When Dyson revealed its failed EV, we got a glimpse into the most exciting “what if” in automotive history.
Forget everything you think you know about Dyson. Sir James Dyson – the man who gave you the cordless vacuum cleaner that NASA envied – decided years ago to show the world what the future of mobility looks like. The result? Dyson EVAn impressive electric SUV that rivaled the Tesla Model X in specifications, but was visually more futuristic than the Neom City.
But before you could even imagine it on the street, the project collapsed. Dyson stopped the thing just before the starting line, spent 500 engineers, over £500 million and created something that now exists only in pictures and in the automotive mythos. So today, with a tear in our eye and a sneer on our tongue, we dive into what could have been.
Tech dreams: breathtaking specs
The Dyson SUV – the project’s internal name was never revealed – was built on a modular electric platform designed for multiple body styles. It was to be powered by two Dyson electric motors, one on each axle, with shared four-wheel drive and a single gear. Nothing more, nothing less – just pure power and efficiency.
Battery? Modular, with different sizes and, beware – future-proof with solid-state technology. In theory, this would be one of the first vehicles ready for battery evolution without major modifications.
The dimensions were also ambitious:
- Length: between 4,700 and 5,100 mm
- Height: up to 1,800 mm
- Wheelbase: up to 3,350 mm
- Ground clearance: as much as 300 mm
- Wheels? A gigantic 24-inch aerodynamic monster
This means a vehicle with a longer wheelbase than a Rolls-Royce Cullinan and better ground clearance than a Range Rover – yet with a low, salon-like driving position for maximum efficiency and comfort.
The interior of the future: no leather, no switches, no compromises
Inside, you'll find seven seats designed with posture in mind – Dyson has openly said he hates "thirties armchair seats". Instead of leather, there's a textile interior, a central infotainment screen, no classic gauges – everything is projected onto the windscreen via a HUD system. Air conditioning? Air filtration with Dyson's own technology. Side mirrors? Cameras, of course.
The design we want in the museum – or in the future
A very low windshield, smooth lines without unnecessary edges, a minimalist front end with Aston Martin-esque headlights, completely hidden door handles, and taillights mounted high in the corners of the tailgate. A car that looks like a cross between a Tesla and a space capsule.
The car would also have adaptive air suspension - it would lower for better aerodynamics while driving, and raise when needed for greater ground clearance.
So why didn't it happen?
The project was finally scrapped in October 2019. Dyson returned £7.8 million of the government funding it had received, despite having invested more than half a billion of its own money into the project. More than 500 people were employed, including project manager Ian Minards, a former Aston Martin man. A production plant was already growing in Singapore, and the UK test centre at RAF Hullavington was developing into a mini Nürburgring.
Dyson says it's not a "product failure" but an economic reality: a car would simply be too expensive to market. But even if there never will be a car, Dyson is still developing solid-state batteries - maybe one day we'll be vacuuming with them... or driving?
What can we say in the end?
Dyson SUV is the biggest electric car we'll never drive. Specs-wise, it could be one of the most advanced EVs of its time, ready for a solid-state future, with a design that's more space-like than many of today's concepts. The price would likely be astronomical, but given today's Rivians, Lucids, and Teslas, it doesn't have to be a failure.
But perhaps that's the most British thing about the whole thing: creating something brilliant, and then holding your head high and saying, "No, thank you." Sir James Dyson, we bow.
