Dyson, the engineering company best known for its vacuum cleaners and fans, plans to spend £2bn developing a “radical” electric car.
The battery-powered vehicle is due to be launched in 2020. Dyson says 400 staff have been working on the secret project for the past two years at its headquarters in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.However, the car does not yet exist, with no prototype built, and a factory site is yet to be chosen.
Not many other details are known about the vehicle at the moment, but rumors of Dyson’s interest in electric cars have been swirling for years. The company recently hired executives from both Aston Martin and Tesla, and Dyson’s ambitions in the area were accidentally disclosed in government document last year. Founded in 1987, Dyson is best known for its home appliances, including its bagless vacuum cleaners, fans, heaters, and hair dryer. The company’s sales have grown in recent years as it expanded into Asia, with revenue for 2016 reportedly hitting £2 billion ($2.43 billion). It’s also invested heavily in R&D, opening up new research facilities in both the UK and Singapore