Dyson announced the production location of its first electric vehicle in Singapore, where a new factory is set to be completed in 2020, one year ahead of the model’s official launch.
The British company best known for its vacuum cleaners has already unveiled its proving ground at UK’s Hullavington airfield. The new manufacturing facility is part of the $3.2 billion investment towards the company’s new electric car.
Dyson’s decision to build a new plant in Singapore is not a surprise, since the company already has a facility there that builds the motors used in their vacuum cleaners and hand dryers, employing 1,100 people.
Dyson CEO Jim Rowan also said that Singapore offers them access to big markets, highly skilled workforce and an extensive supply chain.
The long term plan for Dyson is to offer a three-car lineup, including a premium model and an SUV. The company already employs 400 people that work on the EV project but has plan to hire an additional 300 in its UK facilities.
Dyson wants its electric models to feature a solid state battery pack, a technology that offers quicker charging and more capacity. Toyota, BMW and Porsche have also plans of introducing solid state battery packs into their models.
Dyson’s first EV will be more of a premium car and not a mass-market rival to the likes of the Nissan Leaf. The company has managed to keep technical details under wraps so far, with reports suggesting that it will be based on a new, unique architecture and employ in-house developed electric motors.
