British technology company Dyson said on October 23 that it would construct its electric automotive in Singapore, with the brand new automotive production plant expected to be accomplished in 2020 before launching the primary vehicle a 12 months later, Channel NewsAsia reports
The electric automotive factory is an element of Dyson’s global £2.5 billion ($3.3 billion) investment in latest technologies.
Dyson, founded by billionaire British bagless vacuum cleaner inventor James Dyson, announced plans to construct an electrical automotive just over a 12 months ago – in a sector where the corporate will face fierce competition from established players.
The 71-year-old entrepreneur desires to leverage his company’s expertise in solid-state battery and electric motor technology, which might be present in his modern vacuum cleaners and other products similar to bladeless fans and air purifiers.
Electric vehicles have gotten increasingly popular as governments world wide implement plans to phase out polluting gasoline and diesel cars.
It designs the technology and builds a test track in Wiltshire, western England, but said the choice to provide the automotive in Singapore reflects the international nature of its business.
Dyson already employs around 1,100 people in Singapore at its latest Singapore Technology Center at Science Park One and at its Advanced Manufacturing Center in West Park, where it produces electric motors.
The company, best known for its cordless vacuum cleaners, hand dryers and fans, said Singapore offers access to fast-growing markets, an intensive supply chain and a highly expert workforce.
Dyson chief executive Jim Rowan said: “The decision on where to provide our automotive is complex and relies on supply chains, access to markets and the supply of experience to assist us achieve our ambitions.
“I am pleased to announce that the Dyson Board has decided that our first automotive manufacturing facility will be located in Singapore.”
Rowan added that Dyson’s existing presence in Singapore, combined with Singapore’s significant, advanced manufacturing expertise, made it a pacesetter.
“Singapore has a relatively high cost base, but also strong technical expertise and focus. It is therefore the right place to produce high-quality technology-enabled machines and the right place to produce our electric vehicle,” he said.
Dyson told AFP in an interview earlier this 12 months that electric cars are actually available to order.
The company said its 2017 operating profit rose by almost a 3rd to about £800 million (S$1.4 billion), helped by rapid growth in China, India, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Revenues increased by 40 percent to £3.5 billion.
“OUR ENGINEERS MUST TAKE THE CHALLENGE”
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singapore’s engineers must “step as much as the challenge” and “prove they’re on par with one of the best on the earth.”
“When I met Sir James Dyson last month, he told me that our expertise in advanced manufacturing, global and regional connectivity and the quality of our scientists and engineers influenced Dyson’s decision,” the Prime Minister said. “I was also delighted to hear that his company is working with our schools to inspire and mentor future generations of Singaporean engineers.”
In turn, Minister of Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing wrote in a Facebook post that the corporate’s decision “proves the attractiveness of Singapore as a base for investment in innovation.”
Source : Channel NewsAsia
