MONTEREY, Calif. – BYD (Build Your Dreams), an international maker of transit and coach buses for the public and private sectors, announced Nov. 13 at the California Transit Association’s Annual Fall Conference in Monterey that the Los Angeles Department of Transportation ordered 130 of its battery-electric K7M buses, the largest single order of battery-electric buses to date in the U.S.

The order is a major milestone for BYD as it pursues its green dream to bring innovation and cutting-edge zero-emission technologies to forward-thinking communities and private enterprises. The LADOT purchase signals the market that zero-emission buses are here to stay and their use will spread.

The project fits perfectly with the City of Los Angeles’ “Green New Deal,” a set of sustainability goals that includes converting the entire LADOT fleet to zero-emission buses by 2030. The City of Los Angeles has set a bold goal of converting every city vehicle to zero-emission technology by 2050.

It is estimated the 130 buses will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8,225 metric tons per year and by 98,700 metric tons over the buses’ 12-year life, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 81% compared to LADOT’s compressed natural gas buses.

“We applauded LADOT for its bold leadership, ambition, and desire to improve the air quality for the City of Los Angeles,” said BYD North America President Stella Li. “BYD buses will be an important component of the city’s efforts to meet its sustainability goals. We are proud to partner with an agency that shares our green dream.”

The buses will be built at BYD’s Coach & Bus factory in Lancaster, Calif. BYD’s zero-emission buses not only meet but also exceed Federal Transit Administration “Buy America” requirements, incorporating more than 70% U.S. content. BYD is the only battery-electric bus manufacturer that has both a unionized workforce and a community benefits agreement, which sets goals for hiring veterans, single parents, second chance citizens, and others facing hurdles in obtaining manufacturing employment.

The 30-foot K7M has 22 seats, a range of up to 150 miles, and can be charged in two and a half to three hours. The K7M is one of BYD’s top products. It has no air emissions and runs quietly, improving quality of life wherever it travels. With lower fuel and maintenance costs, the K7M has lower total cost of ownership than diesel or CNG. BYD offers a 12-year warranty on its batteries, the longest in the industry. LADOT has been working with BYD since 2014 when it conducted a 90-day trial of a battery-electric bus.

In January 2017, city officials introduced the first of four K9S battery-electric buses acquired by the LADOT with a grant from the California Energy Commission. LADOT is one of more than a dozen customers who have shown their confidence in BYD’s product performance and service to make additional orders.

Earlier this year, Anaheim Resort Transportation added to its initial purchase by ordering 40 more buses from BYD. With this purchase, BYD has now sold more than 460 electric buses to customers in Southern California including airports, universities, private operators and transit agencies.