Chinese automaker opens 1st plant in US
Source: Agencies |
May 3, 2013, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE first Chinese-owned vehicle manufacturer in the United States has unveiled ambitious plans to eventually build as many as 1,000 plug-in electric buses a year at a refurbished RV manufacturing plant in a wind-swept, sage-dotted corner of the Mojave Desert.
In a news conference on a patio outside BYD's new energy-efficient production facility on Wednesday, the company's Senior Vice President Stella Li said the first of 10 zero-pollution vehicles, already on order from the city of Long Beach, should roll off the assembly line next year.
Within two years, Li said, BYD Motors expects to be producing 50 buses a year, and it will continue to ramp up production, hoping to reach the plant's capacity of 1,000 buses a year within a decade or two.
All the buses will be powered by the company's own iron-phosphate batteries, which will be made at another plant near the bus factory in Lancaster, 100 kilometers east of Los Angeles. BYD is the world's largest maker of rechargeable batteries.
"Today is a very special day for us," Li said. "Today marks the first time a Chinese vehicle company opens a vehicle manufacturing plant in the United States."
She said after the news conference that BYD has invested more than US$10 million in the two plants, declining to give a more specific figure. When the vehicle plant reaches full production, she said, it could employ as many as 1,000 people.
BYD's North American headquarters in Los Angeles now employs about 40 people but will also grow as bus production does, Li said.
In a news conference on a patio outside BYD's new energy-efficient production facility on Wednesday, the company's Senior Vice President Stella Li said the first of 10 zero-pollution vehicles, already on order from the city of Long Beach, should roll off the assembly line next year.
Within two years, Li said, BYD Motors expects to be producing 50 buses a year, and it will continue to ramp up production, hoping to reach the plant's capacity of 1,000 buses a year within a decade or two.
All the buses will be powered by the company's own iron-phosphate batteries, which will be made at another plant near the bus factory in Lancaster, 100 kilometers east of Los Angeles. BYD is the world's largest maker of rechargeable batteries.
"Today is a very special day for us," Li said. "Today marks the first time a Chinese vehicle company opens a vehicle manufacturing plant in the United States."
She said after the news conference that BYD has invested more than US$10 million in the two plants, declining to give a more specific figure. When the vehicle plant reaches full production, she said, it could employ as many as 1,000 people.
BYD's North American headquarters in Los Angeles now employs about 40 people but will also grow as bus production does, Li said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
