According to a new report, Apple is still working on its own car.
By 2024, Apple could introduce its own car into the market, according to a new Reuters report. The highly secretive ‘Project Titan’ morphed in scale and scope since 2014, but the latest details incorporate bespoke, breakthrough battery technology into the equation, said people familiar with the matter.
Those who spoke on condition of anonymity mentioned Apple will use a “monocell” design. The approach would focus on larger individual cells, and would eliminate excess material used to create pouches and modules, as in several current battery designs. That may well improve range, and would “radically” reduce the cost of battery packs. Like the original iPhone, one source said, these batteries incorporate “next-level” technology.
However, take that information with a grain of salt, as Apple (like most companies) declined to comment on future product plans. A person who previously worked on Project Titan summed up the tech giant’s position bringing its own car to market. “If there is one company on the planet that has the resources to do that, it’s probably Apple. But at the same time, it’s not a cellphone.”
The COVID pandemic could (likely) push production back
Earlier rumors suggested we could see an “Apple car” as early as 2021. With some admittedly anonymous confirmation that the company is still working on a vehicle, a mid-decade release is more feasible. With the COVID-19 pandemic still rattling global supply chains, sources warned production may fall back into 2025.
As for who would actually build an Apple car, current information is unclear. Odds are it would tap an external manufacturing partner, if these rumors proved true. Depending on how close the sources are to Apple’s development and the accuracy of the information they provided Reuters, the company may scale back its efforts in the next few years after all. It may integrate autonomous driving systems with a model from a traditional automaker, rather than release its own self-branded car.
We’ve seen story after story of startup automakers who aim to disrupt the status quo. To turn a profit, though, Apple would have to scale production to at least 100,000 vehicles annually. Even with the resources it could mobilize, rising to that challenge is difficult for any newcomer, as the Cupertino-based company would be.
Since Apple is keeping its cards close to its chest at the moment, hopefully we’ll see something more tangible in the next year or two. In the meantime, take a look at more current tech below:
