If you have ever dreamt of cruising in a car sporting an Apple logo, your wishes may just be about to be granted as Apple is rumored to be partnering with Hyundai to build an Apple car. And it will be electric!
There have been many speculations in the past that amounted to nothing so don’t hold your breathe on this. However, the Apple Car (has a nice ring to it) is expected to reach production stage by 2024, according to sources. Nothing is fixed in stone yet.
Still going by unofficial sources obtained by CNBC and other news outlets, an initial run of 100,000 cars will be produced, with plans to ramp up to 400,000 per year.
It is quite a bit to imagine a phone maker trying its hands with a car but Apple will be banking on its hugely popular brand name. Many of their new products have been enthusiastically received, though in segments related to the one they are playing in already. But they may be eyeing a stake in the auto market, which is worth over $10 trillion.
The car is expected to be built on the E-GMP platform, which Hyundai announced last year for electric cars. Cars based on this platform are designed to go over 500 km on a single charge and use fast charging to get 80% in 18 minutes.
Apple is believed to be looking to control both the software and hardware of the car, similar to how they produce their phones and other gadgets. Production is planned to take place at Kia’s assembly plant in West Point, Georgia, USA.
There are also reports that Apple may ultimately go with another car maker, or bring more on board to meet projected demand. The Apple Car is believed to be designed not to require a human driver, making them autonomous. This opens up the possibility of having them deployed in delivery operations or as robotaxis.
Pricing details and other important specs are unknown but Apple fans can reasonably expect a well-built car, going by their record with phone and computer hardware. The phone maker has been on a hiring spree, snapping up many EV veterans in the build up to this moment.
Do you use an Apple product? Would you jump at the chance to buy an Apple car? Share your thoughts in the comments.