The Long Beach Transit Board of Directors this week awarded an $11.7 million contract with BYD Motors Inc. to manufacture 10 battery-powered electric busses and charging systems. The deal includes options for additional bus purchases.
Long Beach transit chief executive Kenneth McDonald said the busses will be zero-emission and will be the “… cleanest bus we have offered to date.”
The contract was approved Monday and ended an hotly competitive bidding process. The agreement includes funding for training and required equipment associated with purchase of the buses. The money will come from a combination of federal, state and local funds, with the majority coming from a federal grant.
The transit agency plans to operate the electric busses on its Passport route in downtown Long Beach beginning in fall 2016.
Located in Lancaster, BYD (Build Your Dreams) is a leading international firm specializing in rechargeable batteries, vehicle manufacturing and “green” energy technologies.
