Tag: Stock Portfolio

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China’s BYD has committed to building a new California facility for its rapidly growing electric forklift business.

The company will construct a 50,000-square-foot facility in Rancho Dominguez that will include office space, warehouse space and facilities for demos and training.

“This expansion will help us build and strengthen our relationships and give us an important opportunity to showcase the variety of top-notch material handling equipment built by BYD,” Terry Rains, director of BYD’s North American forklift division, said in a statement. “BYD has been revolutionizing the material handing market and our extraordinary technology turns the industry inside-out,” added Rains.

Globally, BYD has delivered more than 12,000 zero-emission electric trucks across all classes, and it expansion into product handling equipment, such as forklifts, are part of a diversified electric powered product line that includes cars, delivery trucks, batteries, and even monorails.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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BYD (Build Your Dreams) has announced that its American-built K11M 60-foot battery-electric, articulated public transit bus successfully completed the Federal Transit Administration Model Bus Testing Program in Altoona, Pa.

The K11M, which exceeds all Buy America requirements, became the first articulated bus to successfully complete the new FTA “Pass/Fail” protocol and is the only five-door model to do so.

As a result, U.S. transit agencies can use FTA funding to buy the BYD K11M. Several agencies, including the Antelope Valley Transit Authority, based in Lancaster, Calif., Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and IndyGo in Indianapolis, have already deployed the model.

“This is a milestone for battery-electric buses, and clearly highlights the style, innovation, and safety features that are hallmarks of the BYD brand,” said BYD North America President Stella Li. “Not only are these American-built buses safe, they are quiet and comfortable and contribute to better air quality and a higher standard of living in our communities.”

In September, BYD’s K11M became the first battery-electric transit bus of its size to complete the full 15,000-mile durability test in an impressive 106 days and requiring a minimum amount of maintenance, setting a high bar for all other bus manufacturers.

BYD’s 60-foot articulated transit bus is ideal for high-volume passenger operations, providing service with less noise and vibration. Depending on the configuration, the bus can accommodate up to 89 passengers. It has a range of up to 220 miles and can be fully charged in three to four hours.

The K11M is built at BYD’s Coach & Bus factory in Lancaster, Calif. All of BYD’s zero-emission buses not only meet but also exceed FTA Buy America requirements, incorporating more than 70% U.S. content.

BYD is the first 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.

BYD offers the widest range of battery-electric bus and coach models in the United States, ranging from 23-foot motor coaches on up to the 60-foot K11M.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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BYD has delivered its 100th battery-electric truck in the United States.

World-wide, BYD has delivered more than 12,000 zero-emission electric trucks across all classes.

BYD’s 100th U.S. truck is a second generation BYD 8TT Class 8 Electric Semi that is part of a larger deployment for Anheuser-Busch’s Oakland, CA distribution operations.

“This is a great milestone for BYD, and it is just the beginning,” said Aaron Gillmore, BYD’s Vice President of Truck Business. “Our trucks are hard at work every day proving that electric is the new standard. 2020 will be a fantastic year for battery-electric trucks.”

The 100th truck will go to work delivering beverages for Anheuser-Busch around the San Francisco Bay area to retail accounts such as grocery and convenience stores on a daily basis. The trucks will charge at the Anheuser-Busch Oakland facility overnight. The project was grant funded by CARB.

Through its 2025 U.S. Sustainability Goals, Anheuser-Busch has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 25% across its entire value chain by 2025.The Oakland deployment builds on the brewer’s existing partnership with BYD including 21 additional BYD battery electric trucks at four of their distribution facilities across southern California: Sylmar, Riverside, Pomona, and Carson.

“We are proud to continue to build on our commitment to sustainable logistics through our partnership with BYD in California,” said Joaquin Schlottmann, Vice President of Tier 2 Logistics at Anheuser-Busch. “By integrating zero-emission vehicles into our distribution fleet, we are taking another step towards reaching our sustainability goals and helping ensure our beers are delivered in the most sustainable way possible.”

Anheuser-Busch put the BYD 8TT through extensive testing on range, acceleration, gradeability, charging speed, and more. The BYD 8TT exceeds the performance requirements of Anheuser-Busch and is receiving very positive feedback from drivers.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Long Beach Transit in Long Beach, California, is purchasing 14 additional BYD zero-emission K9M 40-foot buses.

The order more than doubles the number of BYD buses in its fleet.

LBT joins Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Anaheim Resort Transportation, and numerous other agencies as repeat customers of BYD’s battery-electric buses.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

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Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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BYD (Build Your Dreams) is celebrating its 400th bus built at its Lancaster, Calif. manufacturing plant.

The 400th bus is a 60-foot articulated K11M model transit bus built for Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), part of a 20-bus order. The buses will be used to provide transportation for guests traveling between terminals and gates on the Los Angeles International Airport’s airfields.

“The 400th American bus is another great milestone for our Lancaster team,” said BYD North America President Stella Li. “Since delivery of our first American battery-electric bus from Lancaster in 2014, BYD has provided buses to customers in 14 states and four Canadian provinces. We are passionate about our mission to create a cleaner environment here in North America and across the globe.”

In just six years, BYD has grown to become the largest battery electric bus manufacturer in North America, with more than 750 employees. The company has expanded its Lancaster manufacturing plant, a former motorhome manufacturing facility, from 100,000 square feet to over a half million square feet.

In all, BYD has invested more than $250 million in North America, and in 2018 alone, has spent $70 million on components and services from American vendors.

From one bus model under production in 2014, BYD’s product line now includes transit bus models ranging from the 30-foot K7 to the 60-foot K11, and coach models ranging from 23-foot C6 to the double-deck, 45-foot C10MS.

BYD now has more than 50 municipal, transit agency, university, airport, federal and other commercial and private-sector bus customers, including the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Antelope Valley Transit Authority, Denver RTD, Kansas City International Airport, and Solano County Transit.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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China’s BYD has secured the largest ever single order for electric buses in Europe.

The landmark order with Keolis Nederland BV comprises 259 pure-electric, 100% emissions-free BYD eBuses scheduled for programmed delivery from next summer.

Keolis Nederland BV is the Dutch subsidiary of global public transport provider, Keolis.

“This is a momentous occasion for BYD,” said BYD Europe Managing Director, Isbrand Ho, “and also represents a huge commitment to electric mobility since it becomes the largest European fleet ever switched to electric at one time.”

The deal was reached following close cooperation between Keolis and BYD to devise a demanding whole-life package which delivers a total transport solution and takes into account operational needs and passenger comfort requirements.

The deal was confirmed on Friday 6thDecember at Keolis’ head office in Deventer in the Netherlands with the contract being signed by Frank Janssen, the CEO of Keolis Nederland and Isbrand Ho, Managing Director of BYD Europe.

This latest order follows a number of recent significant deals for BYD with major public transport operators right across Europe – further reinforcing BYD’s strong and leading position in Europe where it has made deliveries and taken orders in nearly 60 cities and more than 10 countries, to-date totaling more than 1,200 electric buses.

For Keolis Nederland, BYD’s 8.7-metre midi bus, 12-metre and new 13-metre eBus models will enter service from the end of 2020 on routes throughout the Netherlands’ IJssel-Vecht region, including front-line operations in the municipalities of Zwolle, Apeldoorn and Lelystad. BYD’s 13-metre modelis equipped with new upgraded battery technology to provide extended range and ‘city-to-city’ capability.The majority of the Keolis order comprises 206 of BYD’s best-selling 12-metre model all of which will be equipped with pantographs.

In 2016, the Dutch minister of Traffic and Infrastructure signed a covenant which aims to reduce emission, such as CO2, Nox and PMs by 2025. Keolis has surpassed this target by operating almost emission free straight from the start of the concession.

With its headquarters in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, has provided BYD with a staging post to extend its European activities, and has also seen some strategically important orders for the company. Notably in 2012, BYD won its first European order to supply six eBuses to the Dutch national park island of Schiermonnikoog, the first public tender for electric buses in Europe. High profile deals followed soon after, including 35 BYD eBuses for Schipol Airport – the first airport worldwide to adopt airside electric mobility. In just seven years, BYD has delivered electric mobility to Public Transport Operators in towns and cities right across Europe, emerging today as the market-leading eBus brand.

