The first Apple electric car will be built on Hyundai's electric vehicle platform and the initial model could lead to new vehicles built in association with General Motors and European manufacturer PSA, noted TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said.
In a fresh note to investors issued late on Monday, Kuo said that Apple's deep collaboration with current automakers (Hyundai Group, GM and PSA) who have extensive development, production, and qualification experience will significantly shorten the Apple Car development time and create a time-to-market advantage".
"We believe that Apple will leverage current automakers' resources and focus on self-driving hardware and software, semiconductors, battery-related technologies, form factor and internal space designs, innovative user experience, and the integration with Apple's existing ecosystem," he added.
Kuo believes that the earliest possible date for an Apple car to hit the market is 2025, reports AppleInsider.
Unveiled in December, Hyundai's E-GMP is a dedicated battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform that consists of up to two motors, five-link rear suspension, integrated drive axle, battery cells, charging system and other rolling chassis components.
According to the company, the system has a maximum range of about 310 miles on a full charge and be charged up to 80 per cent within 18 minutes.
Hyundai aims to use E-GMP as a foundation for several models, set to debut under both its flagship and Kia brands this year.
The Apple Car is rumoured to feature LiDAR technology, which could add a lot of depth to onboard AI functions.
The Apple Car is expected to use a "C1" chip based on the A12 Bionic processor with in-cabin AI capabilities such as eye-tracking.
According to US-based magazine 'EETimes', Apple will require a chip foundry with capacity for automotive processes, which Samsung or TSMC could supply to Apple.
