Vacuum Maker Dyson Announces Electric Car Initiative

Sir James Dyson says it will be "radically different" from current models and will go on sale in 2020.

Given Dyson's track record for reinventing products, like its dust bag less vacuum cleaner and bladeless fan, expectations are high for something unique with their passenger auto.

The company is investing one billion pounds ($1.34 billion) to develop the auto, plus the same sum to create solid-state batteries to power it, Dyson said.

The latest digital motors and energy storage systems power the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and cord-free vacuum line.

As a result, Dyson plans to double the size of the development team at Malmesbury over the next two years, and also has a design team in Bristol working on technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT).

Dyson has been investing in battery technology for several years.

The company has already dedicated over 400 employees to work on the project and acquired an ex-World War Two airfield base, not far down the road from its Malmesbury headquarters, which is now operating as the EV development centre.

"We've started building an exceptional team that combines top Dyson engineers with talented individuals from the automotive industry".

"I believe that electrically-powered vehicles would solve the vehicle pollution problem".

In 2015, the company acquired Sakti3, a Michigan-based solid-state battery startup with plans to construct a $1 billion battery factory in order to mass produce the future of battery technology.

Wyer confirmed his exit from Aston Martin on LinkedIn, saying: "So, after 22 years at Aston Martin, today is my last day as I leave one great company to take up an exciting opportunity with another, as head of procurement at Dyson".

Dyson told staff in a letter, the battery technology already in the company's cordless vacuums and hairdryers could be re-purposed.

Earlier this year Dyson also hired Tesla communications executive Ricardo Reyes, fuelling a resurgence in speculation around the British company's development of an electric auto.