Dyson's Electric Automobile Bites the Dust
Despite Dyson’s promise of delivering multiple versions of an electric car that would surpass everything we’ve seen before and confirmation that it had functional prototypes already in testing, the company has axed its EV program entirely.
The firm announced its decision on Thursday, quoting founder James Dyson directly. “The Dyson Automotive team have developed a fantastic car; they have been ingenious in their approach while remaining faithful to our philosophies,” he explained. “However, though we have tried very hard throughout the development process, we simply cannot make it commercially viable.”
Dyson stated that the company was unable to find a buyer for the project, leading the board to suggest the £2.5 billion ($3.11 billion) automotive project be abandoned. While the corporation did not indicate how much of the capital was leftover, it said the funds would be used improve the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology or funneled into other tech programs. Any advancements stemming from its EV research will be utilized wherever possible — including commercial licensing agreements.
“We will also concentrate on the formidable task of manufacturing solid state batteries and other fundamental technologies which we have identified: sensing technologies, vision systems, robotics, machine learning, and AI offer us significant opportunities which we must grab with both hands,” continued Mr. Dyson. “Our battery will benefit Dyson in a profound way and take us in exciting new directions. In summary, our investment appetite is undiminished and we will continue to deepen our roots in both the UK and Singapore.”
Dyson’s automotive team will be disbanded, with the company stating it would attempt to find positions for them within its core business (home appliances). Those that cannot be absorbed into those roles will be treated “fairly and with the respect deserved.” Presumably, that means let go with some amount of consideration and grace.
At its peak, the automotive team had just over 500 employees — with the vast majority located in England.
Dyson announced its EV project in 2017. The following year, the company began solidifying plans to construct an assembly plant in Singapore. Construction was expected to wrap in 2020, with vehicle production commencing early in 2021.
The business also received a £16 million in government grants from the UK, intended for battery research, and dumped millions of its own cash into building test courses for the now-abandoned vehicle. Dyson said any facilities intended for use in its vehicle program will eventually be designated for other projects.
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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Dyson was a big Brexit proponent. Then after going on about all the jobs he'd create in a Britain sitting like a duck in the North Sea, he decamped to Singapore where his head office is and where he planned to assemble his EV. Not a prototype in sight anywhere. He's not kindly regarded in much of Blighty. Traitor and hypocrite are words you can use in a search to find out about this guy. He epitomises the corporatist who jumps like a rat from the ship to make his product in a low wage country - in this case Malaysia for the vacuums. America is crammed head to foot with such people, and who manage to get the lesser-brained at home to blame the foreign country instead of the domestic money behind the move. Apparently Trump and the others cannot add two and two, so China shall be the enemy, not the elite of the USA and elsewhere, grubbing for every last penny and not giving a rat's a*s for their countrymen. Such a sweet deal - get rich, blame someone else, and the herd agrees. Moo. Dyson doesn't get this pass in Britain. His fake EV was never going to see the light of day in the first place. And you can sense the prevarication in his responses to questions. Sure he's going to spend the rest of the money. Read the comments below this article: https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-7559545/Sir-James-Dyson-scraps-project-build-electric-cars.html
Agree, Dyson should not be in the car business nor should they get any Government regardless of what country.