, and environmentally friendly technologies

CIRCULAR

On the classification of road vehicles and identification signs for motor vehicles utilizing clean energy, green energy, and environmentally friendly technologies

Pursuant to the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety dated June 27, 2024; 

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 56/2022/ND-CP dated August 24, 2022, defining the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Transport; 

Upon the proposal of the Director of the Science, Technology and Environment Department and the Director of the Vietnam Register; 

The Minister of Transport hereby promulgates the Circular on the classification of road vehicles and identification signs for motor vehicles utilizing clean energy, green energy, and environmentally friendly technologies.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation

This Circular provides for the classification of road vehicles and the identification signs for motor vehicles utilizing clean energy, green energy, and environmentally friendly technologies.

Article 2. Subjects of application 

This Circular applies to organizations and individuals involved in the classification of road vehicles and the identification signs for motor vehicles utilizing clean energy, green energy, and environmentally friendly technologies.

Article 3. Interpretation of terms 

In this Circular, the terms below are construed as follows:

1. Electric powertrain refers to a system comprising one or more of the following: electrical energy storage devices (batteries, accumulators, electric flywheels, or supercapacitors); electrical energy stabilization devices; electrical devices used to convert stored electrical energy into mechanical energy transmitted to the wheels as a power source for vehicle movement.

2. Pure electric vehicle (PEV) or Battery electric vehicle (BEV) refers to a motor vehicle utilizing an electric powertrain system.

3. Pure fuel cell electric vehicle (PFCEV) or Fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) refers to an electric motor vehicle utilizing pure fuel cells, in which the fuel cell system serves as the sole energy source for the vehicle’s propulsion system.

4. Hybrid electric powertrain refers to a powertrain system that consumes energy from both energy sources stored on the vehicle, including fuel and electrical energy storage devices.

5. Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) refers to a motor vehicle powered by a hybrid electric powertrain system (including vehicles utilizing fuel solely to charge electrical energy storage devices), including:

a) Mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) refers to a hybrid electric vehicle wherein the electric motor functions to assist the internal combustion engine in starting, supporting acceleration, enabling regenerative braking, and supplying energy to ancillary systems. The vehicle does not have the capability to be charged from an external electrical source;

b) Full hybrid electric vehicle (FHEV) or Strong hybrid electric vehicle (SHEV) refers to a hybrid electric vehicle capable of operating entirely on electric energy under certain conditions (such as initiating movement from a stationary state, moving at low speeds, etc.). The vehicle does not have the capability to be charged from an external electrical source;

c) Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) refers to a hybrid electric vehicle capable of being charged from an external electrical source.

Chapter II

CLASSIFICATION OF ROAD VEHICLES BY PURPOSE OF USE

Article 4. Motor vehicles

Motor vehicles as specified in Clause 1, Article 34 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety include:

1. Automobiles, classified as follows:

a) Passenger automobiles are types of automobiles primarily designed and equipped for transporting people and their accompanying luggage. Passenger automobiles may also tow a trailer. The types of passenger automobiles include:

Passenger automobiles up to 8 seats (excluding the driver’s seat), as specified in Appendix I issued together with this Circular;

Passenger automobiles above 8 seats (excluding the driver’s seat), as specified in Appendix II issued together with this Circular;

Special-use passenger automobiles are passenger automobiles with characteristics different from the aforementioned passenger automobiles, designed and equipped to transport people under special conditions or with special arrangements, as specified in Appendix III issued together with this Circular;

b) Cargo automobiles are types of automobiles primarily designed and equipped for transporting goods. Cargo automobiles may have up to two rows of seats and carry no more than 6 persons, including the driver in the cabin. Cargo automobiles may also tow a trailer. The types of cargo automobiles include:

General cargo trucks, including those as specified in Appendix IV issued together with this Circular;

Special-use cargo trucks, including cargo automobiles designed and equipped for transporting goods requiring special arrangements, as specified in Appendix V issued together with this Circular;

c) Special-use automobiles are types of automobiles designed and equipped to perform specific functions or uses different from those described at Points a and b of this Clause. Special-use automobiles include types specified in Appendix VI issued together with this Circular;

d) Tractor units are automobiles designed to tow semi-trailers and equipped with fifth-wheel coupling and mechanisms for connecting and controlling the trailer’s lighting system and braking system; and may be equipped with cranes, generators, tow couplings, or hook couplings to tow trailers;

dd) Trailer-towing automobiles are automobiles specifically or primarily designed to tow trailers and equipped with tow couplings or hook couplings; a box or a cargo floor; and mechanisms for connecting and controlling the trailer’s lighting system and braking system;

Trailer-towing automobiles do not include: cargo automobiles equipped with tow couplings; tractor units additionally equipped with tow couplings.

