Over the past several months, questions surrounding the so-called Apple Car have switched from “Will they or won’t they?” to “When will it show up?” and “What will it look like?” Despite the company’s secretive ways (or perhaps because of them), the rumor mill is working overtime for “Project Titan,” and all signs point to the vehicle touching down sometime in the next half decade.
To keep our readers in the loop, we’ve compiled all the relevant rumors, evidence, and speculation surrounding the forthcoming vehicle all in one place. We’ll keep the newest information toward the top of this page, so whether you have questions about the car or just need your daily Apple fix, this is your one-stop shop.
Apple investigating electric car charging stations
Apple still hasn’t confirmed the existence of its taciturn automotive project, but according to Reuters, the mobile tech giant is in talks with companies that manufacture electric vehicle charging stations. The Apple Car has been rumored to be electric for some time, and this news gives that speculation newfound credibility.
Reuters also states that Apple has hired at least four “electric vehicle charging specialists” recently, including former employees from BMW and Google.
BMW and Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler have been in rumored talks with Apple for some time, but German newspaper Handelsblatt claims the negotiations have dried up. Apparently, Apple’s preference for storing vehicle data in the iCloud was a major sticking point for the automakers, both of which have put wireless security and customer data protection on the forefront recently. According to insider sources, the leading candidate for Apple’s automotive partner is now Canadian-Austrian vehicle engineering group Magna.
Apple scoops up Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering
A new report by Electrek claims that Apple has hired Tesla’s Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, Chris Porritt. The news has not been confirmed by either Tesla nor Apple at this point, however Project Titan is likely in need of a new leader, as the program’s former head, Steve Zadesky, allegedly left Apple in January.
Porritt’s tenure at Tesla lasted three years, and during that time, the former Aston Martin and Land Rover engineer reportedly worked on the platforms for the Model S and Model X. He also helped design the chassis for the upcoming Model 3. According to sources close to the matter, Porritt was hired by Apple to work on “special projects.”
Vehicle development site spotted in Berlin
As with most Apple products, Project Titan has been shrouded in secrecy from the get-go. It’s only logical, then, that the brand’s first car would be developed in a secret lab, and that’s exactly what German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung is claiming.
The paper reports that 15 to 20 Apple employees are developing the vehicle at an undisclosed location in Berlin, Germany, with the group consisting of software developers, engineers, and sales specialists. The team is “relatively young” and “progressive,” the report states, however they are also responsible for obtaining regulatory approval from the German government and keeping tabs on the competition. Does this mean the Apple Car could actually be built in Europe?
Apple car to cost $75K?
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