Frank Janssen, CEO Keolis Nederland is delighted and proud to partner with BYD in operating the largest zero emission bus fleet in Europe starting December 2020. “It is another milestone for Keolis Nederland and the Keolis Group in developing and deploying electromobility solutions around the world and it reaffirms our commitment to supporting public transport authorities in the transition to sustainability. We’ve chosen BYD due to our excellent experience with their e-buses. These are a fundamental part in our daily operation to the full satisfaction of our passengers and employees. Furthermore we trust in BYD’s expertise as a manufacturer in developing and maintaining battery-packages.”

“This is another landmark deal for BYD in Europe,” said BYD Europe Managing Director, Isbrand Ho, “but, this is more than simply building and supplying 259 eBuses – significant though that is – we have worked tirelessly with Keolis to provide a complete transport solution. Delivery programmes on this scale,” he said, “can only be achieved through excellent cooperation and by striking up a long-term partnership. Our relationship with Keolis provides an excellent template to explore opportunities with other large fleet operators.”

This announcement of the Keolis order, the largest in European history, further underlines BYD’s credentials as the world’s leading electric bus manufacturer, after last month’s order from public transport operator, TransMilenio SA, in the Columbian capital of Bogotá to supply 379 eBuses scheduled to enter service in September 2020.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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China’s BYD could find its growing presence as a supplier of eBuses in the United States cut short if the current version of the National Defense Authorization Act become law.

The NDAA contains a key provision barring federal dollars from being used to purchase passenger rail cars or buses from state-owned or state-controlled enterprises, including BYD, which assembles its buses at its plant in Lancaster, California.

The plant employs some 750 workers, and was recently scheduled for expansion.

Proponents of the bill cite cybersecurity concerns.

BYD has been receiving an increasing number of large order for its eBuses from municipalities, including 130 of its eBuses that were ordered by LADOT for Los Angeles’ “Green New Deal” program, which aims to have the entire LADOT fleet be run with zero-emission buses before 2030.

BYD has already sold 460 eBuses in Southern California alone, and if the NDAA is enacted in its current form the company would be immediately banned from selling to Washington, DC’s Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro). The bill bans both buses and railcars.

“BYD’s electric vehicles are increasingly popular with municipalities, airports and other customers across the United States, and we will work to redouble our sales and continue deliveries of high-quality vehicles to our customers,” BYD said in a statement. “This unfortunate decision rewards a special interest misinformation campaign to squash competition in the electric bus sector and could weaken American competitiveness, threaten hundreds of union jobs and undercut our country’s fight against climate change.”

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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China’s BYD has received an eBus order for Oslo, Norway, as the company continues to make inroads in the European market.

Unibuss, a Norwegian bus company based in Oslo, has placed an initial order for 23 new 12 metre pure electric BYD eBuses.

The buses are expected to go into service in the second quarter of 2020.

The Unibuss order comes on the heels of a 55 eBus order from Norway’s government-owned national rail and bus company.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Beer brewer Anheuser-Busch, in partnership with Nikola Motor Company (Nikola) and BYD Motors LLC, completed their first ever ‘Zero-Emission Beer Delivery’ in the company’s hometown of St. Louis – utilizing both companies’ innovative fleet technology to deliver beer from the local Anheuser-Busch brewery to the Enterprise Center using only zero-emission trucks.

The Nikola hydrogen-electric truck picked up the load of beer, including flagship beer brand Bud Light, and delivered it to Anheuser-Busch local wholesaler partner, Lohr Distributors – marking the first commercial delivery onboard a Nikola hydrogen-electric vehicle. Lohr Distributors then delivered the beer to the Enterprise Center, home of the St. Louis Blues, on a BYD electric truck – a milestone delivery for the brewer as the beer reached its destination with zero-emissions from transportation.

“At Anheuser-Busch, we are continuously searching for innovative ways to improve sustainability across our entire value chain, progressing towards reaching our sustainability goals and driving our industry forward,” said Ingrid De Ryck, Vice President of Procurement and Sustainability at Anheuser-Busch. “No single company can build a more sustainable future alone but this zero-emission delivery has shown what is possible when we bring together the various strengths and assets within our supplier network to work towards a shared objective of a better world.”

The delivery builds on Anheuser-Busch’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and existing partnerships with both Nikola and BYD. Through their 2025 Sustainability Goals, Anheuser-Busch has committed to reducing carbon emissions across their value chain by 25% by 2025.

