Summary
- Apple collaborated with BYD Co. on developing long-range batteries for a car project before it was canceled
- The partnership focused on using lithium iron phosphate cells to create safer and longer-range electric-vehicle batteries
- Apple spent roughly $1 billion annually over a decade on the vehicle project before scrapping it in February
- The joint effort brought together Apple’s expertise in advanced battery packs and heat management with BYD’s manufacturing know-how
- The technology developed with BYD influenced the development of BYD’s Blade batteries, now used in its entire vehicle lineup
Article
Apple Inc. collaborated with Chinese automaker BYD Co. on developing long-range batteries for its now-canceled car project, according to sources familiar with the situation. The partnership, which began around 2017, aimed to create a battery system using lithium iron phosphate cells that would be longer-range and safer than traditional electric vehicle batteries at the time. Despite Apple not directly owning the technology used in BYD’s Blade batteries, the collaboration highlights the extent of Apple’s efforts in producing a car, with the tech giant investing around $1 billion annually in the project over the past decade.
The technology developed by Apple and BYD for the planned vehicle would have been highly customized, leveraging Apple’s expertise in advanced battery packs and heat management, along with BYD’s manufacturing know-how and advancements in lithium iron phosphate cells. BYD’s entire car lineup now features the Blade system, incorporating insights gained from the partnership with Apple. BYD credits its engineers with originating the concept for the Blade battery and maintains complete property and patent rights for it. The collaboration with Apple was reportedly influenced by BYD’s early unveiling of the Blade battery to Apple executives, who were impressed by its safety and energy storage capabilities.
Apple’s pursuit of core technologies for its car project led to the collaboration with BYD, as the company sought customizations to enhance the range of an electric vehicle. The partnership was driven by Apple’s focus on developing safe, long-range battery systems, combining efforts in pack and cell design to achieve this goal. Alexander Hitzinger, a former Volkswagen and Porsche executive, led Apple’s car project from 2016 to 2019, with Mujeeb Ijaz overseeing a team of battery engineers. BYD’s Michael He, vice president of the company’s battery business, was instrumental on the BYD side.
Despite years of collaboration with BYD, Apple eventually disengaged from the partnership and explored systems from other battery makers as the overall car project faced delays and challenging economic conditions in the EV market. The cancellation of the car project marked a rare setback for Apple, but the endeavor did yield valuable insights that contributed to other products within the company, such as the Vision Pro headset and the Neural Engine AI processor present in many Apple devices. Additionally, the work has supported Apple’s emerging ventures in robotics. BYD, on the other hand, has seen success with its Blade system, driving significant growth in electric vehicle sales and solidifying its position as a leading automaker in China and globally.
BYD’s Blade battery has become a signature feature in its cars, offering improved range, safety, and affordability that have boosted sales significantly in recent years. The company’s founder and Chairman Wang Chuanfu, a battery engineer himself, has overseen BYD’s rise to becoming the largest automaker in China by sales and briefly surpassing Tesla Inc. as the top seller of electric vehicles worldwide. The success of the Blade battery system underscores the impact of the Apple-BYD collaboration and the significance of advancements in battery technology for the automotive industry. Despite the challenges and eventual cancellation of Apple’s car project, the partnership with BYD has left a lasting legacy in the development of innovative technologies and products in the field of electric vehicles and beyond.
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