LONDON: James Dyson, billionaire inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner, said on Tuesday his company was building an electric car which will launch by 2020, the latest firm to challenge traditional carmakers in a burgeoning market.
Tesla has already shaken up the sector around the world and Dyson said it would now spend 2 billion pounds ($2.7 billion) on solid-state battery technology and vehicle design.
Dyson had been developing new battery and electric motor technology for its vacuum cleaners and other products for the past 20 years, he said.
“Battery technology is very important to Dyson, electric motors are very important to Dyson, environmental control is very important to us,” Dyson, aged 71, said at his company’s flagship shop on London’s Oxford Street.
“I have been developing these technologies consistently because I could see that one day we could do a car.”
Dyson told staff in an e-mail that the company finally had the opportunity to bring all its technologies together into a single product.
“Competition for new technology in the automotive industry is fierce and we must do everything we can to keep the specifics of our vehicle confidential,” he added.
Dyson said a 400-strong team of engineers had already spent 2-1/2 years working on the secret project in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, developing the batteries that will power the in-house designed electric motor for the car.
The firm has yet to decide on where the vehicle would be manufactured, although it has ruled out working with any existing auto companies, Dyson said.
Last year, the government said in a report it was helping to fund a new battery electric vehicle at the firm, which will secure 174 million pounds ($233 million) of investment in the area and create over 500 jobs.
The entry was quickly changed and Dyson declined to comment at the time in a sign of the secrecy shrouding the project.
Dyson said the firm needed to make the announcement on Tuesday because it was becoming hard to talk to subcontractors, government and potential new employees.
UK inventor James Dyson to launch electric car by 2020
UK inventor James Dyson to launch electric car by 2020
Saudi ports brace for cargo surge as shipping lines reroute
RIYADH: Preliminary estimates suggest that several global shipping lines could reroute part of their operations to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports, potentially adding 250,000 containers and 70,000 vehicles per month, according to Rayan Qutub, head of the Logistics Council at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, in an interview with Al-Eqtisadiah.
“Any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz not only affects maritime traffic in the Arabian Gulf but could also reshape global trade routes,” Qutub said, highlighting the strait’s status as one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints for energy and goods transport.
With rising regional tensions, international shipping companies are reassessing their routes, adjusting shipping lines, or exploring alternative sea lanes. This signals that the current challenges extend beyond the Arabian Gulf, impacting the global supply chain as a whole.
Limited impact on US, European shipments
The effects of these developments will not be uniform across trade routes. Qutub noted that goods from China and India, which rely heavily on routes through the Arabian Gulf, are most vulnerable to disruption. In contrast, shipments from Europe and the US typically traverse western maritime routes via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, making them less susceptible to regional disturbances.
Saudi Arabia’s strategic location, he emphasized, strengthens the resilience of regional trade. The Kingdom operates an integrated network of Red Sea ports — including Jeddah, Rabigh, Yanbu, and Neom — that have benefited from substantial infrastructure upgrades and technological enhancements in recent years, boosting their capacity to absorb increased cargo volumes.
Red Sea bookings
Several major carriers, including MSC, CMA CGM, and Maersk, have already opened bookings to Saudi Red Sea ports, signaling a shift in operational focus to these strategically positioned hubs.
However, Qutub warned that rerouted shipments could increase sailing times. Cargo from Asia, which normally takes 30-45 days, might now require longer voyages via the Cape of Good Hope and the Mediterranean, potentially extending transit to 60-75 days in some cases.
These changes are also reflected in rising shipping costs, driven by longer routes, higher fuel consumption, and increased insurance premiums — a typical response when global trade patterns shift due to geopolitical pressures.
Qutub emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s transport and logistics sector is managing these developments through coordinated government oversight. The Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the Logistics National Committee, and the Logistics Partnership Council recently convened to evaluate the impact on trade and supply chains. Regular weekly meetings have been established to monitor developments and implement solutions to safeguard the stability of supplies and continuity of trade.
He noted that the Kingdom’s logistical readiness is the result of long-term strategic investments, encompassing ports, airports, road networks, rail systems, and logistics zones. Today, Saudi logistics integrates maritime, land, rail, and air transport, enabling a resilient response to global disruptions.
Qutub also highlighted the need for the private sector to continuously review logistics and crisis management strategies, develop alternative plans, and manage strategic stockpiles. Such measures are essential to mitigate temporary fluctuations in global trade and ensure smooth supply chain operations.
