By John Letzing, MarketWatch
March 9, 2010, 9:28 p.m. EST
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Chinese car maker BYD Co. may build an assembly plant and open its North American headquarters in Los Angeles County, according to a report Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Business Journal, citing unnamed sources, reported that the BYD plant could top 1 million square feet in size and create hundreds of jobs.
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An announcement on the location of the company headquarters could come within the next few months, while any decision on an assembly plant would follow, according to the report.
A representative for BYD did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Chinese auto maker displayed its e6 electric crossover at the Detroit auto show in January, and said it planned to start selling the car in the U.S. some time in the second half of the year.
BYD (HK:1211 66.90, +0.70, +1.06%) (BYDDF 8.61, +0.21, +2.50%) is a maker of both gasoline-engine and plug-in hybrid cars in China. It made news in 2008, when billionaire investor Warren Buffett invested $250 million in the company.
News of BYD’s possible plans for California came as the United Auto Workers said it will lobby Toyota Motor Corp. and U.S. lawmakers to keep the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc., or NUMMI auto plant open in the state.
NUMMI was slated for closure after Toyota’s /quotes/comstock/!7203 (JP:7203 3,495, -20.00, -0.57%) (TM 77.17, +0.50, +0.65%) partner in the venture, General Motors Co., opted to withdraw because of its bankruptcy. See story on UAW lobbying Toyota over NUMMI plant.
John Letzing is a MarketWatch reporter based in San Francisco.
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