The Apple car is a topic that has been discussed for several years, but now we have the first indications that there really is such a project within the company. If the fact that specialists in the field were hired within the company was not enough, now the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai confirms that it is in talks with the American technology giant for the possibility of a partnership for a possible electric car.
Apple has been working on an electric car for a long time
Before we delude ourselves about the imminent launch of a car with the Apple logo on the hood, we need to consider what we know at the moment. CNBC quotes a Hyundai employee as saying:
“We understand that Apple is in talks with several car manufacturers around the world, including Hyundai Motor. As the talks are at an early stage, nothing has been decided yet. ”
Korea Economic Daily also says that Apple has proposed to Hyundai a partnership for the development of a car, as well as the batteries needed to power the electric motors. Hyundai already has experience in the development of electric cars, already having models for sale such as IONIQ and Kona.
However, Apple’s approach is interesting, which is not exactly characteristic for other product ranges. In general, Apple develops its own hardware solutions, sometimes with proprietary components, sometimes with components from partners, in the factories of other partners. What Apple seems to be doing in this situation is to hire an already established car manufacturer to develop the hardware to the required specifications, over which Apple would probably apply its software layer to expand its product ecosystem.
Hyundai could be an important partner for Apple
However, the strategy is not exactly difficult to understand. The fact that such a major manufacturer as Hyundai could develop the Apple car, would provide a chain of services already available globally, as well as dealerships through which to sell the cars. One of the challenges that Tesla is still struggling with worldwide is that of service stores and department stores, being difficult to open its own offices around the world, without other partners.
However, according to Bloomberg, an Apple car is not something that will be launched in the near future. The first model is at least five years away.
