Following a previous report published yesterday by the Korean newspaper Donga, CNBC now corroborates the partnership between Apple and Hyundai/Kia Motors. The two companies are said to be on the verge of finalizing a big contract that will lead to the manufacture of the Apple Car which has been talked about for a long time.
A directly autonomous Apple Car
Hyundai Motor confirmed last month that it was in talks with Apple, but did not reveal any details. At that time, rumors suggested that Kia Motors – which is owned by Hyundai – would help Apple build its first car in the United States.
CNBC says the Apple car will be manufactured at a Kia plant in West Point, Georgia. Apple and Hyundai are on the cusp of a deal, which could be worth around $ 3.6 billion, according to a Korean newspaper. If the rumors are correct, the production of Apple’s first electric vehicle will begin in 2024.
However, while Hyundai is Apple’s main partner in building the Apple car, the Cupertino-based company is in negotiations with other carmakers as well.
The so-called “Apple Car,” which is under development by an Apple team, is slated to go into production in 2024, although people familiar with the talks between Apple and Hyundai-Kia say the eventual rollout could be repelled. […] Moreover, they point out that Apple could ultimately decide to partner with another automaker separately or in addition to working with Hyundai.
Interestingly, the report claims that Apple’s first electric vehicle will be completely autonomous. A CNBC source familiar with the matter said that “Apple cars will not be designed to have a driver.” A car not designed for drivers could initially be targeted for transport or delivery companies rather than private drivers.
They will be autonomous electric vehicles designed to operate without a driver and focused on the last mile. This could mean that Apple cars, at least initially, could focus on package delivery operations and companies incorporating robotaxis.
Having a fully autonomous car seems extremely ambitious – especially considering the timing of a launch in 3-4 years and Tesla only launched this feature at the end of 2020 in beta.
The first rumors about Apple Car date back to 2015, and since then Apple has been hiring automotive engineers, issuing patents, and acquiring startups related to the electric car industry. However, the company has never mentioned such a project in public.