Apple is reportedly aiming to have the batteries for its long-rumored self-driving electric vehicle produced in the United States, according to a report from DigiTimes, which claims the new batteries will likely be produced by Taiwanese manufacturers at newly opened US plants.
Reports claimed last month that Apple had started “early-stage talks” with two Chinese companies about producing batteries for Apple Car, with it said that whichever supplier was given the contact would need to open facilities in the US for the deal to move forward.
Citing sources, DigiTimes claim in a new report on Tuesday that Apple’s insistence on using US-made batteries for Apple Car is making Chinese partnerships seem unlikely, with Taiwan-based Foxconn or Advanced Lithium Electrochemistry (Aleees), both of which plan to set up factories in the US, now likely to be approached by Apple over the potential Apple Car battery contact.
Rumors previously pointed to Apple working on its own Apple Car battery technology, with a report earlier in the year claiming the iPhone maker had a new battery design that would “radically” reduce the cost of the batteries as well as increasing the new vehicle’s range.
Reports have ramped up over the past couple of months over “Project Titan,” Apple’s codename for the top-secret project. The vehicle is said to feature a “next level” battery to achieve increased range and superior levels of charge. Over recent years, Apple has been hiring many executives and former engineers from rivals, including Tesla, to work on putting the Apple Car on the road, with it said that ex-Apple design chief Jony Ive was working on designs for Apple’s long-rumored self-driving automobile before leaving the company in 2019.