Last year, Anheuser-Busch placed an order for up to 800 hydrogen-electric powered semi-trucks from Nikola, a pioneer in hydrogen-electric renewable technology. The partnership will help the brewer transition their entire long-haul dedicated fleet to zero-emission vehicles.

“As the first commercial delivery of freight with our hydrogen-electric truck, this is an exciting time for both Nikola and Anheuser-Busch. This milestone will become an example for all other OEM’s to move away from diesel trucks and towards zero emission vehicles,” said Trevor Milton, Nikola’s chief executive officer. “We look forward to helping the Anheuser-Busch team achieve their sustainability goals by leveraging Nikola’s zero-emissions technology. We are now preparing production vehicles for Anheuser-Busch and plan on delivering the trucks as fast as possible.”

To complement the Nikola partnership within their routes, Anheuser-Busch also announced a pilot project with BYD in California last month to improve the sustainability of their fleet at four Anheuser-Busch distribution facilities across southern California. The 21 BYD electric trucks as well as a 958.5 kW solar array to charge the vehicles will be implemented this year as the largest Class 8 electric truck deployment in North America.

“Partnering with Anheuser-Busch is a great opportunity to showcase BYD’s performance and reliability with an industry leader,” said Stella Li, President of BYD Motors. “Our dedication to innovation pairs nicely with Anheuser-Busch’s sustainability commitment.”

To further highlight the power of partnership, Anheuser-Busch is hosting more than 100 strategic suppliers and partners in St. Louis this week for their inaugural Eclipse Summit to discuss best practices and align on collective action in sustainability. Both Nikola and BYD will be participating in the summit to highlight their cutting-edge technology and the impact of their partnerships with the brewer.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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BYD will provide the Colombian capital of Bogotá with a fleet of 379 pure electric buses, in a deal awarded by the capital’s TransMilenio SA mass transport authority.

The fleet will begin operations in September 2020, giving Bogotá the largest electric bus fleet on the continent and one of the largest in the world.

Along with the 64 pure electric buses in Medellín, Colombia will have a total of 443 BYD electric buses, putting it at the vanguard of Latin America’s rapid push towards public transport electrification.

The buses will be manufactured entirely by BYD and operate in the Integrated Public Transportation System – SITP, with the towns of Usme and Fontibón to be the first to enjoy the firm’s cutting-edge electric bus technology. This order also sees BYD again smashing the record for the largest electric bus order in the Americas, following its delivery of 183 buses to Chile during August 2019.

“With the arrival of zero emission electric buses to the SITP, we fulfilled a dream that this administration had proposed, and for which we worked hard, to give the city a better public transport service, with technology that’s both state-of-the-art and user-friendly,” said María Consuelo Araujo, General Manager of TransMilenio SA.

“The Somos Group has over 50 years of experience in passenger transport in Bogotá and 20 years in the TransMilenio system, for us the operation of electric buses is a great challenge and we trust that it will bring great benefits to all of Bogotá’s citizens,” said Enrique Wolf, General Manager of the Somos Group. “BYD has shown great interest in the Latin American and Colombian market and was an essential part of our decision to enter this business, by giving us the necessary confidence and solidity that should support such an important process.” Somos Group is one of the local bus operators that will run BYD electric buses.

“BYD’s successful bid to provide 379 buses today is a great achievement for Bogotá and TransMilenio, which is leading the global shift to cleaner and more sustainable transport,” said Lara Zhang, Country Manager of BYD Colombia. “More importantly, these electric buses produce zero emissions and are environmentally friendly, bringing better air quality and improved living conditions to local people. Today is an important milestone in the transport history of Bogotá, and every Bogotá resident should be proud of being part of the great transition to electric.”

It is estimated that in its first year of operation, this fleet will cancel out 21,900 tons of CO2 and 526 kilograms of PM 2.5 pollutant particles. It will also be 60% cheaper to operate these buses, compared to traditional diesel-powered buses.

BYD’s zero-emission transportation solutions have gained ground in Latin America, and now successfully service markets in many other countries across the region, including Ecuador, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Panama, Uruguay and Argentina, which join the nations across the world betting on greener, electrified public transport systems to help tackle climate change. Globally, BYD buses, taxis and other electric vehicles are present in more than 300 cities, 50 countries and regions.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.