First BYD 60-Foot Electric Bus Rolls in Antelope Valley

The Antelope Valley Transit Authority took delivery this month of its first 60-foot articulated battery-powered bus made by BYD Motors Inc. at its Lancaster plant. The articulated bus is the first of 13 the transit agency has purchased as part of a program to have an all-electric bus fleet by next year. The 60-foot bus seats up to 60 people and has a range of 200 miles on a single charge. Full charging can be completed in two to three hours. Transit Authority Executive Director Len Engel said the new bus was a feather in the cap for the communities the agency serves. “We’ve been proud to be at the forefront of the smart business of electrification, protecting our air, saving money, and creating local jobs here in the Antelope Valley,” Engel said in a prepared statement. BYD Motors is the U.S. subsidiary of Chinese electric vehicle and battery manufacturer BYD Co. Ltd. Its Lancaster facility opened in 2013 and now employs more than 600 workers.