Apple in Talks About Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

[doelcm82]

Not with automotive systems they haven't. Thought that was too obvious to include.

Yes, they have.
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They are already spending billions. If it was only a matter of money they'd have it wired. The real issue is experience with the systems, something that can't be readily bought or hired. Would they try to design and build their own electric motors from scratch or buy from an existing motor manufacturer with a long track record? Would they try to design and build their own braking and hydrologic systems? This is stuff they can't afford to get wrong. Doing this entirely in-house from scratch with no experience is a very risky proposition, but we haven't heard a whisper of rumor that they are talking to manufacturers of these parts. So something doesn't add up.

The rumors we're hearing are only the whispers than make it past the cone of silence. Some of the people that Apple has hired are probably asking the same questions you are (only without the fatalism).

 

[IJ Reilly]

Yes, they have.

I don't subscribe to the Financial Times so I can't visit your link, but if you are pointing to an article about all of their automotive industry hires, obviously I know about that already. What I am saying is institutionally this is something Apple has never done before, so that makes it a massive lift no matter how many people they hire. For one they have never built a single product that requires the heavy manufacturing methods that would be needed for a car. So that's a blank slate exercise, with no margin for error. And how do we know that a mechanical system, such as a motor, is going to be reliable? You build them by the thousands, if not millions, and run them for years, if not decades. And that's just the top of the list.
[doublepost=1464203215][/doublepost]

The rumors we're hearing are only the whispers than make it past the cone of silence. Some of the people that Apple has hired are probably asking the same questions you are (only without the fatalism).

No fatalism, just realism.

 

[doelcm82]

I don't subscribe to the Financial Times so I can't visit your link, but if you are pointing to an article about all of their automotive industry hires, obviously I know about that already. What I am saying is institutionally this is something Apple has never done before, so that makes it a massive lift no matter how many people they hire. For one they have never built a single product that requires the heavy manufacturing methods that would be needed for a car. So that's a blank slate exercise, with no margin for error. And how do we know that a mechanical system, such as a motor, is going to be reliable? You build them by the thousands, if not millions, and run them for years, if not decades. And that's just the top of the list.
[doublepost=1464203215][/doublepost]

No fatalism, just realism.

How long will you hold on to your "realism"? If Apple brings a car to market, will you still claim it can't be done? If they make a profit at it will you deny that it is possible?

 

[avanpelt]

With respect to "reinventing the wheel unnecessarily," I'm certain it's going to be unique. Why do something Tesla has already done? There's plenty of room for a new approach.

I'm not as sure about Apple's ability to come up with a new, better approach to a product category as I was five years ago. I cite Apple Maps, Apple Watch, and the new Apple TV as my examples. Sure, all those products are "ok", but they all either currently have or they had glaring issues at launch that I would think wouldn't have made it out of the R&D phase. I'll give Apple a pass on the watch since it is a v1 product; but I do fear that they're losing their edge when it comes to innovation. I hope they prove me wrong in the next couple of years...I really do.

 

[TXCherokee]

If history were anything to go by, Apple would not have made a phone.

Yes, phones with propitiatory connectors. What is your point?

 

[bladerunner2000]

It better be a universal plug. Apple's known to be borderline mentally challenged when it comes to proprietary connections.

 

[diipii]

Probably for the new, extremely thin devices.

Fashion models ?

 

[rpat701]

Does anyone else scratch their heads and say, "Why the hell is Apple designing a car?" It sounds so ridiculous.

 

[Rocketman]

Battery? Change it on arrival and store-forward charge it so it can be charged 100% not 70%. Battery tech is improving, but vendors are pulling an Apple and delivering good enough capacity, and ludicrous speed performance, instead of long range and slow to go speed. We live in traffic jams and speed limits!

Dispense with the ego!

I proposed a real growth business to Apple and the response was crickets.

 

[citysnaps]

The car game is completely different.. Watches, Phones, Mp3 players are consumer electronics.. cars are a way different type of industry.

Right… And when Apple as a computer maker saw an opportunity and jumped into the wireless phone market… And when Apple jumped into the music player and music distribution market… Both different types of industries. Yet Apple has done well. Cars are also consumer products, and have a ton of electronics in them. Apple will do well with their car because rather than being timid with a closed mind, they'll develop something very different.

