Apple secretly partnered with BYD for its now-cancelled EV

Apple had been developing its own autonomous electric car for over a decade and spent an estimated US$ 1 billion annually.

According to reports, tech giant Apple had secretly partnered with BYD during its decade-long project of developing an autonomous electric car.

The reports mention that China's BYD was one of the multiple partners of Apple for its now-cancelled 'Project Titan'. The two companies reportedly worked together on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells back in 2017, which "informed" the Blade battery tech in current BYD models. Reports also mention that the collaboration between Apple & BYD stretches as far back as 2014, when the early versions of the Blade battery were previewed by Apple executives.

Reports claim Apple executives admired the tech for its safety and energy storage capabilities. They even sought customisations that could enhance the range of the EV. Apple is also said to have been working on battery chemistries of its own using nickel and alkaline.

Mujeeb Ijaz, a battery specialist, and Alexander Hitzinger, a former VW executive, are said to have led Apple's side of the partnership, with both overseeing a team of 50 engineers.

Apple had been working on developing its own autonomous electric car for over a decade and spent an estimated US$ 1 billion annually before axing the entire project earlier this year.

Source: Bloomberg