Dyson confirms EV for 2021

Dyson says its electric vehicle is on track for launching in three years.

A 400-strong team is developing the EV on Dyson’s campus at Hullavington Airfield in the United Kingdom.

A two-storey production manufacturing facility in Singapore is confirmed by the home appliance company’s board and is due for completion in 2020.

Earlier this year Dyson announced it was investing £200 million in new buildings and testing facilities at Hullavington Airfield. It continues its £2.5 billion investment in new technology globally.

The growing automotive team is making excellent progress, Dyson chief executive officer Jim Rowan says. “Clearly we now need to move quickly towards manufacturing and assembly.

“The decision of where to make our car is complex, based on supply chains, access to markets, and the availability of the expertise that will help us achieve our ambitions.”

Rowan says construction of the Singapore facility starts in December and will be completed in 2020, meeting the project timeline.

He says Singapore offers advanced manufacturing expertise, access to high-growth markets as well as an extensive supply chain and a highly skilled workforce.

“It is therefore the right place to make high quality technology loaded machines, and the right place to make our electric vehicle.”

Dyson started in Singapore 11 years ago with a small engineering team developing high-speed, digital, electric motors.

“We have grown significantly since then, we now employ 1100 people, and have made over 50 million high-speed Dyson Digital Motors in Singapore,” Rowan says.

“Our RDD teams at both the Singapore Technology Centre and the Advanced Manufacturing Centre have developed world-leading knowledge and represent Dyson at its best. Singapore is central to our future and we expect to more than double our team there.”

Dyson’s UK headcount has increased 2.5 times over the last five years to 4800.

Its Hullavington campus is close to Dyson’s Malmesbury campus where more than 4000 are employed and includes the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology. Through the Dyson Institute, a £31m investment into higher education is being made to help overcome a shortage of engineers in the UK.