Vietnam ????????: Why is Vingroup so determined to adopt Siemens' German technology in the Hanoi–Quang Ninh high-speed railway project?
???????? [Vietnam News Agency] report: On the morning of April 12, the $5.6 billion Hanoi–Quang Ninh high-speed railway project officially broke ground, marking Vingroup Group’s adoption of Siemens Velaro Novo technology to optimize operations and reduce travel time to just 23 minutes.
On April 12, at a groundbreaking ceremony held in Quang Ninh Province, government leaders and representatives from various ministries and agencies attended, signifying the official start of a major transportation infrastructure project being implemented by the private sector.
VinSpeed High-Speed Railway Investment and Development Joint Stock Company has invested over 14.7 trillion VND, aiming to establish new transportation standards in this key economic region in northern Vietnam.
Selecting Siemens (Germany) as a strategic partner—rather than other international suppliers—reflects considerations regarding operational efficiency and long-term capability to receive world-leading infrastructure technologies.
The chosen technology platform is the Velaro Novo series, the latest generation of high-speed trains developed by Siemens Mobility, capable of safe operation at speeds up to 350 km/h.
According to manufacturer data, Velaro-series trains have accumulated over 3 billion kilometers of real-world operational experience across major markets such as Germany, France, and China, with on-time performance consistently above 99%. The Velaro Novo features a "hollow tube" structural design, reducing car weight by 15% compared to previous generations.
This improvement, combined with an intelligent energy management system, can save up to 30% in power consumption, thereby ensuring the project’s economic viability over its decades-long lifespan.
From BMW’s precedent to China’s “localization” lessons.
This cooperation roadmap recalls BMW’s technology transfer strategy to VinFast in 2018. At that time, the company acquired intellectual property rights for BMW’s 5 Series and X5 chassis platforms and began producing its own N20 engine at its Hai Phong factory.
To adapt to local conditions, the unit collaborated with technical partners to improve the engine structure—eliminating the complex variable valve timing system to enhance durability and reduce maintenance costs under hot and humid climates.
Under guidance from German experts, the investment in mechanical machining workshops for engine blocks and crankshafts significantly shortened the product development cycle while still maintaining European quality standards.
Experience from the country with the world’s largest high-speed rail network also underscores the importance of adopting Western technologies. More than two decades ago, China implemented a strategy mandating technology transfer from leading firms like Siemens in exchange for market access.
By integrating advantages from various technology sources and cultivating domestic engineers, the country has gradually achieved 84% domestic production rate for its most advanced shipbuilding technologies today. By mastering core German technologies, operators have progressively attained full autonomy in designing, constructing, and managing large-scale infrastructure systems.
In infrastructure management, VinSpeed’s Hanoi–Quang Ninh railway integrates Level 2 ETCS signaling systems and ATO automatic train operation technology to ensure safety during high-speed operation.
The integrated TrainIT system enables full digitalization of real-time sensor data, helping engineers accurately predict scheduled maintenance cycles. The 120.2-kilometer route is expected to be completed by 2028, with 96% of the track built as elevated viaducts to optimize running speed.
Investing heavily in German technical standards is seen as a solution to ensure sustainable safety, while also affirming Vietnamese enterprises’ ability to master the world’s most advanced transportation infrastructure technologies.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862345062162503/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.