Proven success in other markets has given the brand expertise in electric motors that should prove vital to car development
Never let it be forgotten that Dyson makes a hair dryer that costs £299 – when you can buy something that’s supposed to do the same job in a supermarket for £12.95. Such is its reputation for fascinating products and fine design that the eponymous Supersonic is a huge success across the world.
This success at finding markets others didn’t know were there has undoubtedly given James Dyson the confidence to invest at least £2.5 billion of his own funds into building an electric car. And it helps already to be a builder of some of the world’s finest electric motors and a world-leading researcher into solid-state batteries.
All this is why I’m tipping the new five-metre, seven-seat Dyson crossover to be an eventual success, although it’s possible he’ll spend more money and take more time. We don’t yet know the price, or shape, or performance of the car, or how it will be sold, but the seriousness of the effort, the irresistible sense of mission at the Hullavington base and the calibre of the people involved take this project away from any start-up I’ve ever seen.
Dyson’s automotive boss, Ian Minards, formerly of Aston Martin, has already been working on this project for rising three years. When offered the Dyson job, he said he didn’t need as long as a minute to accept.
I reckon when the time comes, worldwide buyers – and I’m guessing there might be as many as 5000 a year – will feel the same.
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Source: Autocar
