Apple Chatting w/ South Korean Component Makers over Apple Car

When last we spoke of the mythical “Apple car,” the company was in discussions with Hyundai to produce their vehicle with “next level” battery technology.

Well, the battery hook remains the same, but the Cupertino giant has all but scuttled the idea of a white-label product, and they’ve just reached out to South Korean EV component manufacturers.

We previously reported that Apple was in preliminary talks with Hyundai to produce the vehicle at Hyundai Motors’ facilities in the United States. But that and similar overtures to Nissan fell apart over fears that Apple’s brand name could supplant the automakers’.

And recently, Apple officials have met with SK’s LG, SK Group, and Hanwha over sourcing components, preferring that arrangement over China’s more volatile supply chain. Naturally, reps from both companies only said “it is hard to confirm whether such meetings occurred,” which is eerily similar to the early chatter from the Hyundai talks, where a rep said “We understand that Apple is in discussion with a variety of global automakers, including Hyundai Motor. As the discussion is at its early stage, nothing has been decided.”

Cards (very) close to the vest, I suppose.

They’re also leaning towards newer lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries because of their improved safety, but because China is the undisputed leader in LFP batteries, Apple will still have to rely on the People’s Republic.

According to iDropNews, LFP batteries from China accounted for 47 percent of the global EV battery market, which limits Apple’s options.

But despite the international outreach, Apple is still committed to assembling the Apple Car in the U.S., which I don’t have to tell you is a huge coup for this nation in the wake of the worst economic shock of our lifetimes.

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