Leading electric vehicle manufacturer BYD Motors (Booth #2007) is making a world premiere on the ACT Expo show floor with its next generation 8Y battery electric yard tractor. Manufactured in Southern California, the new all electric yard tractor is designed to provide performance, reliability, and improved driver comfort along with zero tailpipe emissions and quieter operation than its diesel equivalent.The unveiling at ACT Expo coincides with the expected delivery of 14 second generation BYD 8Y yard tractors to two BNSF Railway intermodal facilities in Southern California.
First generation BYD 8Y yard tractors have already been in use at rail yards and the San Pedro Bay ports since early 2018, helping to reduce emissions near the facilities that handle freight as well as in their surrounding communities. Under the first phase of the project led by San Bernardino County Council of Governments (SBCCOG) and funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) (Booth #1727), six first generation BYD 8Y trucks went to work at BNSF intermodal rail facilities in San Bernardino and the City of Commerce as well as three units at Daylight Transport, LLC in the City of Fontana.
BYD Motors is making a world premiere on the ACT Expo show floor with its next generation 8Y battery electric yard tractor.
Use of those vehicles and feedback from operations personnel provided a wealth of information, allowing BYD to push the state-of-the-art in battery electric trucks to the next level. The second generation yard tractor features improvements that directly reflect feedback received from their first generation yard tractor.
“We listened to the drivers, the operations managers, and the safety officers to make this the best performing yard truck in the industry,” said John Gerra, director of business development, electric trucks at BYD. “This is a vehicle that proves you can have both toughness and driver comfort.”
The ongoing demonstration project at the BNSF facilities is paid for in large part by a $9.1 million grant awarded to SBCCOG from CARB. The grant comes through California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities.
“Coupling this application with our exploration into zero emission train technology is a giant step forward to addressing air quality issues.” said Darcy McNaboe.
“We are excited to be part of this initiative that will help bring zero emission yard tractors to the Inland Empire. This demonstration leads to the adaptation of cleaner technology on a much broader scale,” SBCCOG president Darcy McNaboe said. “Coupling this application with our exploration into zero emission train technology is a giant step forward to addressing air quality issues in our county and throughout the region.”
