Apple’s secret partnership with Chinese automaker BYD revealed

Oct 17

Jack Aylmer Energy Correspondent

By Jack Aylmer (Energy Correspondent), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

A previously undisclosed partnership between Apple and Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD has come to light, as reported by Bloomberg. The tech giant enlisted BYD to develop a custom battery for its ultimately failed self-driving car initiative, known as “Project Titan.”

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The decade-long endeavor, which aimed to produce an autonomous Apple Car, reportedly burned through around $10 billion before being abandoned, with employees working on the project either getting laid off or reassigned.

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Apple’s interest in BYD was sparked in 2017 when the automaker introduced its Blade Battery, a lithium iron phosphate battery praised for its enhanced safety, durability, and lifespan, making it well-suited for EVs. The two companies reportedly entered into an initial agreement that year and collaborated for several years before the partnership dissolved.

While the specific reasons for the breakup were not disclosed, speculation points to trade tensions between the U.S. and China, as well as increased federal scrutiny over the sourcing of EV components, as possible factors that complicated the collaboration.

Tags: apple, BYD, Electric Vehicle Batteries, Electric vehicles, Tech

[JACK AYLMER]

A SECRET PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN APPLE AND ONE OF CHINA’S BIGGEST AUTO COMPANIES IS COMING TO LIGHT.

ACCORDING TO BLOOMBERG, THE TECH GIANT TAPPED CHINESE EV MAKER B-Y-D TO BUILD A CUSTOM BATTERY FOR ITS ILL-FATED APPLE CAR.

‘PROJECT TITAN’ WAS APPLE’S DECADE-LONG SELF-DRIVING VEHICLE ENDEAVOR THAT ULTIMATELY GOT SCRAPPED-

AFTER THE INITIATIVE BURNT THROUGH AN ESTIMATED 10 BILLION DOLLARS. ALL EMPLOYEES WORKING ON THE PROJECT WERE EITHER LAID OFF OR RE-ASSIGNED.

BUT BACK WHEN THE PROJECT WAS STILL MOVING FORWARD-

APPLE REPORTEDLY FIRST BECAME INTERESTED IN B-Y-D AS A POTENTIAL PARTNER WHEN THE AUTOMAKER DEBUTED ITS BLADE BATTERY SYSTEM.

THIS WAS A NEW LITHIUM IRON PHOSPHATE BATTERY DESIGNED FOR EVS WHICH RECEIVED PRAISE FOR ITS INCREASED SAFETY, DURABILITY, AND LIFESPAN.

BLOOMBERG REPORTS THE TWO COMPANIES REACHED AN INITIAL AGREEMENT TO COLLABORATE IN 20-17-

WORKING TOGETHER FOR YEARS BEFORE APPLE WALKED AWAY FROM THE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP.

THOUGH A SPECIFIC REASON WAS NOT DISCLOSED-

TRADE SANCTIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA, AS WELL AS HEIGHTENED FEDERAL SCRUTINY OVER WHERE EV COMPONENTS ARE SOURCED IS SPECULATED TO HAVE HINDERED THE PARTNERSHIP.

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