British technology company Dyson has just announced that they have decided to break ground on their new electric car factory in Singapore later this year. The first ever Dyson electric car is expected to roll off the production assembly in early 2021.
With a large manufacturing presence already established in Singapore, Dyson has opted to begin construction of their new two-story electric car factory in the island city-state. Dyson has confirmed that their main reason for selecting Singapore as the site for their electric car factory was based on the availability of engineering talent, regional supply chains, and proximity to certain key target markets in the Asian Pacific.
Dyson, renowned for their home appliances, have stated that they aim to draw from Singapore’s expertise in Research & Development, advanced manufacturing, automation, and access to supply chains in order to aid in their endeavors. The Dyson electric car factory will build upon Dyson’s existing motor and battery expertise that they have been perfecting over the past several years.
In a letter to staff, Dyson CEO Jim Rowan explained:
“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. I am delighted to let you know that the Dyson Board has now decided that our first automotive manufacturing facility will be in Singapore. We will begin construction in December and it will be completed in 2020, meeting our project timeline.
“Our existing footprint and team in Singapore, combined with the nation’s significant advanced manufacturing expertise, made it a front runner. Singapore also offers access to high-growth markets as well as an extensive supply chain and a highly skilled workforce. Singapore has a comparatively high cost base, but also great technology expertise and focus. It is therefore the right place to make high quality technology loaded machines, and the right place to make our electric vehicle….It is a fast-moving, exciting, and pivotal project for Dyson; thank you for all you are doing to help us realize our ambitions.”
While the announcement that Dyson will be producing electric cars in the near future may seem like a bit of a joke to some, founder James Dyson has gone on record stating that he originally became interested in building an electric car 25 years ago after witnessing the devastating effects of pollution in the UK. We don’t quite know what to think about a Dyson electric car just yet, but if it’s anywhere near as nice as my vacuum cleaner, we could have a strong new competitor in the electric vehicle market.
Source: CleanTechnica
