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An Apple store at IFC in Hong Kong, China

The Apple Car Could Be Back on Track After a Potential Deal With Toyota

Rumors of an Apple vehicle have been floating around for a while now, and we still don't have much in the way of juicy details. Like so many things that Apple has done in the past, it's determined to keep things secret until it's ready for the big reveal.

Apple CarPlay isn’t enough for the company, as rumors of an Apple vehicle have been floating around for a while now, and we still don’t have much in the way of juicy details. Like so many things that Apple has done in the past, it’s determined to keep things secret until it’s ready for the big reveal. Even so, the Apple Car is too big to hide all the details, and Motor1 may have just discovered a big one.

Apple is one of the top tech giants in the world

An Apple store at IFC in Hong Kong, China
An Apple store in Hong Kong, China | Marc Fernandes/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The Apple Computer Company was founded on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The partnership initially began when the two Steves teamed up to create a ‘blue box’ which allowed owners to make long-distance calls without paying exorbitant prices. This helped fund the start-up for the Apple Computer Company, which made it possible for the masses to have a computer in their home. 

 Since then, Apple has grown from a small, little-known company to one of the top tech companies in the world. The company has made it possible to carry thousands of albums in your pocket thanks to the iPod and created the iPhone.

Now, Apple wants to break into the auto realm. Given how Apple tends to change everything it touches significantly, it’s unclear what this will mean for the auto world. So, what do we know so far?

What do we know about the Apple Car?

So far, we don’t know much at all. There are strands of information that leak here and there, such as rumors that Apple is reaching out to South Korea for funding. There are also rumors that the Apple Car will be here this year, while others think that 2024 might be a little too ambitious. What we do know for sure is that Apple plans to make it a fully electric car. It’s also been rumored that it will be either a semi or fully autonomous vehicle. 

In the meantime, Apple is trying to develop a reliable supply chain for parts. So far, automakers don’t seem to be jumping on board. Apple has reportedly met with auto giants like Nissan, Magna, and Hyundai, but there haven’t been any announcements that a contract has been officially signed. Even so, it appears that Apple has a new partner in mind with Toyota.

Will Toyota team up with Apple?

A new rumor to hit the internet is that Apple is reaching out to Toyota. This came as a bit of a surprise since previous rumors hinted that Apple was ready to make a deal with Kia. It’s unclear what happened between Kia and Apple, but Motor1 believes that Apple is now prepared to turn to one of the biggest automakers on the market to make the Apple Car a reality.

According to Motor1, Apple is reportedly meeting with Toyota executives to help with the battery supply. Perhaps Apple may move slowly into the auto world by first producing electric batteries. Given the push to go green, this might be a very clever move, if it’s even true, of course. Rather than going with the tried and true, Apple would come out with a completely different type of battery which forced the rest of the world to redesign to keep up.

Even so, the road hasn’t been exactly smooth. As already mentioned, other automakers aren’t lining up to work with Apple. It’s unclear why, up to this point, but Apple is anything but a quitter. While we may not see an Apple Car this year, or maybe not even in 2024 if Motor1 is correct, we will doubtless have one in time.

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