Dyson Plans More EVs

Household electronics specialist Dyson Ltd., which in September confirmed plans for a high-end electric vehicle, also is working on at least two mainstream EVs.

The first model, due early in the next decade, will have a production run of fewer than 10,000 units, multiple sources tell the Financial Times. The vehicle will be used to prove Dyson’s design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities. The car also will enable the company to establish a supply system, launch a distribution network and build a customer base.

Production volumes for the second and third vehicles will be “substantially higher” than the first model, FT says. No timeframe was provided for these vehicles. Dyson is said to be scouting potential production sites in several countries, including the U.K., China and Singapore.

James Dyson, who founded the company with the invention of its eponymous bagless vacuum cleaner, vows that the first EV will have a radical design. This could be facilitated in part through the extensive use of plastic components, FT says.

Dyson continues to develop its next-generation solid-state battery technology, which the company acquired through its 2015 purchase of Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Sakti3 Inc.

The technology promises boost energy efficiency, thus allowing longer driving ranges and faster charging times. But media reports suggest the batteries likely won’t be ready for the first model, which is expected to use a conventional lithium-ion battery pack.

Dyson is investing £2 billion ($2.7 billion) in the EV project, which is partially supported by the U.K. government. More than 400 people have been working on the plan over the last two years. The group includes several former executives from Aston Martin, Tesla and other automotive and tech companies.