Apple Aiming to Begin Electric Car Production in 2020

[MICHAELSD]

More likely a cover story for what they are really working on.

Intrigued.

But I still want an Apple Car section on the forum.

 

[NY Guitarist]

In 5 years, you'll want an Apple car so bad it will be painful.

^ This is spot on.

 

[iBug2]

In 5 years, you'll want an Apple car so bad it will be painful.

Well, Apple or not, if someone releases a self driving car, I'll be the first one to save up and buy it. I never learned how to drive, now I won't have to.

 

[poe diddley]

If it's so top secret explain how anyone knows when they are hoping to release it? I think the theorists need to chill out a bit.

 

[AppleScruff1]

They could do that in select cities maybe. Tesla can handle it because they don't sell that many and don't sell them everywhere.

Apple isn't going to be selling tens of millions of cars a year either. They aren't going to become GM or Toyota overnight. They will be upscale, this fits in with their fashion branding of the Apple watch. The car will be expensive.

 

[MICHAELSD]

It's already working.

Honestly I'm not worried about making an early adopter mistake since resale value will be huge.

 

[samcraig]

Right now at Apple HQ

Man do we have them fooled!

 

[MICHAELSD]

Apple isn't going to be selling tens of millions of cars a year either. They aren't going to become GM or Toyota overnight. They will be upscale, this fits in with their fashion branding of the Apple watch. The car will be expensive.

I've considered its price but I think Apple is going to want to mass-produce. I don't expect it to be over $50,000. Probably in the ~ $40,000 range to compete with Tesla.

 

[NY Guitarist]

Apple doesn't have to reinvent the wheel. Just the ownership and driving experience.

 

[steve333]

If it's anything like their computers:
Underpowered
Overpriced
Seats too thin
The battery will be soldered on

 

[2bikes]

Who is going to be the first with mock images? Who is going to have a full scale PDF so that we can decide if we want to get iCar or iCar Plus?

I`m waiting to see a case/cover for it before anything else.

 

[AppleScruff1]

It's already working.

It really is. There are already people who are willing to buy it site unseen regardless of cost. Imagine 5+ years of this?

 

[iBug2]

Apple isn't going to be selling tens of millions of cars a year either. They aren't going to become GM or Toyota overnight. They will be upscale, this fits in with their fashion branding of the Apple watch. The car will be expensive.

Doubt it. They can release expensive and nonexpensive models together like Apple Watch. But if they get into the car business, their eventual aim would be to sell it to most people.

 

[AppleScruff1]

If it's anything like their computers:
Underpowered
Overpriced
Seats too thin
The battery will be soldered on

And people will sell their first born to buy one.

 

[iBug2]

And if the car is self driving, then selling it worldwide would present many issues. Each country would have its own regulations about such sci-fi concepts like self driving cars.

 

[DTphonehome]

I mean seriously, how can Apple offer support for a car? When it's broken you take it to the Apple Store? They would need huge facilities all around the world for something like this since no regular auto mechanic would be able to repair anything more complicated than flat tires in an iCar.

They already have stores worldwide. Not a stretch to have more of them, and large enough for car service. Besides, electric cars have far fewer mechanical issues than internal combustion cars, as they have fewer moving parts.

 

[OllyW]

Apple's favourite manufacturing partner is already getting itself ready for electric car production.

 

[Icaras]

I just want a faster MacPro.

I want a quieter and cooler, redesigned iMac retina 5K.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Doubt it. They can release expensive and nonexpensive models together like Apple Watch. But if they get into the car business, their eventual aim would be to sell it to most people.

Eventual aim. They aren't going to become the largest auto producer overnight. Most major car companies have been in business for 50-100 years. They also have huge R&D departments.

 

[stubbornapple]

I'll hold out on the first gen and wait for the second gen.

 

[IJ Reilly]

This project is "secret". All of Apple's other projects are revealed years in advance.

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If it's so top secret explain how anyone knows when they are hoping to release it? I think the theorists need to chill out a bit.

MR drama. This project, assuming it even exists, is no more "secret" than anything else they've ever done.

 

[wilhoitm]

Apple has been doing these leaks for years. Free advertising.

I can see the Apple Car being 3D Printed! Check out a full sized 3D printed car in this video from Local Motors.

3D-printed Car by Local Motors - The Strati - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daioWlkH7ZI

3D Printed Car CAD Finalized and Ready for IMTS Live Print - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onJcuO4Rwtg

 

[iBug2]

Eventual aim. They aren't going to become the largest auto producer overnight. Most major car companies have been in business for 50-100 years. They also have huge R&D departments.

Yes and there were companies that produced telephones for over 50 years.

 

[AppleScruff1]

I've considered its price but I think Apple is going to want to mass-produce. I don't expect it to be over $50,000. Probably in the ~ $40,000 range to compete with Tesla.

I guess it depends on where the market pricing is in 5 years. I think the Prius is the top selling hybrid car. I don't see a newcomer selling millions of cars in the first year.

 

[DTphonehome]

The automotive industry is on the verge of a major shakeup. New technologies are quickly becoming more powerful, compact, and affordable, and it's not a stretch to imagine that within a decade self-driving electric cars will be out on the road. Obviously it'll be a very long time before everyone has one, or before they are affordable enough to reach the entire market. But the industry is definitely moving in that direction. Apple has shown that it can beat the incumbents at their own game. Without the legacy baggage that big auto manufacturers have, and with a nimble team, automated manufacturing, and a killer product, Apple could make inroads here. It's definitely a moonshot-type project for them, but big risks pay off big when they hit.