Sorry, Britain: Vacuum Tycoon Decides to Build Dyson EVs in Singapore

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

British vacuum magnate James Dyson has decided to construct his company’s planned electric vehicles in Singapore, rather than his home country. The choice prompted a mild uproar in the UK, as Dyson was a major proponent of Brexit.

However, he’s also still a businessman. China currently buys more EVs than any other nation on the planet, a fact that’s unlikely to change any time soon, and it’s typically more affordable to manufacture there than risking importation. This is especially true of automobiles. Officially, Dyson has said his business’ “center of gravity” has begun shifting toward Asia, accounting for nearly three quarters of the company’s revenue growth last year.

C’est la vie, as the British say.

Honestly, it seems like a lot of companies have seen their center of gravity move Eastward of late. Tesla is taking the necessary steps to build its first Chinese factory in Shanghai and just about every other automaker hopes to convince the nation’s population to buy its cars by setting up shop within its borders. This is not an isolated phenomenon, nor exclusive to EVs.

While still a slap in the face for the United Kingdom, it’s not all bad. Dyson Ltd announced a $150-million investment into its Hullavington Technology Campus, which used to be an abandoned RAF airfield before the company purchased it in 2017, in August. That facility will house some of the firm’s 400 British-based engineers, a testing facility, and track while it continues development.

Meanwhile, Singapore, which has a free trade agreement with China, will handle manufacturing, allowing Dyson to remain close to its battery supply chain. Bloomberg reports that the company plans to finish construction on its first EV factory in 2020, with the planned launch of its first model taking place a year later.

“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,” Dyson CEO Jim Rowan said.

Dyson’s electric car development remains shrouded in secrecy, with the company promising something radically different when launch time arrives. While some suggest the company has managed to tap into solid-state battery technology, those claims seem incredibly optimistic.

[Image: Eva Rinaldi/ Flickr ( CC BY-SA 2.0)]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Ceipower Ceipower on Oct 24, 2018

    Products with the Dyson Name seem to always be more about Hype than performance, how this clown is a millionaire says a lot about the world we live in.

  • Akear Akear on Oct 25, 2018

    The merlin was used in the Mustang due to the Allison's lack of performance above 15,000ft. The Allison was highly competitive until they took the supercharger out of the engine. Allison powered aircraft did well in Africa and the Pacific were high altitude combat was rare. On the deck the P-63 and P-38 could do 400mph, which illustrates the Allison excellent low altitude performance. Overall the Merlin was the best inline fighter engine of the war. It allowed the mustang to operate effectively above 30,000ft, which was perfect for a fighter used to escort bombers over Germany.

  • Lorenzo Heh. The major powers, military or economic, set up these regulators for the smaller countries - the big guys do what they want, and always have. Are the Chinese that unaware?
  • Lorenzo The original 4-Runner, by its very name, promised something different in the future. What happened?
  • Lorenzo At my age, excitement is dangerous. one thing to note: the older models being displayed are more stylish than their current versions, and the old Subaru Forester looks more utilitarian than the current version. I thought the annual model change was dead.
  • Lorenzo Well, it was never an off-roader, much less a military vehicle, so let the people with too much money play make believe.
  • EBFlex The best gift would have been a huge bonfire of all the fak mustangs in inventory and shutting down the factory that makes them.Heck, nobody would even have to risk life and limb starting the fire, just park em close together and wait for the super environmentally friendly EV fire to commence.
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