The world’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicles, BYD, unveiled its expanded battery-electric bus manufacturing facility located in Lancaster, California. The facility is the largest electric bus factory in North America and will operate as part of BYD Coach and Bus, building up to 1,500 battery-electric buses per year.
BYD currently employs about 800 people in California and its manufacturing facility has now been expanded to 450,000 square feet, quadrupling BYD’s facility from its initial 2013 footprint. AT top production line capacity, the factory will employ an additional 1,200 full-time workers. Current customer orders through BYD amount to 300 buses with options for 300 more beyond that. BYD says that expansion was necessary as more than 40 customers (mostly municipalities in California) are interested in ordering more buses.
The facility also handles research, development, and assembly for many of BYD’s electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
Aaron is an automotive journalist living in Wyoming, USA. His background includes technology, mechanics, commercial vehicles, and new vehicle evaluations. Aaron is a member of several automotive media groups and writes for many well-known publications.