As to “it’s too late,”. LOL. Electric cars are simple to produce; that’s the point (no engine, transmission, etc) and Tesla and everyone else is largely using the same component parts that are available to everyone, tires, wheels, batteries, you name it. The challenge is to be able to sell them at a profit. Tesla has hemorrhages money, has billions of debt. That’s why conventional manufacturers have shied away from producing them. Now that costs are goi g down and consumer acceptance going up, they are all slowly starting up manufacturing.
The differentiation in electric cars will be the software and the interior/exterior design—Apple can dominate both areas. They will sub out the manufacturing like they do all of their products. They don’t need a dealer network, Tesla showed that, and they are also likely to simply lease their vehicles to Uber, fleets, etc.
even electric cars are not "simple" to produce, yes a few components less but still a car that needs to meet safety standards and such ... traditional car manufacturers have stayed away as they didn't take electric car serious, not Tesla is there and now environmental mandates are there so they do not have a choice.
design-wise, it is way to personal that Apple would make it a differentiator, look at Bugatti, Maybach etc, some like it, others don't ... on the SW side, well Tesla again is leading the pack with updates, something the traditional manufactures have totally ignored ...
and yes, they will need a dealer network, people will want (and need) the ability to bring their car into the shop, a Genius Bar is not going to cut it, nor will remote diagnostics, while electric cars have smaller maintenance once needs, they still have them. And you know that this site is full of complaint about bugs, both HW and SW, and with a car, now there is potential life at stake. And Tesla has dealerships (for lack of better word) all over the place, call them service stations or whatever is more appropriate.
and re leasing to Uber, fleets - traditionally those are mostly low end spec cars and the manufacturers do that cause it keeps the assembly line going, they need volume ... you think Apple wants that?
You make some good arguments, I do however still not believe that we will see an Apple car in 2024/5 or whenever