Dyson: Global Trade Wars Make Plant Site Choice “Turbulent”

U.K.-based home appliance giant Dyson Ltd. tells the Financial Times that global trade issues are making its decision about where to build a factory for its upcoming electric car “a lot more turbulent.”

CEO Jim Rowan notes that China supplies about 35% of the components used in its products, most of which are assembled in southeast Asia. He also expects China will be a “major” source of parts for Dyson’s EV, according to FT.

The company hasn’t yet built a prototype of its vehicle, which it hopes to introduce in 2021. But it is building a huge EV test facility in England for the car, which it plans to introduce in 2021.

Dyson’s two top candidates for the EV factory are Malaysia and Singapore, where the company has existing production facilities, according to FT. The newspaper says China and the U.K. also are under consideration.