Dyson car plans step up a gear
TECH giants Dyson have unveiled the next stage in their £2billion bid to launch an electric car.
The firm, founded by tycoon Sir James Dyson, revealed plans to ramp up spending on a site in Wiltshire where the car is being developed.
Around 400 staff are already working on the top-secret project at the Hullavington Airfield, which includes a restored 1938 hangar.
Now Dyson want permission to redevelop the site to include more than 10 miles of testing tracks. The plans would take spending on the project to £200million. Dyson, better known for their bagless vacuum cleaners, have given away few details about the car, although it is planned for launch in 2021. However, there is speculation it will build on their current gadgetry, with windscreen wipers replaced by the technology in their Airblade hand dryers, where 400mph air jets “scrape” water off the surface.
The launch would pit billionaire Sir James, 71, against US tech titan Elon Musk, whose firm Tesla are already a leading maker of electric cars.
There is no word on where Dyson will make the vehicles, although the company have manufacturing plants in Malaysia and Singapore.
Brexit supporter Dyson said of his new car project: “It’s a big deal. We want to get it right.”
Dyson chief executive Jim Rowan said: “We are now firmly focused on the next stage of our automotive project.”