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Hundreds of Apple Employees Working On Apple-Branded Electric Vehicle

Maybe that's why the spaceship HQ is circular... there's a test track inside. :) :)


I have a hard time thinking Apple will make an electric car. It's so totally out of anything they've ever done.

Unless they are unsatisfied with Carplay on other cars, so they really have to have control over the whole "listening to music in your car" experience by making a car to plug your iPhone into. :)
 
robbyx said:
Then you don't get Tesla. It performs like a Ferrari and it's electric. That's a pretty huge accomplishment. Yea they are expensive. And they are nowhere near as beautiful as a Ferrari or Lamborghini. But they are a work of art in their own way. Their tech is amazing. In a few years they will have their new battery factory cranking out batteries in the US and they expect to offer a car around $35,000.

I'm seriously considering a Model X (all wheel drive SUV model, looks a bit like the Cayenne). I need four wheel drive where I live. I really don't want to buy another gas powered vehicle. Also, Tesla gives owners free charging for life at all of their Superchargers. You can now drive your Tesla across the entire United States and charge for free the entire trip.

Apple getting into the car business seems absurd. Whatever the truth, I'm glad to see them doing more R&D outside of their core businesses though.
Click to expand...


Actually, if I had the money, I'd much rather own a Tesla than a Ferrari or Lamborghini. Well, I would if they actually worked in any practical sense. But seeing as they still can't go 200 miles under realistic driving conditions without stopping to spend an hour or more charging up, they're pretty much just an overpriced toy without much use beyond the novelty factor. Even the "supercharger" stations are so slow they have to be free just to get anybody interested, and since none of the minuscule number of them are anywhere near anywhere most people need to go, they aren't really relevant. Not to mention that the whole battery swap station idea seems to have disappeared. Nice idea, bust so far the battery powered car is still not practical for the mass market.

Which means if Apple, or anybody else, can come up with a breakthrough vehicle that makes batteries actually competitive with gasoline for powering cars, then they probably can carve away a meaningful chunk of the auto market from the existing players. But it sure is a well kept secret if they've come up with such a big breakthrough. If not, then it does seem like a poor business prospect.
 
Apple is branching out. Maybe they can come up with an idea that will increase the cruising range of the electric car to that of a regular internal combustion car. Find a way to make the car relatively easy and quick to recharge at home. And can find a way to mass produce the car at a price that doesn't require Warren Buffett-style money to pay for it. I give them props for the attempt, but I won't hold my breath quite yet.
 
I doubt Apple will build a car. That being said, if Tesla can come out of no where and flat out build an amazing car... I believe Apple could too. Maybe not the safest or most reliable, but sharp and a pleasure to drive no doubt.
 
Electric will be viable if you can get a 10 minute charge AND the ubiquity of at least disel pumps. Let's hope apple with its mountain of cash sees this.
 
Soo...

This

FORD-012C-by-Marc-Newson_yatzer_1.jpg
 
It seems strange because this doesn't fall into the category of 'consumer electronics'.

Then again, we know Tim Cook is about leaving the world a 'better place' and if they can encourage more people to drive electric cars and increase an electric car's range to more than ~250 miles that would be great.
 
definitive said:
a few tech sites post some rumors about apple working on a car, the wall street journal picks up on these stories, and writes their own story about it. the tech sites see this story, and post about it, thinking that wsj got their story from a credible source, and the circle keeps going...
Click to expand...

Nah WSJ isn't one to post spurious Apple rumors, this is likely a controlled leak by Apple as it's their favorite leak outlet. Same for the Financial Times.
 
X38 said:
Actually, if I had the money, I'd much rather own a Tesla than a Ferrari or Lamborghini. Well, I would if they actually worked in any practical sense. But seeing as they still can't go 200 miles under realistic driving conditions without stopping to spend an hour or more charging up, they're pretty much just an overpriced toy without much use beyond the novelty factor. Even the "supercharger" stations are so slow they have to be free just to get anybody interested, and since none of the minuscule number of them are anywhere near anywhere most people need to go, they aren't really relevant. Not to mention that the whole battery swap station idea seems to have disappeared. Nice idea, bust so far the battery powered car is still not practical for the mass market.

Which means if Apple, or anybody else, can come up with a breakthrough vehicle that makes batteries actually competitive with gasoline for powering cars, then they probably can carve away a meaningful chunk of the auto market from the existing players. But it sure is a well kept secret if they've come up with such a big breakthrough. If not, then it does seem like a poor business prospect.
Click to expand...

Range is only an issue if you're on a long distance drive. Then yes, some planning is required. Otherwise you plug in your car when you get home. Easy. How often do you drive more than 270 miles per day?

Superchargers fully charge the vehicle in around two hours. And they are free. Complain all you want because it isn't PERFECT but you have to start somewhere. And Tesla has done an amazing job so far. When the giga factory is online and they can bring a ~35K vehicle to market, it'll be huge.

----------
viorelgn said:
Electric will be viable if you can get a 10 minute charge AND the ubiquity of at least disel pumps. Let's hope apple with its mountain of cash sees this.
Click to expand...

You don't need a ten minute charge. You're equating recharging with filling up. It's not like that. How often do you drive 250+ miles in one day? You just need to plug your car in for a charge when you get home.
 
iMember said:
Agreed, Tesla car is way to overrated on this site, I live in Europe and here almost everyone never heard of tesla car, don't get me wrong i think is nice car but the price makes it unlikeable, as a rich person i rather just pay $10000 more and buy a Lamborghini or Ferrari
Click to expand...

Well come to the Netherlands then. Here you see them in droves. Make sure to taken a taxi after landing on Schiphol airport as chances are pretty high you will be driven in a tesla. Many cap drivers are switching to teslas.
 
