Vietnamese commercial vehicle manufacturer Kim Long Motor has officially launched its K9KEV heavy-duty tractor trailer in the domestic market, which the company claims is Vietnam's first domestically branded battery-powered heavy-duty tractor trailer to enter production in the country.

Produced at Kim Long Motor's manufacturing hub in the Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone in Vietnam's Hue Province, the K9KEV is a 6x4 road tractor with a towing capacity of 38 tons. The road tractor is driven by a 450 kW electric motor powered by a 400 kWh BYD battery pack.

The K9KEV has a driving range of up to 350 km, while its battery can be charged from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in 60 minutes.

For braking, the heavy-duty tractor trailer is equipped with dual-circuit pneumatic drum brakes as its primary braking system, along with an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC). Additional safety systems include a forward collision warning system (FCWS) and a lane departure warning system (LDWS).

In Vietnam, the Kim Long K9KEV is priced at VND 2.8 billion (US$ 107,000), while early customers can purchase the heavy-duty tractor trailer at a special promotional price of VND 2.5 billion.

The K9KEV's launch marks Kim Long Motor's entry into battery-powered heavy-duty tractor trailer production in Vietnam, with the company positioning the model as a domestically branded electric road tractor.