2. Trailers are classified in accordance with the provisions of Appendix VII issued together with this Circular.

3. Semi-trailers are classified in accordance with the provisions of Appendix VIII issued together with this Circular.

4. Four-wheeled motor passenger vehicles are classified as follows:

a) Four-wheeled motor passenger vehicles participating in public traffic are vehicles designed to operate on public roadways;

b) Four-wheeled motor passenger vehicles operating on specialized or internal roads are vehicles designed solely for operation on specialized roads or internal roadways.

5. Four-wheeled motor cargo vehicles.

6. Motorcycles are classified as follows:

a) Two-wheeled motorcycles;

b) Three-wheeled motorcycles for passenger transport;

c) Three-wheeled motorcycles for cargo transport;

d) Three-wheeled motorcycles for persons with disabilities.

7. Mopeds are classified as follows:

a) Two-wheeled mopeds;

b) Three-wheeled mopeds for passenger transport;

c) Three-wheeled mopeds for cargo transport;

d) Three-wheeled mopeds for persons with disabilities.

Article 5. Special-use vehicles

Special-use vehicles are classified as follows:

1. Construction vehicles are classified in accordance with Appendix IX issued together with this Circular;

2. Farm or forestry vehicles are special-use vehicles intended solely for use in agriculture and forestry;

3. Tractors;

4. Trailers and semi-trailers to be towed by tractors: trailers and semi-trailers designed and manufactured exclusively to be towed by tractors;

5. Vehicles performing special functions or uses are classified in accordance with Appendix X issued together with this Circular;

6. Specialized vehicles used for national defense and security purposes participating in road traffic.

Article 6. Rudimentary vehicles

Rudimentary vehicles include the types of vehicles specified in Clause 2, Article 34 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety.

Chapter III

CLASSIFICATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES BY LEVEL OF AUTOMATION

Article 7. Conventional vehicles

Conventional vehicles are motor vehicles in which the driver performs all tasks related to controlling the vehicle’s movement, even when supported by active safety systems on the vehicle.

Article 8. Intelligent vehicles

Intelligent vehicles as specified in Clause 4 of Article 34 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety are classified according to the level of automation in partial or full vehicle control operations, specifically as follows:

1. Motor vehicles that allow partial automation of vehicle control operations, route determination, and situation handling when participating in road traffic are classified as Level or Category 1, Level or Category 2, or Level or Category 3 vehicles. These levels are classified and defined in the ISO/SAE PAS 22736:2021 standard, Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles.

2. Motor vehicles that allow full automation of vehicle control operations, route determination, and situation handling when participating in road traffic are classified as Level or Category 4 or Level or Category 5 vehicles. These levels are classified and defined in the ISO/SAE PAS 22736:2021 standard, Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles.

Chapter IV

CLASSIFICATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES BY ENERGY USED AND REGULATIONS ON IDENTIFICATION SIGNS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES UTILIZING CLEAN ENERGY, GREEN ENERGY, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGIES

Article 9. Classification of motor vehicles by energy used

Based on the type of energy used, motor vehicles (excluding trailers and semi-trailers) are classified as follows:

1. Motor vehicles equipped with only gasoline or diesel engines;

2. Environmentally friendly motor vehicles are motor vehicles utilizing energy or technology that reduces direct carbon emissions during operation compared to conventional motor vehicles as specified in Clause 1 of this Article (such as vehicles utilizing CNG fuel, mild hybrid electric vehicles - MHEV, full hybrid electric vehicles - FHEV or strong hybrid electric vehicles - SHEV, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles - PHEV);

3. Motor vehicles utilizing clean energy, green energy, and environmentally friendly technologies are motor vehicles that do not emit carbon directly during operation (such as pure electric vehicles - PEV or battery electric vehicles - BEV, pure fuel cell electric vehicles - PFCEV or fuel cell electric vehicles - FCEV, hydrogen-powered vehicles).

Article 10. Regulations on identification signs for motor vehicles utilizing clean energy, green energy, and environmentally friendly technologies

Motor vehicles utilizing clean energy, green energy, and environmentally friendly technologies, as specified in Clause 3 of Article 9 of this Circular, are identified when participating in traffic by inspection seals with a green background. The detailed design of the inspection seal is prescribed in the Circular issued by the Minister of Transport, which outlines the procedures and protocols for inspection, exemptions from initial inspections, modification of motor vehicles, and special-use vehicles; and the procedures and protocols for inspecting emissions of motorcycles and mopeds.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 11. Effect

1. This Circular takes effect on January 1, 2025.

2. In the cases where the standards referenced in this Circular are amended, supplemented, or replaced, the amended, supplemented, or replaced standards shall prevail.

Article 12. Transitional provisions

Road vehicles that have been classified and identified in notifications exempting them from technical safety and environmental quality inspections or in certificates of technical safety and environmental quality for imported motor vehicles; certificates of technical safety and environmental quality for manufactured or assembled motor vehicles; and certificates of technical safety and environmental quality for modified motor vehicles issued before the effective date of this Circular, shall continue to be used for the purposes of importing, manufacturing, assembling, modifying, registering, and inspecting the vehicles.

For the Minister

The Deputy Minister

NGUYEN DUY LAM