Dyson is most definitely serious about its plans to release an electric vehicle. The company has outlined its proposed second growth phase for its EV development facility at Hullavington Airfield, and the plans are more than a little ambitious. Its application would create more than 10 miles of test tracks around the former base, including specialized tracks for hill and off-roading tests. You’d also see more than 480,000 square feet of new new development space with room for 2,000-plus workers.
This wouldn’t come cheap, either. Dyson has poured £84 million (about $109.5 million) into the facility so far, and this would more than double the expense to £200 million ($260.6 million).
It’s still up to the government to greenlight the expansion, and that’s the wildcard here. If there are objections or significant delays, it could affect Dyson’s ability to release its first EV in the promised 2020-2021 time frame. Nonetheless, it’s evidence that this isn’t just a modest side project for the vacuum cleaner company. It has a long-term plan, and it’s willing to spend gobs of money to ensure that plan goes off without a hitch.
