BYD makes history with California bus factory

In 2010, Parris and other officials visited BYD's headquarters in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Upon returning home, Parris led an effort to team up with BYD and California-based builder KB Home to create a prototype solar-powered home using BYD-made solar panels, LED lighting and other technologies including residential energy storage.

"This cemented the concept in my mind that BYD must be part of Lancaster's future," said Parris, whose city bills itself as an alternative-energy center.

"BYD's developing technologies dovetail perfectly with our community's sustainable-energy goals, while also providing stable green jobs for local residents. BYD zero-emission vehicles are not 'clean energy' but pure energy, which means no pollution at all," the mayor said.

"When Chinese and American scientists get together, there's nothing that we can't do."

Building vehicles in the US enables BYD customers to take advantage of the federal government's Buy America subsidies to support domestic production. The procurement guidelines cover as much as 80 percent of the cost of the electric buses, and BYD officials said the Lancaster plant meets those criteria.

In April, the Chinese company won a $12.1 million contract from the Long Beach transit authority to produce the 10 all-electric buses.

"BYD is thrilled to be a part of the new zero-emissions legacy beginning in Long Beach with their electric public transportation," Li said. "Additionally, our Los Angeles headquarters will continue to expand research-and-development jobs to support these manufacturing facilities as well as sales and HR support for all of North and South America."

In Lancaster, BYD purchased a former Rexhall Industries RV factory for its electric-bus manufacturing operations. Rexhall CEO William Rex will stay on as general manager of the newly formed BYD Coach and Bus LLC.A number of Rexhall employees will be maintained as the plant shifts to new ownership.