Rumor: Apple is developing an autonomous electric car with “breakthrough” battery tech
24th December, 2020 at 1:55 am by Flynn
- Apple will develop its own self-driving technology, with the hope of putting an electric car with “breakthrough” battery technology on the market by 2024.
- Apple’s project has now progressed to the point it will build its own electric car with autonomous driving technology.
- It’s unclear what the vehicle will look like, or who any of the manufacturing partners will be.
- The reports make mention of a “radically” new battery design that would reduce the cost of batteries as well as increase driving range.
- Apple is looking at using lithium iron phosphate chemistry – the same type of battery currently used in Tesla’s China-made Model 3.
Apple will develop its own self-driving technology, with the hope of putting an electric car with “breakthrough” battery technology on the market by 2024, it has been reported. The news, which comes from a Reuters story citing several unidentified sources, appears to be much more reliable than an earlier report from Economic Daily Times, which describes Apple releasing an ‘Apple Car’ as early as 2021.
This time, it appears the reports are more substantial. Reuters reports that two people, who have asked not to be named because Apple’s plans are not public, have said that Apple’s project has now progressed to the point it will build its own electric car with autonomous driving technology. They noted that the vehicle would most likely take on the likes of Tesla, Google’s Waymo and Amazon’s various EV efforts. It is especially important to understand that developing and mass producing a car is incredibly difficult, especially given Apple’s extremely high standards. It took Tesla CEO Elon Musk 17 years to finally turn a sustained profit making cars, with the company coming close to bankruptcy at least twice.
It’s unclear what the vehicle will look like, or who any of the manufacturing partners will be. It is possible that the self-driving system Apple has been working on will be part of the car, or offered as a software product to other companies. The latter seems unlikely, given Apple’s reluctance to license their proprietary software to other companies. The new report suggests that the Apple car team, while quiet and significantly smaller, hasn’t ditched the idea of a car after all.
Importantly, the reports make mention of a “radically” new battery design that would reduce the cost of batteries as well as increase driving range, according to someone who says they have seen Apple’s battery design. The person who spoke with Reuters said Apple is looking at using lithium iron phosphate chemistry – the same type of battery currently used in Tesla’s China-made Model 3. “It’s next level,” the person was quoted as saying of Apple’s battery technology. “Like the first time you saw the iPhone.”
Whatever ends up happening with Project Titan, it is now becoming clear that the future of the car industry is autonomous and electric. In 2020, nearly every major car company has announced new lines of fully-electric vehicles, plans to develop EV vehicles or have showcased EV concept cars. With Tesla’s stock surpassing $640B, it seems the “right time” for an Apple electric car is fast approaching.
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