Dyson Supercar
Sir James Dyson has scrapped his bold plan to make a Tesla-rivalling electric car as it would not be commercially viable.
The famous British inventor, who made his name with revolutionary vacuum cleaners, claimed that his engineers had developed a 'fantastic electric car', but that it would not be able to make money.
Dyson - a prominent Brexit supporter - sparked controversy last year when he revealed that production of the electric cars, which was part of a £2.5billion project, would be relocated to Singapore, along with the firm's headquarters.
Patents for one of the models in the British firm's electric car range were revealed earlier this year hinting at some of the features the vehicles might have
Dyson had hoped to emulate how Elon Musk's Tesla has taken on the world's big car makers and managed to set the benchmark for electric cars.
Sir James sent an email to workers today announcing the electric cars plans were being axed and said the company had unsuccessfully tried to find a buyer for the project, launched in 2017.
The cars, for which blueprints were revealed earlier this year, had been forecast to be available for buyers from 2021.
Dyson said that an attempt was being made to find alternative jobs at Dyson for as many of the electric car project's hundreds of employees as possible.
Sir James said: 'For those who cannot, or do not wish to, find alternative roles, we will support them fairly and with the respect deserved.
'This is a challenging time for our colleagues and I appreciate your understanding and sensitivity as we consult with those who are affected.
'Dyson will continue its £2.5 billion investment programme into new technology and grow the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology."
Sir James Dyson - a prominent advocate for Brexit - confirmed last year that production of electric cars and the firm's headquarters would be relocated to Singapore
Earlier this year, Sir James called for the Government to pull forward the proposed 2040 ban on the sale of new solely petrol and diesel cars by 10 years.
That came as patent drawings were revealed for the electric vehicles, showingwhat the British firm's zero-emissions model could look like.
At the time, in an with the Financial Times, he said: 'Theresa May's people came to see me, and I suggested they think about 2030, because [2040] seems to be madness.'
He added: 'My own amateur view of the electric-car market is that it has been underestimated. I believe it's driven not so much by subsidies as by genuine desire of the public to have silent and non-polluting vehicles.'
Dyson´s new campus at at Hullavington Airfield in Wiltshire (Fred MacGregor/PA)
Dyson said today that its sites including Malmesbury, in Wiltshire, and its Singapore facility will be expanded and the company will concentrate on the 'formidable task' of manufacturing solid state batteries and other technologies.
He added: 'In summary, our investment appetite is undiminished and we will continue to deepen our roots in both the UK and Singapore.'
What was known about the Dyson electric car?
The design showed a sloping windscreen, a low roof height and plenty of space in the floor for batteries to be installed
No pictures of Dyson electric car prototypes have been seen and the vehicle's details remain a closely guarded secret.
The first hints at the Dyson electric car seen in May in the form of drawings, were actually filed 18 months earlier and show a seven-seat crossover vehicle with plenty of ground clearance, a sleek bonnet and slab-backed rear end.
The drawings showed a space under the cabin floor, presumably to be filled with the batteries used to power the electrified vehicle.
Descriptions said it would be between 1.6 and 1.8 metres high and 4.7 metres to 5 metres long - around the same dimensions as the current Range Rover.
The patents showed a crossover vehicle with a raised platform and massive wheels
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Source: https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-7559545/Sir-James-Dyson-scraps-project-build-electric-cars.html
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