Electric Bus Manufacturer, BYD, Applauds CA Air Resources Board

BYD (Build Your Dreams), a pioneer in battery-electric technology headquartered in Los Angeles with an electric bus manufacturing facility in Lancaster, CA, applauds the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for adopting the Innovative Clean Transit regulation requiring a zero-emission transit system by 2040.

“Thank you to the California Air Resources Board and Governor Brown for their leadership,” said BYD President Stella Li. “Our Lancaster facility has the capacity to produce 1500 buses and we have partnered with Generate Capital to make a leasing program availale to accelerate this transition. We also provide solar and storage products that can help customers charge their new buses. We are excited to work with leaders across the state to transition their fleets.”

In California, BYD has delivered 79 all battery-electric, zero-emissions buses to transit authorities with another 122 orders on the way. The company currently has 19 public transit customers in California and has provided more than 100 additional buses to public and private entities in California with another 161 buses on order. BYD has partnered with Generate Capital for an electric bus leasing program that allocated $200 million to accelerate adoption of private and public sector electric buses. This leasing program provides agencies with another option beyond normal government financing used for infrastructure and other capital improvements.

In addition to its Los Angeles headquarters and Lancaster manufacturing facility, BYD is building a service hub in the Bay Area to offer full service to our customers. As a leader in clean energy and the largest battery storage manufacturer in the world, BYD can partner with our customers to offer solar plus storage with a power purchase agreement (PPA) to cover the cost of charging infrastructure and remove demand charges.

Even before the new rule was being considered, BYD’s workforce has grown from 30 employees from 2011-2014 to nearly 1,000 today. BYD has invested more than $250 million in the region to date, including some $53 million in the Lancaster facilities to date. The company has invested in the purchase of an additional 150 acres of land near its Lancaster manufacturing plant; and is planning service/maintenance centers across the U.S. The firm’s battery-electric, zero-emission buses not only meet but also exceed all current and future stated FTA “Buy America” requirements, incorporating 70%+ U.S. content. BYD is projected to spend over $50 million this year with U.S. vendors.

Transit agencies are already moving toward zero-emission vehicles. Eight-two percent of California transit agencies with 50 or more buses now either operate zero emission buses, have them on order or have been awarded grants to acquire them. The 12 transit agencies representing 40% of the buses in the state, have made commitments to 100% zero emission buses by 2040, most of them by 2030.

In order for transit agencies to meet the 2040 deadline, the state of California must continue to provide funding for the multiple incentive programs currently available to reduce or eliminate upfront incremental costs of zero emission buses and corresponding infrastructure. Those programs include the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Program (HVIP), Low Carbon Transit Operation Program (LCTOP), Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), utility investments, and other programs. This funding is absolutely vital to ensuring transit agencies can comply with this regulation and help the state meet its ambitious air quality goals.

Category: General Update, Green, News