Apple Electric Car Could Be Launched By 2020

Since Google is offering smart phones and developing driver-less car technology, we’re not surprised that the technology giant Apple, is also getting into the business of cars. The news about tech-giant Apple planning its debut electric car came in the open when The Wall Street Journal published news on the ‘Project Titan’. The report revealed that hundreds of Apple employees are working on the company’s new electric car project.

In fact, Bloomberg went on to report that Apple has been recruiting several automobile experts over the last few months, hiring from companies like Tesla, Ford and GM among others. Another report in the international media further endorsed Apple’s rumoured electric car project and reported that the company is being sued by electric car battery maker A123 Systems for “poaching” its top engineers to allegedly work for Apple’s new battery division.

It is said that Apple is pushing its engineers to get the Apple iCar Project Titan ready for production by 2020. While most traditional car makers spend at least 4-5 years developing its concept and making it ready for production model, Apple seems aggressive with its plans to be ready with its debut car project in the same time frame.

But making electric cars won’t be as easy for Apple, as its traditional business is all about getting its alluring range of gadgets manufactured by cost-effective Chinese manufacturing units. Moreover, till now electric car business has not been very profitable. And it’s definitely not comparable to the fat margins Apple is used to raking, in its top-of-the-line computer and mobile phone business. 

Apple is stepping on to unfamiliar territory with the Project Titan. It has to be ready to react to the international norms on safety and electric vehicles and be in tune with the change which may vary from one country to another.

However, the biggest advantage Apple has is its deep pockets. Bloomberg has reported that Apple has $178 billion cash hoard, which is six times the cash Volkswagen AG has on its books and seven times what GM is carrying. But hardcore electric car makers like Tesla Motors or Indian manufacturers like Mahindra Reva haven’t been really setting the sales chart ablaze. And once the Apple iCar or Project Titan becomes a reality, the car will have to outrun hybrid cars by established car makers like Nissan, Honda, General Motors and Toyota.

Going by Apple’s past decisions, the company is expected not to tread the usual part. It never did in the mobile phone of computer industry, and surely won’t when it ventures in to something complete new like the car industry. We feel that the California- based company will look at offering a unique proposition; if at all their iCar project becomes a reality. Apple could well be looking at coming up with a driver-less self-driving technology which Google has been attempting to perfect over the years.

As seen in the past Apple has shut many prototype projects and the company could delay or altogether scrap the iCar or Project Titan if the top bosses remain unimpressed with the development.