BYD announced its American-built K11M 60-foot battery-electric, articulated public transit bus successfully completed the Federal Transit Administration Model Bus Testing Program in Altoona, Pa.

The K11M, which exceeds all Buy America requirements, became the first articulated bus to successfully complete the new FTA “Pass/Fail” protocol and is the only five-door model to do so.

As a result, U.S. transit agencies can use FTA funding to buy the BYD K11M. Several agencies, including the Antelope Valley Transit Authority, based in Lancaster, Calif.; Los Angeles International Airport; Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority; and IndyGo in Indianapolis, have already deployed the model.

In September, BYD’s K11M became the first battery-electric transit bus of its size to complete the full 15,000-mile durability test in an impressive 106 days and requiring a minimum amount of maintenance, setting a high bar for all other bus manufacturers.

TheK11M is built at BYD’s Coach & Bus factory in Lancaster, Calif. All BYD’s zero-emission buses not only meet but also exceed FTA Buy America requirements, incorporating more than 70% U.S. content.