If the latest rumours are to be believed, Apple is pushing forward with its plans to release an electric vehicle (EV).
Apple has long been rumoured to be working on an EV equipped with their own self-driving technology, known internally as ‘Project Titan’. Since 2014 the tech giant has put as many as 1,000 employees on the project, before scaling back in recent years after changes in the leadership of the project.
According to at least three sources who spoke to Reuters, Apple is now aiming to release a consumer friendly EV with a new battery design that could “radically” reduce its cost and extend its range.
According to the same sources, Apple’s EV battery involves a “monocell” design with larger individual battery cells. Doing so frees up space by eliminating design elements inside the pack, meaning more active material can be included, giving the car a longer range.
Apple is reportedly also considering a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, like the one Tesla introduced in Giga Shanghai earlier this year.
If Apple is able to deliver their own EV, it won’t be for a long time. Two sources with knowledge of the project said production is targeted for 2024. Those sources warned COVID-19 delays could push production to 2025, or later.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded to the report on Twitter, calling it “Strange, if true.” Musk also called some of the claims “electrochemically impossible”, casting doubts on the veracity of the sources who leaked the information to Reuters.
