Dyson to set up electric car factory in Singapore

Singapore [Singapore], Oct 23 (ANI): Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsein Loong, announced on Tuesday that British appliance manufacturer Dyson will be setting up its first electric car factory in Singapore.
Loong made the announcement on Facebook while stating, "Dyson will be building its first electric car factory here! Their electric car is expected to launch in 2021. Singapore used to assemble cars until the 1980s. Now we will manufacture cars again, except this time greener, better, and more high-tech!"
He further elaborated, "When I met Sir James Dyson last month, he told me that our expertise in advanced manufacturing, global and regional connectivity, and the quality of our research scientists and engineers, all influenced Dyson's decision. I was also delighted to hear that his company is working with our schools to inspire and mentor future generations of Singaporean engineers."
The Prime Minister called on the engineers in the nation to rise up to the occasion and said, "Dyson is just one of the companies creating new and exciting opportunities here. Our engineers must rise to the challenge, prove themselves equal to the best in the world, and help create remarkable technologies that improve lives for all."
The two-storeyed facility will be ready by 2020, according to an official statement by Dyson.
The location of the facility is yet to be revealed, while the white goods company told The Straits Times that the electric car will be "very different from anything in existence".
Dyson further stated that the facility will be "a highly sophisticated one, using the latest technologies, including robotics and automation."
The company had previously announced that they had initiated work on a battery electric vehicle to compete with electric car giant Tesla and its likes. They had further stated that a team of 400 people had been assembled, and USD 3.6 billion had been pledged towards the project almost a year ago.
A Dyson spokesperson had told The Straits Times in September last year that the company had come up with a diesel particulate filter system in the 1990's, but the project had to be shelved as the market was not ready.
"Now, Dyson has the opportunity to bring all our technologies together into a battery electric vehicle. Rather than filtering emissions at the exhaust pipe, today we have the ability to solve it at the source," the Dyson official had further mentioned.
Dyson further revealed that Singapore had been picked as the facility's location due to its proximity and access to high-growth markets, the ready access to a supply chain of advanced materials and components, access to highly skilled, dependable labour and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
Construction of the plant is slated to begin in December this year and is scheduled to be completed by 2020. (ANI)