Dyson Shows Of His $180,000 Cancelled EV Prototype
In a melancholic show of what may have been, James Dyson gave an exclusive look at his axed EV project to The Times. Britain’s richest man had been rumored to be working on a solid-state powered electric car since 2016, but alas, announced last year the cancellation of any car projects.
He revealed that the project was simply unviable, and that the out-the-door cost of any Dyson car would have been around $180,000. Honestly, that sounds about right for a Dyson product, but it simply wouldn’t do in their eyes.
The working prototype, dubbed the N526, was a sizeable 5,200 lb SUV, with a reported range of 600 miles. This really impressive range was achieved through a giant, non-solid-state, battery and aluminum body. According to Dyson, he would drive the prototype around a closed-off test facility that they converted from an airfield.
Dyson had hired over 600 employees to work on the project, including its new battery technologies. Fortunately they say they will keep them onboard, and intend to develop EV battery tech to sell to other car manufacturers.
Where we can see from the released images that the SUV resembled something Toyota would design on the exterior, the interior tells a different story. Of course, much would have changed between prototype and production, but the seats look distinctly Dyson in style. The metallic supports and segmented cushions resemble the design language of Dyson’s vacuum turbines, which have become so iconic and synonymous with quality.
We can still hold on to a fleeting hope that batteries will become cheaper, and in the future Dyson will manufacture some kind of vehicle. If not a car for the masses, than perhaps s luxury vehicle more in line with their tradition of selling things at three times the cost of what people paid for what they’re replacing.
