As you may know, the world-famous tech giant Apple had been working on an autonomous electric car called Apple Car under a project named Project Titan for nearly 10 years. However, the vehicle was canceled after all those years of development. According to recent rumors, Apple has made a deal with the Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD to develop the battery for this vehicle.
Apple and BYD partnership failed to reach a conclusion
The collaboration between Apple and BYD was initiated around 2017 with the goal of developing a long-range battery. According to Bloomberg, the two giant companies focused particularly on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells. These cells are not only safer but also provide higher energy density compared to traditional electric vehicle batteries.
It is reported that Apple engineers shared their expertise in battery packs and thermal management with BYD, while BYD contributed with its technical knowledge in battery production.
BYD’s first version of the Blade battery greatly impressed Apple officials. In fact, Apple requested customizations from BYD to further enhance this technology and extend the vehicle’s range. The Blade battery stands out for its long-range capability and cost-effective production advantages. However, BYD recently stated that there are no patents on this battery and that this technology does not belong to Apple.
Meanwhile, it was revealed that Apple terminated its partnership with BYD before canceling the project and even considered other battery supply options from different companies. Despite all these efforts, Apple decided to completely cancel the Apple Car project earlier this year and laid off over 600 engineers and employees involved in the project.
We are not sure if Apple Car will make a comeback in the future, but all these developments indicate that BYD’s battery technology will continue to strengthen its position in the electric vehicle market.
What do you think about this? Do you think this partnership could have resulted in a successful car?
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