The prototype was developed in response to the region's frequent storms and flooding, where conventional vehicles often cannot reach inundated areas while rescue boats struggle to navigate narrow streets and densely populated neighbourhoods.
According to Ho Viet Ha, principal of Danang College, the project was designed to create a practical, low-cost rescue vehicle that can be built using locally available technology.
The boat uses two independent propulsion systems: an electric motor for land travel and a petrol-powered water-jet system for water, enabling safer operation in shallow floodwaters without a conventional propeller
Designed with a safe payload of about 800 kilogrammes, the boat can carry four to five people or a combination of passengers and emergency supplies. It can travel at speeds of more than 15kph on land and over 50kph on water.
Beyond flood rescues, the vehicle could also be used to deliver relief supplies to isolated communities and support patrol and emergency operations on rivers and lakes.
The research team plans further testing under harsher conditions before adding technologies such as GPS, onboard cameras and a hybrid electric-petrol powertrain, with the aim of commercialising the product.
Ha added each boat is expected to cost about VND 90 million (USD 3,400) once development is complete. The college is seeking financial support to begin mass production, with the goal of supplying flood-prone communities across central Vietnam.