Manufacturer of hoovers, fans and heating fans Dyson is to focus on manufacturing electric vehicles. As part of this ambition, the company is opening a factory in Singapore fully dedicated to the production of electric vehicles.
This reports the Financial Times. James Dyson, CEO of Dyson, announced in an internal email addressed to employees in September 2017 that he would start producing electric cars. In the email, the CEO expresses his concerns about exhaust pollution. By producing electric vehicles, Dyson wants to help combat pollution from cars. James Dyson also points out that the company has already developed a filter for diesel vehicles over 20 years ago.
Benefit from experience with other products
In developing electric cars, Dyson aims to benefit from the experience it has gained in developing other products. For example, Dyson has experience in electric motors and energy storage systems thanks to its cordless hairdryers and hoovers. Thanks to its fans, heating fans and air purification systems, the company has experience in fluid dynamics and air conditioning.
Solid-state batteries
The company is also betting on developing solid-state batteries. These batteries, unlike lithium-ion batteries, do not use liquid electrolyte, but solid-state electrolyte. These batteries can hold a larger charge and be charged faster than lithium-ion batteries. This is very relevant for electric vehicles, among others, as these features allow them to have a longer range and less time spent connected to a charging station.
Dyson has been investing in the development of such batteries for some time. In 2015, for instance, the company acquired Sakti3, a US company that developed solid-state batteries. James Dyson announced to Forbes in 2016 that it plans to invest a billion dollars in a battery factory and the further development of batteries spread over a five-year period.
Despite this commitment to solid-state batteries, the Financial Times reported in February, based on sources, that Dyson is still considering using lithium-ion batteries in its first model of electric car. Its two subsequent models will use solid-state batteries, according to sources.
First model rolls off the assembly line in 2021
Little is known about the vehicles Dyson eventually plans to produce. What is clear, however, is that the company plans to produce several models, the first of which should roll off the production line in Singapore in 2021. Which target group this model is aimed at and in which price range it will fall is not known.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Financial Times
Source: Forbes
Source photo: Pixabay / stux