How about google jumping into the electric car market? A very different type of industry from their core business?
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While I don't deny they are getting better, they still have some pretty major faults from time to time. I was trying to give Apple Maps another go, but when a major highway intersects with another major highway here in Fort Worth and Apple Maps thinks there is a fly-over bridge to get from one highway to another that actually doesn't exist... gotta know it still has a ways to go (at least in some areas). This example had me taking the flyover bridge to go left (east bound) when it doesn't exist in real life and never has. Yes, they built this spot to have further expansion in the future but it isn't actively under consideration or construction now.

Since it's easy to do, you advised the maps group at Apple of the problem, right?

 

[IJ Reilly]

How long will you hold on to your "realism"? If Apple brings a car to market, will you still claim it can't be done? If they make a profit at it will you deny that it is possible?

Since I made neither of those claims, your questions are inoperative.

 

[citysnaps]

So.. as time moves on the Apple introductions became less significant.

Problem with Apple making a car is that is HAS to be a game-changer (like the Macintosh, iPod and iPhone were).
It cannot be a just Tesla-like with an Apple-bagde.

Why would you expect it not be a game changer? Every new market that Apple has jumped into has changed the industry. Why on Earth would Apple jump into this market making a car similar to Tesla? That make no sense.

With respect to Apple boldly entering new industries and shaking the market, what industry and product would YOU recommend they get into and develop? Don't be timid, now. Apple isn't...

 

[Lycanthrope]

Apple just needs to invest in the Tesla Supercharging network.

Yep, buy into it, help expand it - everyone wins. It's f*****g so stupid that none of the manufacturers have done this, but totally to Tesla's advantage at the end of the day as they're the only EV with a practical road-trip solution.

Go Elon!

 

[InfoTime]

We need a bill to pass that mandates electric cars to use a standard protocol.

No we don't. That's the last thing we need. Let private businesses compete and let the market decide what's best.

The government didn't mandate Intel compatible processors, Ethernet and 802.11x and somehow things have worked out really well.

 

[Schwyz]

Seeing Apple and Tesla mentioned together excited me. It is like Romeo and Juliet, meant to be together but kept separated by stubbornness.

Particularly Apple’s stubbornness - Tesla released their patents to the public.

Just buy tesla.

Oh please no, electric car innovation would drop faster than Blackberry’s market value.

 

[InfoTime]

Someone has already achieved great success in the EV market

Who would that be? Tesla?

I ran a quick Google search "is Tesla profitable".

From fool.com:

Tesla's operating loss per vehicle last quarter was just under $15,000

And that's from selling a handful of $100,000 luxury vehicles.

I'd consider Tesla achieving great success if in 3 years from today you can place an order for a Model 3 for about $40,000 and have it delivered in about a month. I hope they can get there. I like them and I'm pulling for them. But, getting from where they are today to that point is a very steep hill to climb.

 

[doelcm82]

Since I made neither of those claims, your questions are inoperative.

From reading your posts, I thought you were saying that Apple wasn't going to be successful at entering the automotive industry. Sorry if I read you wrong.

 

[applezulu]

There was a time when Apple was about having just a few things, but doing them right and extremelly well. Now they are a company that sells old-tech laptops, a not so buggy OS, a very buggy iOS, a terrible QA proccess, tablets with marginal ugrades, samsung like phones, tries to sell music, boring keynotes, a second class TV sream box, rose-gold colors, watch bands, and now cars? Can you imagine a car from Apple the way things are now?? they are trying to do a lot of things and almost none in the right way, a car requires focus and experience, would you buy a car (worst.. an electric car) from the guys that brought you old tech, Apple Music, bricked devices, Apple Maps and watch bands with a iPhone design? What is Apple?

