Apple may give Tesla a run for its money with its own electric car

Tesla has been making waves in the tech scene ever since it released its first-ever electric car, the Roadster, back in 2008. The Roadster’s performance rivaled that of a gasoline-powered sports car with its ability to go over 60 mph under four seconds and it has a maximum speed of 125 mph. Now, Tesla is focusing on developing and producing more electric vehicles (EV) and making them more accessible to the common consumer. However, yet another tech giant is rumored to be developing an electric car of its own: Apple.

Apple rose to prominence for its development of devices like the iPhone, the iPad and other pieces of consumer tech, but it looks like the company is gearing to disrupt the automotive industry over the coming years. Recently, it was reported that Apple is looking to produce its own self-driving car and it is in the process of developing the necessary technology for the EV. Apple aims to have an electric car released to the public by 2024.

However, did you know that this is not Apple’s first attempt to get into cars? Apple’s foray into the automotive industry has been dubbed as Project Titan and has been an on-and-off project for the tech giant since 2014. Apple put a pause on it for a while to focus on developing its software, but was set back into motion in 2018. Doug Field, who has worked at both Tesla and Apple, came back to lead the team for Project Titan and get the ball rolling once more. Some insiders leaked that Apple has developed enough of its technology to start working on producing a vehicle for consumers.

As mentioned above, Apple’s target release for its electric car is by 2024. However, insiders say that Apple’s plans might experience some delays because of the coronavirus pandemic. The tech giant is reported to be working with external partners for other system elements such as lidar sensors, which help self-driving cars have a 3D view of the road before them and help them navigate. There are rumors that Apple’s EV may be equipped with multiple lidar sensors to help it scan a variety of distances. It has not been confirmed whether Apple would be outsourcing the production of its lidar sensors or developing them in-house.

Apple also plans to utilize a “monocell” design for its EV’s battery, which will allow for more efficient operation. This design is meant to give the car a longer range, as more active material can be put into the battery to power the vehicle. The tech giant is also assessing the use of lithium iron phosphate in the car’s battery as this material is considered safer than other types of lithium-ion batteries because it does not overheat as quickly as others do.

At this point, it might still be too early to draw conclusions about Apple’s potential new product. However, if it is able to launch its EV by the projected date, it may give more established electrical car companies like Tesla some serious competition.

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