Apple has been a revolutionary force within the electronics segment. One-by-one, it launched products that disrupted the market, be it the iPad, the iPod, or the iPhones. And now, Apple seems interested in venturing in the electric car segment, rather, more specifically, autonomous /self-driving electric cars. And to work on that mighty prospect, some reports suggest that Apple might join hands with South Korean manufacturer, Hyundai.
Local Korean newspaper, Korea IT news had reported that Hyundai Motor and Apple Inc are planning to sign a partnership deal on Autonomous electric cars by March, and start the production of the same by around 2024 in the United States of America. This report effectively followed a statement that Hyundai Motor had earlier released on Friday that it was in early talks with Apple Inc after another local media outlet said the companies aimed to launch a self-driving electric car in 2027.
Hyundai Motor declined to comment on the report on Sunday and reiterated Friday’s comments that it has received requests for potential cooperation from various companies on developing autonomous EVs. Apple had no immediate comment. Another report suggested that Apple and Hyundai could also collaborate on Battery technology. It’s been a while that Apple is said to have been working or at least considering venturing into the EV segment, but that never turned into practical reality until now.
Under the tie-up, the production of the jointly proposed electric autonomous vehicle is rumoured to take place at Kia’s facility in Georgia, The United States of America, similar to Apple’s electronics production, which is done by its partners. The Apple Hyundai EV might be based on a Mono cell that could offer better range. Apple could also be thinking about ditching the Li-ion battery in favour of a Li-phosphate one, to prevent overheating issues. Apple can then leverage its software prowess to better the product coupled with Hyundai mass-producing the vehicle.