It's funny, this sort of armchair quarterbacking. Compared to its competitors, Apple is actually still focused on a very short list of products. As a direct result, they're criticized for relying too heavily on iPhone for revenue, and for not rolling out a new category-killer innovation on a quarterly basis, like Steve Jobs (never) used to do. When they roll out a watch or a rumored car, they're criticized for getting into new, unrelated businesses and not focusing on their core products. Remember when they announced the iPhone and people said they had no business entering a market dominated by Blackberry and Nokia? Remember how everyone scoffed at the idea of a smartphone without a tactile keyboard? Remember when they rolled out iPad and everyone joked about the SNL skit and scoffed that no one would want something between a phone and a macbook? Compared to competition like Android OS, Windows, Samsung etc., they still create much better, more reliable and user-friendly products. Then they're criticized for not jamming every possible bell, whistle or new processor into each product update. Fortunately, I'm pretty sure neither Steve Jobs nor Tim Cook look(ed) to places like this to gauge their success or decide on plans for the future.

 

[magicschoolbus]

Right… And when Apple as a computer maker saw an opportunity and jumped into the wireless phone market… And when Apple jumped into the music player and music distribution market… Both different types of industries. Yet Apple has done well. Cars are also consumer products, and have a ton of electronics in them. Apple will do well with their car because rather than being timid with a closed mind, they'll develop something very different.

How about google jumping into the electric car market? A very different type of industry from their core business?
[doublepost=1464206235][/doublepost]

Since it's easy to do, you advised the maps group at Apple of the problem, right?

Music players and Cell Phones are not very different types of industries from Apples core business.

I think all tech companies getting into the car business are a little foolish. The manufacturing of this and legalities of even producing ONE car is huge. I only see Apple, Google, being successful in this business if they are on the software end for developing self driving cars (mapping, IT Infrastructure).. the car itself would be a huge headache to manufacture.

I do however think its good that Apple and Google are getting into this.. I just don't want to see them pursue it as a hardware thing (Cars). The oil companies are SO in bed with the car companies that efficiency is undermined by a petroleum engine. Gas engines are dinosaurs compared to what an electric motor could do, even a hybrid - but we kept getting internal combustion engines shoved down our throats.

I think its a good move for tech companies to get involved if they are investing for software purposes.. hardware on the other hand is so out of the realm of the business model for both Apple and Google. Seriously, the amount of time it takes to get things DOT certified and then even on the road and all of the laws is so immense.

 

[doelcm82]

Yes, phones with propitiatory connectors. What is your point?

My point was why not wait and see? The charging connector could turn out to be the automotive equivalent of USB Type C. And the wheels (assuming it uses wheels) will probably be a standard size, and round.

 

[BarredOwl]

I'll choose my Tesla over any iCar any day. Apple is just trying to hope to catch up.

 

[Ivanovitchk]

what !? we need to charge Cars with lightning è_é !

 

[diamond.g]

No we don't. That's the last thing we need. Let private businesses compete and let the market decide what's best.

The government didn't mandate Intel compatible processors, Ethernet and 802.11x and somehow things have worked out really well.

We already have a charging standard with a standard plug.

 

[Rogifan]

You can just imagine it.
Apple car chargers are not compatible with other chargers, and need their own apple connector to work.

Thank god Apple was not around when petrol/gas cars were being developed as we'd all now how to find the right pump that fitted our current car.

You mean like how Apple Pay uses proprietary technology? Oh wait...it doesn't.

 

[applezulu]

I really hope Apple does not buy Tesla. I love Apple, but the last 3 years haven't been great. Tesla are actually like the Apple of old - super focused and making great stuff. I've reserved a Model 3, I think that an acquisition by Apple would not expedite that. Besides - are Tesla even for sale? It appears they are doing quite well alone.

Re: chargers. Agreed with the majority of people here in this thread: a standard has to be implemented. From my research, Tesla Superchargers are the best out there. They need to become the standard going forward. 20mins to charge half your battery is the only real way to do it. It can't take 5-8hrs if you are on a road trip.

I think if Apple went into partnership with Tesla to help build out and share their Supercharger network, it would be the best outcome for us all - while developing their own electric vehicle. The super-seceretive nature of Apple though, would limit their ability to do this up front while still working on their car.

Who says Apple is looking to buy Tesla?

Re: Tesla being focused: You understand that Tesla is but one component of the greater industry of Elon Musk, alongside PayPal, SpaceX, SolarCity, Hyperloop, and Open AI, not to mention Tesla's Powerwall home batteries, right?