For a long time local companies in Indonesia have tried to design their own cars but failed to manufacture those in mass production.
Besides Esemka, few other local made cars got publicity in the past, which include Gea by state-owned train manufacturer PT Industri Kereta Api (Inka), Tawon of PT Super Gasindo Jaya, and Fin Komodo of PT Fin Komodo Technology.
A company PT Kiat Mahesa Wintor Indonesia (KMWI) has been commercially manufacturing a rural vehicle named as Mahesa since 2018.

Journey of Esemka involved a number of Indonesian vocational high schools (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan or SMK).
Kiat Esemka was the first Esemka car, which was made in 2011 by students of SMK 1 Trucuk, a state-run vocational high school in Klaten, Central Java.
The car got wide publicity when Joko Widodo started to use as official vehicle as Mayor of Solo during that time.

2007 - SMK Indonesia Partnering AIK (Autocar Indutri Components) designs and manufactures 1500 cc car engine components;
2008 - SMK Indonesia and AIK continue the engine component manufacturing program;
2009 - SMK partnered with PT Nasional Motor to make a double cabin body and with PT Mageda to build an SUV body and was approved by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at an exhibition at ITB Bandung;
2010 - Partnering with Foday, Jinbei, and SMEs in Indonesia to develop SUVs and product test minitruck at the Indonesia International Manufacturing (IIM 2010) exhibition received enthusiastic greetings from the public, jointly establishing PT Solo Manufacturing Kreasi as well as being the holder of the Esemka brand;
2011 - PT Solo Manufaktur Kreasi takes care of production permits (Kemenperin) and road worthiness (Kemenhub and BTMP) according to Government Regulations so that they are commercially viable;
2012 - PT Solo Manufaktur Kreasi releases Variant Rajawali R2 and Bima 1.1 and collaborates with several foreign component manufacturers and SMEs in Indonesia to develop variants;
2013 - PT Solo Manufaktur Kreasi successfully released several units from the Esemka Rajawali variant for learning and operational media;
2014 - Esemka designed rural transport cars, mass public transport and also several high-passenger transport (Minibus and Minitruck).
Handed over 40 Esemka SUVs and pick ups, which were the first production lot and were all produced at an SMK in Tangerang, Banten;
2015 - Esemka made prototypes of Digdaya 2.7 D, Bima 1.3, Bima 1.8D, Esemka Niaga 1.0;
2016 - Esemka builds the first assembly plan at Demangan village, Boyolali Regency in Central Java;
2019 - Presiden Joko Widodo officially opened ESEMKA Factory in Boyolali Regency, Central Java and launch the Esemka Bima.
For a long time local companies in Indonesia have tried to design their own cars but failed to manufacture those in mass production. Besides Esemka, few other local made cars got publicity in the past, which include Gea by state-owned train manufacturer PT Industri Kereta Api (Inka), Tawon of PT Super Gasindo Jaya, and Fin Komodo of PT Fin Komodo Technology. A company PT Kiat Mahesa Wintor Indonesia (KMWI) has been commercially manufacturing a rural vehicle named as Mahesa since 2018.
Journey of Esemka involved a number of Indonesian vocational high schools (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan or SMK). Kiat Esemka was the first Esemka car, which was made in 2011 by students of SMK 1 Trucuk, a state-run vocational high school in Klaten, Central Java. The car got wide publicity when Joko Widodo started to use as official vehicle as Mayor of Solo during that time.
2007 - SMK Indonesia Partnering AIK (Autocar Indutri Components) designs and manufactures 1500 cc car engine components;
2008 - SMK Indonesia and AIK continue the engine component manufacturing program;
2009 - SMK partnered with PT Nasional Motor to make a double cabin body and with PT Mageda to build an SUV body and was approved by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at an exhibition at ITB Bandung;
2010 - Partnering with Foday, Jinbei, and SMEs in Indonesia to develop SUVs and product test minitruck at the Indonesia International Manufacturing (IIM 2010) exhibition received enthusiastic greetings from the public, jointly establishing PT Solo Manufacturing Kreasi as well as being the holder of the Esemka brand;
2011 - PT Solo Manufaktur Kreasi takes care of production permits (Kemenperin) and road worthiness (Kemenhub and BTMP) according to Government Regulations so that they are commercially viable;
2012 - PT Solo Manufaktur Kreasi releases Variant Rajawali R2 and Bima 1.1 and collaborates with several foreign component manufacturers and SMEs in Indonesia to develop variants;
2013 - PT Solo Manufaktur Kreasi successfully released several units from the Esemka Rajawali variant for learning and operational media;
2014 - Esemka designed rural transport cars, mass public transport and also several high-passenger transport (Minibus and Minitruck). Handed over 40 Esemka SUVs and pick ups, which were the first production lot and were all produced at an SMK in Tangerang, Banten;
2015 - Esemka made prototypes of Digdaya 2.7 D, Bima 1.3, Bima 1.8D, Esemka Niaga 1.0;
2016 - Esemka builds the first assembly plan at Demangan village, Boyolali Regency in Central Java;
2019 - Presiden Joko Widodo officially opened ESEMKA Factory in Boyolali Regency, Central Java and launch the Esemka Bima.
Esemka