On September 18, 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Vietnam Low Emission Energy Project II (V-LEEP II) partnered with Selex Motors to launch the electric two-wheeler battery swapping station in Da Nang City, aiming to achieve the goal of building an efficient and energy-saving urban model for the 2019-2030 period.
Attendees at the event included Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam Giang – Director of the Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade; Ms. Aler Grubbs – USAID Vietnam Country Director; Mr. Nguyen Van Tru – Deputy Director of the Da Nang City Department of Industry and Trade; Mr. Ananth Chikkatur – V-LEEP II Project Director; Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc Nguyen – General Director of Selex Motors, along with representatives from Selex Motors’ business partners in Vietnam.
Selex Motors is the first and only unit in the region and Vietnam to build and develop a shared battery swapping network. With proprietary technology, Selex batteries are designed to be standardized, compatible with 70% of electric motorcycles on the market, meeting diverse user needs. This advantage allows customers of various electric motorcycle brands to share the same battery swapping network, opening up opportunities to build a common energy infrastructure for electric motorcycles.
Thanks to the shared battery swapping model, Selex Motors’ “battery swapping like refueling” solution enables tech-savvy drivers who travel 200-400 km per day to use electric motorcycles for work without interruption, eliminating the need to wait 3-8 hours for charging.
As convenient as gasoline but cheaper, Selex brings a breakthrough solution to promote the widespread adoption of electric motorcycles. According to an independent study by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), using Selex Camel electric motorcycles helps drivers save 35% of operating costs and increase their monthly income by 35%. A driver who travels 4,500 km per month can save up to VND 20 million per year compared to gasoline-powered motorcycles. Therefore, this electric motorcycle startup has become a partner of many large transportation units such as Be, Grab, Lazada, ShopeeFood, and Sagawa Express.
At the event, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam Giang – Director of the Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development Department, praised Selex Motors’ shared battery swapping station, saying: “Not only Selex electric motorcycles but also other electric vehicles can use this shared energy infrastructure. This will promote Da Nang City to become a model city in green transformation and achieve the goal of efficient and energy-saving use.”
Sharing the same view, Ms. Aler Grubbs – USAID Vietnam Country Director, said: “It’s wonderful that Selex Motors has a pioneering solution that can change the face of green transformation and energy efficiency. Instead of waiting for hours to charge, electric motorcycle users can now swap batteries in just 2 minutes.”
Selex Motors’ General Director, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc Nguyen, shared his thoughts on the inauguration of the battery swapping station in Da Nang: “The support from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Da Nang City, and USAID is a good example of effective cooperation between stakeholders in promoting green transportation. Developing electric vehicles is a big challenge that no single business can solve alone. Government policy support and international organizations’ experience and resources are essential conditions for Vietnam to quickly and effectively transition to green transportation.”
According to Mr. Nguyen, with the support of the V-LEEP II program and Da Nang City, Selex Motors has deployed 4 battery swapping stations in August and will deploy at least 20 more automatic stations in the near future, prioritizing tourist and tech-savvy driver activities. Notably, the company will build a battery swapping station connecting Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An, creating an electric motorcycle tourism corridor along this potential route.
Before Da Nang, Selex Motors had developed around 80 shared battery swapping points in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hue. The launch of the shared battery swapping network shows that different electric motorcycle brands can use the same energy infrastructure, just like gasoline-powered motorcycles. In June 2024, Selex partnered with Son Ha Group to develop a shared battery swapping network for electric two-wheelers. Therefore, Son Ha’s EVGo electric motorcycles can also use Selex Motors’ battery swapping stations and batteries.Earlier, in February 2024, Selex Motors signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Samsung SDI to supply battery cells and promote the development of shared battery swapping networks in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. This startup has also attracted much international attention due to its unique and pioneering products, with great development potential. The electric vehicle company has had the honor of welcoming the US Secretary of the Treasury, the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and many international delegations to visit and work.
