[nbarry]

> Micheal Austin, a vice president at BYD America, praises Proterra’s designs but downplays any rivalry, calling the other company only “a competitor on some levels.”

He's right, and this is why Tesla recently opened up its patents for use by others. Sure, BYD and Proterra do compete for some cities that are ready to make the investment in electric buses. But both of them are mostly competing with cities that are likely to stick with the status quo, and their efforts to market their buses will help both of them by broadening the market.