BYD broke ground on the second of three phases of construction at its vehicle manufacturing facility in Lancaster, Calif.

The facility is already the site of BYD’s coach and bus vehicle plant that employs approximately 400 people working in areas such as engineering, production, quality control, procurement and customer service. The Phase II expansion marks an important step in BYD’s plan to triple employment in three years, undertaken in response to increased demand for its zero-emission coaches, buses, and new medium- and heavy-duty truck product lineup.

"We’re proud to produce efficient, reliable electric trucks and buses in California that help boost the local economy with good paying manufacturing and engineering jobs,” said BYD America President Stella Li. “By standing here today and breaking ground on this Phase II expansion, BYD is demonstrating its long-term commitment to this community to create even more good paying jobs with benefits and career advancement opportunities. The people who work at BYD’s Lancaster plant are assembling buses for transit systems all over the country, and soon we’ll be able to increase production line capacity to deliver these cutting-edge zero emission vehicles even faster to customers.”

The Phase II expansion will add tens of thousands of additional square feet to the existing facility and is scheduled for completion in 2017. A third phase, to begin thereafter, will add hundreds of thousands of additional square feet to the site in Lancaster and bring the facility up to its full size and capacity.

"Through our growing partnership with BYD, the local economy has already realized a significant boost from the addition of much-needed jobs. BYD will soon triple the number of its employees with the expansion of this facility over the next three years,” said City of Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris. “In addition, by utilizing BYD electric buses, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority is doing its part to ensure our region has cleaner air. As always, reaching Zero Net Energy status is at the forefront of our city goals, and BYD is helping us achieve this vision faster.”

BYD recently signed an important neutrality agreement with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, one of North America’s most dynamic and diverse unions with 216,000 members, which is part of a good-faith negotiation around unionizing workers at the Lancaster facility. As BYD proceeds with its plans to triple the number of people employed in Lancaster, it is committed to creating good-paying jobs with benefits and real opportunities for career growth.

“Our buses and trucks move people and goods, but it is the people of Lancaster who move our buses and trucks,” Li said. “BYD couldn’t be prouder to grow here in Lancaster.”