BYD unveiled its expanded battery-electric bus manufacturing facility—North America’s largest — with bipartisan support from elected officials on Friday. BYD’s nearly 800 employees in California were also on hand to help commemorate the new expansion for the coach and bus factory.

The grand opening celebration commemorated the addition of a new wing to the current BYD Coach and Bus space, bringing the total manufacturing facility to nearly 450,000 sq. ft. This expansion nearly quadruples BYD’s facility from its initial 2013 footprint.

The growth of BYD Coach and Bus reflects a rapid transition to electric transportation and will allow BYD to build up to 1,500 battery-electric buses annually. Since BYD established its U.S. electric bus manufacturing capabilities in Los Angeles County, the company has created nearly 800 full-time jobs throughout the state. This manufacturing facility expansion will enable BYD to hire up to 1,200 full-time workers at top production-line capacity. This manufacturing facility is powered 100% by renewable energy, which is provided by the City of Lancaster’s energy company, Lancaster Choice Energy.

BYD’s buses operate in transit agencies, universities, and airports across North America, with more than 40 customers including LA Metro, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Stanford University, UCLA, UC San Francisco, UC Irvine, Anaheim Resort Transportation, Long Beach Transit, Denver Regional Transportation District, City of Albuquerque, SolTrans, SunLine Transit, Link Transit, COMO Connect, Antelope Valley Transit Authority, and many others.

The BYD Coach and Bus facility also supports R&D and assembly for BYD’s battery-electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks, including delivery, drayage, refuse, and yard trucks, among other product lines. These trucks incorporate the same proven core components that are used in BYD’s commercialized buses and vehicles with several hundred million service-proven miles. By the end of 2017, BYD will have delivered 70 all-electric trucks to 15 customers in North America, with orders for more than 140 trucks to-date.

The bipartisan group of officials on hand for the factory expansion unveiling praised BYD for its local job creation and impact on the community as an employer that provides a pathway to career growth in the burgeoning clean energy sector.

“The City of Lancaster is proud to have paired our progressive efforts with an equally bold and visionary partner — Build Your Dreams,” said Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris. “Our many successful achievements together, have contributed to the City’s steady rise as a frontrunner in the alternative energy arena. This expansion of BYD’s electric vehicle manufacturing facility is a true testament to the commitment of BYD to the southern California region; California; and indeed this nation. We are proud to be home to this great company.”

BYD’s products form a complete clean-energy ecosystem. BYD’s photovoltaic panels capture power from the sun, store it in BYD’s energy storage systems, and then use it in BYD’s electric vehicles without ever touching fossil fuels. This model has made BYD a global clean technology powerhouse that is changing what’s possible in electrified transportation. In each of its 33 global locations, BYD promotes economic development by creating good local jobs, training its work force, and ensuring that local communities have access to affordable clean energy.