[서울=뉴스핌] Reporter Lee Young-ki = Apple recently stopped discussing with Hyundai Motors and Kia Motors to make an electric car Apple car. It has been reported that it is uncertain whether the discussion will resume and when it will resume.
According to Bloomberg News on the 6th (local time), Apple has held discussions with Hyundai Motors and Kia Motors for the manufacture of electric vehicles, but the talks have recently ended.
According to reports citing multiple sources, Apple has held similar discussions with other automakers.
Earlier last month, Hyundai Motor Company announced that “Apple proposed cooperation for the launch of electric vehicles and is currently in discussion.”
Since then, reports from CNBC and others that Apple has almost reached a final agreement in negotiations for electric car production with Hyundai and Kia.
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| Apple logo [사진= 로이터 뉴스핌] |
CNBC said the contract between the two sides to manufacture Apple’s self-driving electric car at the Kia Motors plant in West Point, Georgia, is on the verge of closing.
The media also said that the contract has not yet been concluded, and that in addition to cooperation with Hyundai, Apple can select other manufacturers as separate partners.
An official familiar with Apple’s automobile development strategy told CNBC, “I have doubts whether Hyundai is the only car company that can trade,” and “There may be other companies.”
Hyundai is said to accept Apple’s plan to take the initiative in Apple Car’s software and hardware. Therefore, it will be Apple’s car, not Kia Motors equipped with Apple software, CNBC reported.
An official said, “The first Apple car will be designed so that there is no driver,” and “it will be an autonomous electric vehicle that focuses on the last mile.” It is interpreted that the first Apple car will be designed as a vehicle focused on the food delivery or robot taxi sector.
CNBC said that the Apple car manufacturing facility is being discussed as a Kia Motors plant in West Point, “a place where production expansion and the use of Hyundai-Kia’s supply chain can be achieved relatively quickly.”
Multiple officials expected that the two sides could benefit from’unique’ through cooperation in developing Apple cars. For example, Apple has opened a way to target the global automobile and mobility market, which is estimated to be worth 10 trillion dollars.
Apple was dissatisfied with the announcement of Hyundai Motor Company last month, and it is unclear whether or when discussions with Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors will resume.
Sources added, “Kia is likely and Kia plans to produce Apple cars at its plant in Georgia, USA.”
The day before, Japan’s Nihon Geizai Shimbun quoted an official from an Apple supplier, saying, “We don’t know yet whether we decided to become a Korean company (Kia Motors). We are in the process of negotiating where to leave the production.” It is progressing,” he said.
Regarding the negotiations with Apple, Honda Motor Company and Mazda replied that they “cannot comment,” and Nissan Motor Company avoided commenting itself. Only Mitsubishi Motors confirmed that “there is no such thing.”
In addition, the newspaper cited the representative of the auto parts maker, “I have never heard of Apple’s electric car production from Toyota or Honda. They will have their own electric car business first.”
Apple has the Apple Technology Center, which is a research base in Yokohama, Japan, which is believed to serve as a contact point with Japanese automakers and parts makers.
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| Headquarters in Yangjae-dong, Hyundai-Kia Motors.[사진=뉴스핌DB] |