Peace said:
Sounds to me like Apple is building the automobile to specifications just to have a car to test their secret software on.

Apple is not going to be making cars. Not enough profit margin in it.
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You're kidding, rigth? If Apple doesn't make cars, it's definitely not because there isn't enough profit in it. Toyota is expected to make $18.1B in profit this year. Very few companies make that much in any industry and that kind of money would actually move the needle for a company the size of Apple.
 
This makes a lot of sense since:

Apple is into battery technology.

Power conservation. iPhones tend to sip battery/performance compared to the competition.

Apple known to get into industries they know they are certain they can do better. An Apple phone was completely out of their territory at the time.

Silicon Valley is home to Tesla (located in Fremont). Easy to poach employees there as it's a stone throws away from Cupertino.

I don't think it's just CarPlay integration. It's gotta be way more than that.

Battery technology will benefit both their secret automotive endeavors as well as their existing lineup (all of Apple's products use battery, where power conservation is key)
 
Is Apple becoming the next General Electric? Computers, smartphones, watches, cars, Tv's and soon Toasters and vacuum cleaners in Apple design?
 
Celf said:
Is Apple becoming the next General Electric? Computers, smartphones, watches, cars, Tv's and soon Toasters and vacuum cleaners in Apple design?
Click to expand...

GE is #2 company in the world (Apple is #15) and is 130 years old, they could do worse than imitating that company :).
 
I know that Apple did hire some of the SEGWAY staff a few years ago. Doug Fields and Ron Reich? the battery guy were 2 I know of.

As far as that picture of the van, it sure looks like a street view mapping device.

----------

I've always believed that the company that solves the 'battery issues' will be the next richest company in the world.
Has Apple cracked the dilemma of batteries? A fuel cell? What?
 
braintumor said:
There is no contract manufacturing company that build cars!
Click to expand...

Wrong. As the article mentioned there is Magna-Steyr.
They produce(d) cars like:
  • Mercedes-Benz G-Klasse,
  • VW Golf Country
  • Audi V8L
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee
  • Mercedes-Benz M-Klasse
  • Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse
  • Saab 9-3 Cabriolet
  • BMW X3
  • Chrysler Voyager
There are other contract manufacturers, too.
There is a whole industry for contract car R&D: From parts, engines (e.g. AVL-List) to complete cars.
Apple could build a car like an iPhone. Design it wholly or partly and have it build to specification.

Before the build cars I'd prefer they disrupt the interchangeable lens camera business. Canon, Nikon et al. need a serious software upgrade.
 
X38 said:
Actually, if I had the money, I'd much rather own a Tesla than a Ferrari or Lamborghini. Well, I would if they actually worked in any practical sense. But seeing as they still can't go 200 miles under realistic driving conditions without stopping to spend an hour or more charging up, they're pretty much just an overpriced toy without much use beyond the novelty factor. Even the "supercharger" stations are so slow they have to be free just to get anybody interested, and since none of the minuscule number of them are anywhere near anywhere most people need to go, they aren't really relevant. Not to mention that the whole battery swap station idea seems to have disappeared. Nice idea, bust so far the battery powered car is still not practical for the mass market.

Which means if Apple, or anybody else, can come up with a breakthrough vehicle that makes batteries actually competitive with gasoline for powering cars, then they probably can carve away a meaningful chunk of the auto market from the existing players. But it sure is a well kept secret if they've come up with such a big breakthrough. If not, then it does seem like a poor business prospect.
Click to expand...

I own a Chevy Volt. I typically don't drive more than 40 miles a day, so 90% of my driving is on the battery. It costs me roughly $30 a month to charge my car every night. When I do use gas and have to fill up, it is usually 3 months between fillups and roughly between 1500 and 2000 miles of driving. And it only costs me $21 to fill the tank on 91 Octane premium gas! How many cars do you know of that can go 2000 miles or more without filling up? Do the math. Battery power may be a 'novelty' in your eyes, but I'll take my Volt or a Tesla any day over a gas powered car. Luckily, I live in California where Tesla superchargers and EV parking stations are popping up eerywhere. In fact, PG&E is requesting the State to allow them to install 25,000 EV charging stations for North and Central California.

Sorry bud, but EV's and hydrogen cars are the future.
 
Sensationalist media are touting this as a Apple vs Tesla showdown but I think if Apple goes into the car business, they are unlikely to go for the super-high end, quasi luxury segment Tesla is in.
Apple is not into products that only very affluent people can afford. They will target a segment at $20k to 30k.
 
Bernard SG said:
Sensationalist media are touting this as a Apple vs Tesla showdown but I think if Apple goes into the car business, they are unlikely to go for the super-high end, quasi luxury segment Tesla is in.
Apple is not into products that only very affluent people can afford. They will target a segment at $20k to 30k.
Click to expand...

I don't think so. Apple will target in such a way they can get 20-40% of the market. 20K is way way too low a price for that. Idon't think they'd make anything below 35K for the foreseeable future (would probably start in the 45K+ segment).
 
Bernard SG said:
Sensationalist media are touting this as a Apple vs Tesla showdown but I think if Apple goes into the car business, they are unlikely to go for the super-high end, quasi luxury segment Tesla is in.
Apple is not into products that only very affluent people can afford. They will target a segment at $20k to 30k.
Click to expand...

Agreed on this point. Maybe not as low as $20k but something affordable.

Apple wants to touch the masses just like they do with their current product lineup. I can just imagine a car with long battery life (drive long distances).
 
macduke said:
I better start saving up if I'm going to upgrade my car every year.
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Yes because the next model will be twice as powerful with a bigger battery, just as long as you like black or white ;)

Maybe other companies will make skins to allow users to change the color when they want to.
 
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