Vietnam’s first minibus brand Kim Long X9 launched

Vietnam’s first indigenously produced minibus rolled off the production line Saturday, with executives of Kim Long Motor Hue JSC hailing it as a local auto industry milestone.

The launch ceremony for the Kim Long X9, the first minibus with a Vietnamese brand was held Saturday at the Kim Long Motor Hue Automobile Manufacturing and Assembly Industrial Park, within the Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone in Thua Thien Hue province.

Company executives said the event marked an important milestone in Kim Long Motor's development strategy, while “contributing actively” to the advancement of Vietnam's automobile industry.

Ly Quoc Viet, standing deputy general director of Kim Long Motor, noted that “a new era” had begun for the Vietnamese automobile industry in general and Kim Long Motor in particular with the signing of its comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with China’s Yuchai Group last August.

The agreement enabled technology transfer as well as the establishment of an engine manufacturing factory in Thua Thien Hue province.

Beyond creating breakthroughs in engine production, the Kim Long Motor Hue Automobile Manufacturing and Assembly Industrial Park has also targeted becoming a leading regional hub for automobile and spare parts manufacturing, with a target localization rate of over 90% before the second quarter of 2026, he said.

Kim Long Motor also aimed to become a market leader in both quality and production of diesel vehicles, EV buses, and EV trucks (heavy, medium, and light), with a strong focus on exports, he added.

Viet further said that the Kim Long X9 minibus was the result of research, design and development by a team of young Vietnamese engineers working at the industrial park.

"This event once again marks a significant milestone in Kim Long Motor's development strategy, affirming the pioneering position and aspirations of a Vietnamese automobile brand."

The Kim Long X9 minibus is being brought out in multiple versions. The standard version with 16 seats can be used for passenger transport, student pickup and drop-off, and short fixed-route tourism services.

The limousine versions of 10 and 12 seats feature high-end interiors and entertainment facilities to meet diverse customer needs.

Designed with “a minimalist and compact style”, the Kim Long X9 is designed to operate flexibly on narrow roads in urban areas and city centers, company executives said.

They also said it “embodies pride as the first minibus product with a Vietnamese brand.”