Photo: Instagram | tedoradze.giorgi
Due to significant advancements in electric vehicle development, tech giants are jumping on board the car game. Apple is but one company interested in cashing in on the vast EV market, and they’re relying on tech aficionados and a small part of their fanbase to buy their upcoming car.
Update: July 15, 2023: We've added a new rendering of the Apple iCar courtesy of the same digital artist.
We've known Apple is planning to join the automotive industry with their very own product for a few years now, but building a car from scratch is certainly not easy. On top of that, it has to look somewhat futuristic. It also needs to dwarf the competition in terms of technology gear. Add the comfort, safety, and reliability variables into this equation, and you quickly see why they've been struggling with the so-called iCar.
It has been reported that the team behind the development of Apple's first vehicle comprises approximately 1,000 employees. Everything is said to add up to around $1 billion a year. Most of the testing takes place at a former racetrack that used to be owned by Chrysler, next to Phoenix, Arizona, which Apple bought two years ago for $125 million. Speaking of the money, the plan is to keep the iCar (name unconfirmed) to under $100,000. As a result, it will likely target the likes of the Mercedes EQS, Tesla Model S, Audi e-tron GT, and BMW i7.
Between us, Apple's model may or may not be a sedan. Our bet would be on a crossover, however, as the high-riding shape combined with a battery-electric powertrain and the ability to drive itself in certain scenarios would make it insatiable to the tech crowd. The overall design is said to be finalized sometime this year, and the model is believed to feature side cameras instead of traditional mirrors, a lidar, radars, and additional sensors. The initial plan was to give it Level 5 autonomous driving, but Apple quickly learned that it's impossible to do that with the current tech. Therefore, it will feature pedals and a steering wheel.
Since the company had to go back to the drawing board, having realized they couldn't make a Level 5 machine, the targeted launch date is understood to have been pushed back by one year to 2026. Therefore, in the most realistic scenario, we will see it in showrooms for the 2027 model year. However, we wouldn't exactly hold our breath for that, as they could delay it once more, especially since they're allegedly looking for a partner to build their EV on an existing platform.
So, what's the deal with the pictured Apple iCar? Well, pictured is too big a word, as rendered is what you're looking for. The CGI has tedoradze.giorgi on Instagram behind it, and it's yet another CGI take on the upcoming product, imagining it as a crossover with hidden door handles, a small grille decorated by the Apple logo, thin LED headlights, and large wheels. Do you think Apple can pose a threat to Tesla in the car game, or is the latter company simply so far ahead that they're safe?
We've known Apple is planning to join the automotive industry with their very own product for a few years now, but building a car from scratch is certainly not easy. On top of that, it has to look somewhat futuristic. It also needs to dwarf the competition in terms of technology gear. Add the comfort, safety, and reliability variables into this equation, and you quickly see why they've been struggling with the so-called iCar.
It has been reported that the team behind the development of Apple's first vehicle comprises approximately 1,000 employees. Everything is said to add up to around $1 billion a year. Most of the testing takes place at a former racetrack that used to be owned by Chrysler, next to Phoenix, Arizona, which Apple bought two years ago for $125 million. Speaking of the money, the plan is to keep the iCar (name unconfirmed) to under $100,000. As a result, it will likely target the likes of the Mercedes EQS, Tesla Model S, Audi e-tron GT, and BMW i7.
Between us, Apple's model may or may not be a sedan. Our bet would be on a crossover, however, as the high-riding shape combined with a battery-electric powertrain and the ability to drive itself in certain scenarios would make it insatiable to the tech crowd. The overall design is said to be finalized sometime this year, and the model is believed to feature side cameras instead of traditional mirrors, a lidar, radars, and additional sensors. The initial plan was to give it Level 5 autonomous driving, but Apple quickly learned that it's impossible to do that with the current tech. Therefore, it will feature pedals and a steering wheel.
Since the company had to go back to the drawing board, having realized they couldn't make a Level 5 machine, the targeted launch date is understood to have been pushed back by one year to 2026. Therefore, in the most realistic scenario, we will see it in showrooms for the 2027 model year. However, we wouldn't exactly hold our breath for that, as they could delay it once more, especially since they're allegedly looking for a partner to build their EV on an existing platform.
So, what's the deal with the pictured Apple iCar? Well, pictured is too big a word, as rendered is what you're looking for. The CGI has tedoradze.giorgi on Instagram behind it, and it's yet another CGI take on the upcoming product, imagining it as a crossover with hidden door handles, a small grille decorated by the Apple logo, thin LED headlights, and large wheels. Do you think Apple can pose a threat to Tesla in the car game, or is the latter company simply so far ahead that they're safe?
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