Apple Manager Reportedly Presented Apple Car Schematics to Japanese Auto Parts Maker in 2020

Apple purportedly presented schematics for an EV and air conditioning parts to Japanese auto parts maker Sanden in January 2020.

Vanaram Apple Car concept

The Apple Car project is one that’s been around for years now and while we still haven’t actually seen what Apple has been hard at work on, it seems at least someone has.

According to a new report from Nikkei, it seems that a person who identified himself as an Apple parts manager reached out to Japanese auto supplier Sanden, a leading manufacturer of air conditioner parts for vehicles. telling them that Apple wanted to make electric vehicles. That person then went on to show Sanden the alleged schematics of the car, including the parts needed for the air conditioning of the vehicle.

The parts manager then went on to “slowly and deliberately” present schematics of an electric vehicle and air conditioner parts. The two companies then supposedly entered discussions about part requirements.

While things looked promising, the global COVID-19 pandemic hit Sanden hard, with the company entering debt resolutions in June 2020, effectively killing off its chance of working with Apple.

“Apple and Sanden went on to discuss specific parts requirements,” reads the report. “But Sanden’s cash flow took a turn for the worse as the coronavirus pandemic unfolded. The company entered out-of-court talks with creditors on a debt resolution in June 2020, and its prospects of joining the Apple Car project faded.”

It’s believed that Apple could outsource production of its vehicle to contract manufacturers, similar to what it does with the iPhone. Recent reports claim the company is accelerating its electric car project and refocusing around full self-driving capabilities.

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