Question

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what is the impact of Dyson's sudden announcement of closure of its automotive division in Singapore and how will the previous investment commitments by the company be honoured.

Written reply (to be attributed to Minister for Trade & Industry Mr Chan Chun Sing)

1. Dyson’s decision to wind down its electric vehicle business will not impact its presence and operations in Singapore. Out of Dyson’s 1,200-strong workforce in Singapore, 20 employees are from their electric vehicle business. Dyson will redeploy the affected employees within the organization.

2. Although Dyson will no longer pursue its electric vehicle business, it will continue to grow its core business in Singapore, including developing battery technology for consumer products, expanding R&D in areas which will also support the development of a smart mobility ecosystem such as sensors, robotics and artificial intelligence.

3. Other companies have also expressed interest in developing smart mobility solutions in Singapore. They value our highly skilled workforce, strengths in advanced technologies such as robotics and automation, and strong intellectual property protection regime. We will continue to work with these companies to harness these opportunities for Singapore.