Effectiveness of policy incentives on electric motorcycles acceptance in Hanoi, Vietnam

•Financial incentives are quantified for electric motorcycle (EM) adoption.•Subsidies for operating stage of EMs are perceived great preference.•Charger financial subsidies are valued higher than purchasing subsidies.•Recharge duration and driving range are the most inconvenient factors. Electric vehicles are considered a possible alternative for the reduction of CO2 emissions produced by gasoline-powered vehicles. Hence, various incentive policies have been implemented internationally; however, the effectiveness of these incentives for Vietnamese transport users has not been investigated and recognized. This study conducted stated preference surveys of actual electric motorcycle (EM) users to evaluate their opinions regarding incentives for EMs. The survey results show that the recharge duration and driving range are the most inconvenient factors for EM users who presented dissimilar perceptions of different incentive policies. In particular, EM users showed a greater preference for operating subsidies, such as reduction in electricity purchase price and road-use tax over subsidies for purchasing or setting up of charger stations. The study results provide empirical evidence for transport planners and authorities to provide sufficient strategies for long-term EM development.