Waiting for an Apple car? You’re going to have to wait a lot longer.
According to renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, development of the long-rumoured car “seems to have lost all visibility at the moment”.
“If Apple doesn’t adopt an acquisition strategy to enter the automotive market, I doubt that the Apple Car can go into mass production within the next years,” he said.
Kuo is an analyst with KGI Securities, a Taiwanese company. His reports on upcoming Apple products are generally based on what’s happening with the massive supply chains on which the tech giant relies.
The development of Apple’s car has been a rollercoaster we’ve been riding for years now, almost entirely through international reports.
The most recent update was that the car won’t debut until 2026. When it does debut, Bloomberg reports it’ll cost less than US$100k – and it won’t be fully autonomous as initially intended.
Bloomberg reports the company is “planning a less-ambitious design that will include a steering wheel and pedals and only support full autonomous capabilities on highways”.
Apple’s car project remains shrouded in mystery. It will reportedly use batteries sourced from Japan, not China, and won’t be built by Hyundai.
Hyundai reportedly had concerns about being a mere contract manufacturer for Apple rather than a strategic partner.
More recently, it was reported Apple has hired an ex-Lamborghini engineer to work on the project.
Luigi Taraborrelli has moved from Italy to the San Francisco Bay Area, with Automotive News reporting word from sources he’s joined Apple’s secretive vehicle program.
While seemingly much of the tech giant’s focus has been on electric powertrains and autonomous driving technology, this hire suggests a greater emphasis on driving dynamics and suggests Apple’s first car could be getting closer to launch.
Mr Taraborrelli was a 20-year veteran of Lamborghini, and had been head of vehicle dynamics for 14 years.