Kuo: Apple Car development in early stages, may not launch until 2025-2027
Respected TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has offered his take on the rumored Apple Car self-driving electric vehicle Apple is said to be working on, suggesting the development of the car, internally known as “Project Titan,” is still in its early stages and the vehicle may not launch until 2025-2027 or later.
In a research note today, shared by MacRumors, Kuo says the launch of the car, expected to rival Tesla, is way off, reporting that if everything “goes well” a launch could happen at some point between 2025-2027 noting, however, that he “would not be surprised” if the vehicle didn’t arrive until “2028 or later.”
Reuters reported last week that Apple was putting its foot down on the secret Apple Car program, claiming the company has successfully developed a new battery design that would “radically” reduce the cost of the electric car batteries as well as increasing the vehicle’s range, calling the car technology “next level,” and likening it to “the first time you saw the iPhone.”
Following the news, Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed that he considered selling his company to Apple, but Tim Cook allegedly refused to take the meeting.
Apple’s former Chief Design Officer, Jony Ive was reportedly working on designs for Apple’s long-rumored self-driving Apple Car before leaving the company in 2019, with reports at the time claiming Ive had been constructing an Apple Car prototype in the company’s design labs, which was constructed out of wood and leather to be presented to Apple CEO Tim Cook. The most visibly notable feature of the model, the report claimed, was that Ive insisted it should not have a steering wheel, with the electric vehicle relying heavily on voice-control.
Apple started poaching Tesla engineers almost five years ago for its automotive project. It is understood that since then, Apple had shifted its focus from building a car to developing autonomous vehicle software, but after various changes in its approach, the company is now said to have its sights back on releasing its own vehicle for consumers.
The vehicle is expected to have a strong focus on self-driving technology, but additional details are few and far between.