Dyson to build its first electric car factory in Singapore
October 23, 2018
It has been widely reported that technology company Dyson Ltd, headquartered in Malmesbury, UK, will establish its first electric car factory in Singapore, as part of the company’s £2 billion investment in electric vehicles. According to a memo to staff by Jim Rowan, Dyson’s Chief Executive, the location was selected due to its proximity to “high-growth markets” in Asia.
The plant is expected to begin production in 2021, with construction scheduled to complete in 2020. The company first announced its plans to enter the electric car market in September 2017, and is developing its first model at a research facility in Wiltshire, UK.
In August, it stated that it will enlarge its operation at Hullavington Airfield, Wiltshire, to employ as many as 2,000. It also stated in August that Dyson will spend £200 million on the construction of test tracks for cars at the airfield.
In his memo to staff, Rowan further stated that the decision on the new plant’s location is based on “supply chains, access to markets, and the availability of the expertise that will help us achieve our ambitions.” Dyson already employs 1,100 staff in Singapore, where it is said to manufacture 21 million electric motors annually for use in its other products.
“The Dyson board has now decided that our first automotive manufacturing facility will be in Singapore,” Rowan commented. “We will begin construction in December, meeting our project timeline […] This decision is good news for the exceptional teams we have in both the UK and Singapore. It is a fast-moving, exciting, and pivotal project for Dyson.”
