New facility expands e-bike production

At a store in Vietnam's northern province of Bac Giang, resident Bui Quang Thuy, 50, is choosing an electric motorcycle for himself and his daughter from the Chinese brand Yadea.

"Riding electric motorcycles is becoming a major trend," Thuy told China Daily. "I like the design of Yadea. I know it is good quality and comes with a smart function to allow operation via a mobile app."

Headquartered in Wuxi in East China's Jiangsu province, Yadea is a leading electric motorcycle manufacturer with accumulated sales of 100 million units as of last December, ranking it among the top globally in terms of sales volume.

It entered Vietnam, one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, in 2014. In 2018, Yadea established its first factory in Bac Giang to provide customized electric motorcycles based on market demand, such as bikes with waterproofing and high-temperature resistance, and to develop a localized supply chain.

Seeing the opportunity brought by the Southeast Asian country's green transformation, Yadea is expanding its presence in Vietnam with a $100 million investment to build a new production and assembly facility in Bac Giang.

"Vietnam has a population of over 100 million and more than 45 million registered motorcycles, so it is a true electric motorcycle powerhouse," said Liu Jia, general manager of Yadea Vietnam Co.

Noting that the Vietnamese government is actively promoting a transition to electric vehicles, Liu said this presents great opportunities for the electric two-wheeler market.

Motorcycles are the dominant mode of transportation for many people in Vietnam. Yet they remain one of the largest emission contributors in major cities such as Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital that often ranks high on the list of the world's most polluted cities by air-monitoring organization IQAir.

To address the issue, Vietnam has set a target that 22 percent of motorbikes will be powered by electricity by 2030, according to Vietnam News Agency.

The government also aims to make all vehicles powered by green energy by 2050 as part of its climate commitments to achieve net zero.

With an area of 232,200 square meters, Yadea's new factory is set to start operating in the fourth quarter this year, with an annual production of 2 million units.

The factory will include a research and development center that will bring together regional experts, according to Liu.

Speaking in fluent Mandarin, Le Thi Thanh Tam, who graduated from Hanoi University with a major in Chinese, said the experience she's gained at Yadea will significantly enhance her professional skills and career development.

Having worked at Yadea for three years, Tam has been promoted from a clerk for customs affairs to become the director of operations management.

"Chinese colleagues often share best practices from China, so I will study and adapt them to the local context and help ensure smooth communication between Vietnamese and Chinese colleagues," said Tam, who was sent to Yadea's Chinese headquarters for training.

Nguyen Nhu Minh joined Yadea after graduating from the Hanoi University of Industry. In two years, he has become a unit head of production management.

Minh said he feels proud when he sees people ride Yadea motorcycles on the road, as they may have come off the production line that he works at.

"I believe that the electric motorcycle is an industry of the future, so there will be a lot of opportunities for me," said Minh.

Yadea employs around 400 workers in Vietnam, with 95 percent being local hires. The new manufacturing facility is projected to create an additional 3,000 jobs.

For Yadea, Vietnam serves as both a gateway and a testing ground for global expansion, providing invaluable reference for the company's development in other overseas markets, said Liu, the general manager.

Liu said the company will continue to promote localized innovation, industrial upgrades and talent cultivation.

Noting Vietnam is planning to build the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway that connects northern Vietnam with China, Liu said this will also help lower the production and supply chain cost for Yadea. It will also allow the Vietnam base to export to other countries in Southeast Asia to consolidate the regional effect of "Made in Vietnam" while enhancing the resilience of its global supply chain.