China-based BYD, short for “Build Your Dreams," announced on Friday that it will open an electric bus manufacturing facility as well as an iron-phosphate energy module (large-scale battery) manufacturing facility in Lancaster, California.
The plants mark the first manufacturing facilities in the United States.
“We truly are making history,” said Mayor R. Rex Parris. “The City of Lancaster is honored to play host to BYD, a first-rate firm known around the globe as a leader in battery and sustainable energy technologies. The opening of not one, but two manufacturing facilities will provide local workers with hundreds of jobs as BYD expands its operations here in the United States, and also represents a significant investment into our local economy and in California.”
The plant will initially produce electric buses, starting in October. The company is hopoing to manufacture 50 units in the first year. The plant will have an annual capacity of 1,000 units. BYD's electric bus, known as K9, is 12m long and is aimed at achieving a range of 155miles on a single charge.
In April, BYD was awarded a $12.1 million contract with Long Beach Transit Authority to produce 10 zero-emissions, all-electric buses.
The company employs more than 160,000 employees around the world, with operations in China, the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea, India, Taiwan, Hong Kong and other regions.
BYD’s U.S. corporate headquarters is located in Los Angeles.
