HANOI, 27 January 2026 — Vietnamese automaker Kim Long Motor said on Tuesday it will partner with China’s BYD to develop a US$130 million electric vehicle battery plant in central Vietnam, as the country accelerates efforts to strengthen its EV manufacturing and supply chain capabilities.
Under the agreement, Kim Long Motor will fully fund the construction of the battery facility, while BYD will provide comprehensive technical and technological support, the company said in a statement.
The plant will be built on a 4.4-hectare site and will have an initial production capacity of 3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year, Kim Long Motor said. Operations are expected to commence soon, although the company did not disclose a specific timeline.
In its second phase, the facility will expand to 10 hectares and double its annual production capacity to 6 GWh. The expansion will also introduce battery production for electric passenger vehicles, broadening the plant’s output beyond its initial commercial focus.
The facility will produce batteries for commercial electric vehicles, including buses, trucks and minibuses, supporting the growing adoption of electrified public transport and logistics solutions in Vietnam.
Vietnam’s EV market has been expanding rapidly, led by domestic automaker VinFast, which currently dominates the sector. VinFast recently entered the commercial vehicle segment with the launch of its electric cargo van, the EC Van, aimed at supporting sustainable urban freight transport.
The partnership between Kim Long Motor and BYD underscores Vietnam’s rising role in Southeast Asia’s EV manufacturing and battery supply chain, as automakers and suppliers increasingly localise production to meet accelerating regional demand for electric mobility.
