Lancaster Welcomes BYD

According to the Antelope Valley Times, May 1, 2013, China-based BYD and the City of Lancaster held a press conference to announce the arrival of two BYD manufacturing facilities in Lancaster – an electric bus manufacturing facility and an Iron-Phosphate energy module (large scale battery) manufacturing facility. Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris speaks at a press conference Wednesday to announce BYD’s arrival to Lancaster. “When you take China and put it together with the U.S., something different happens, something emerges,” said Parris. BYD employs more than 160,000 people around the world, with operations in China, the United States, Europe, Japan, South Korea, India, Taiwan, Hong Kong and other regions. BYD’s US corporate headquarters is located in Los Angeles, while the Lancaster facilities mark the firm’s first manufacturing facilities in North America. BYD’s zero-emissions electric buses provide a range of over 155 miles on a single charge. “Walking in the footsteps of Antelope Valley pioneers, BYD is bringing jobs and economic growth and vitality to the Antelope Valley and Los Angeles County,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

BYD has purchased the former Rexhall Industries recreational vehicle manufacturing facility in Lancaster, at 46147 7th Street West (now BYD Boulevard), to house its electric bus manufacturing operations. Rexhall Industries will now combine its manufacturing operations with its sales facility on 23rd Street West, while President and Chief executive Officer of Rexhall Industries, William Rex, will stay on as General Manager for the new BYD Coach & Bus LLC. A number of current Rexhall employees will also stay on as the plant transitions to BYD ownership, city officials said BYD’s second manufacturing facility is located about two miles away from the electric bus facility, city officials said. “It’s across the tracks at the old Budweiser plant,” Parris said, adding that Iron-Phosphate energy modules are much more than batteries. The two manufacturing facilities, which will begin operating in the coming months, will provide local workers with hundreds of jobs as BYD expands its operations in the United States, according to Parris. “Initially there will be 200 jobs and then it will expand after that,” Parris said.