California-built BYD buses are ineligible for federal transit funds under a 2019 law covering China-linked manufacturers. Sen. Elissa Slotkin wants Chinese-vehicle limits in statute; her office says her bill cleared a Senate committee unanimously.
BYD said its Lancaster factory delivered its first U.S.-built electric bus in 2014 and now employs more than 750 people in an all-union workforce. During Xi Jinping's Sept. 23–25 state visit, Slotkin urged Trump to keep Chinese vehicles out; the article says official readouts it reviewed mentioned no automotive deal.
Slotkin and Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno introduced the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026, which would block Chinese vehicles and connected technology at manufacturing, import and sale stages. The Commerce Department rule, effective March 17, 2025, bars connected-vehicle makers owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of China or Russia from selling new connected vehicles beginning with Model Year 2027; it also bans covered software, with hardware restrictions in 2030. The rule allows general and specific authorizations, while commercial vehicles such as buses are excluded pending a separate rule.
