Apple has not released an electric car, and the project's current status is unclear
Apple announced in 2024 that it was discontinuing its automotive project, ending nearly a decade of work on an electric vehicle. The company had been developing a car internally since around 2014, but never brought it to market. As of now, there is no Apple electric car you can purchase, and no confirmed timeline for one in the future.
What made Apple's project different from other automakers was the secrecy. Unlike Tesla, Rivian, or traditional manufacturers, Apple rarely disclosed details about what it was building. Most of what the public knew came from job postings, patent filings, and reports from industry analysts rather than official statements.
If you arrived here looking for information about buying an Apple car or pre-ordering one, that option does not exist. If you are interested in understanding what Apple was attempting and why it matters to the electric vehicle market, the sections below cover the project's history and what it tells us about the challenges of building a car from scratch.
Key Takeaways
- Apple discontinued its electric car project in 2024 after roughly ten years of development without releasing a vehicle to consumers.
- The company had explored autonomous driving technology and battery innovation as core features, but never publicly confirmed the final design or specifications.
- Apple's exit from automotive development does not affect existing electric vehicle options from other manufacturers like Tesla, Ford, Chevrolet, or Rivian.
- The project's failure illustrates why building a car requires different informed than building phones or computers, even for a company with Apple's resources.
What Apple was trying to build
Reports suggested Apple was working on a fully autonomous electric vehicle — a car that could drive itself without a human operator. This was more ambitious than most electric cars on the road today, which require a driver to steer and control the vehicle. Apple's goal appeared to be a car that would handle all driving tasks on its own.
The company also invested heavily in battery technology. Multiple reports indicated Apple was developing its own battery design and manufacturing process, rather than buying batteries from suppliers like Panasonic or LG. This approach would have given Apple more control over cost and performance, but it also meant solving problems that even established battery makers struggle with.
The vehicle was rumored to be a sedan or crossover aimed at the premium market — competing with cars like the Tesla Model S or upcoming autonomous vehicles from other tech companies. However, Apple never released official specifications, images, or a target price, so much of this remains speculation based on patent filings and employee accounts.
Why the project failed
Building a car is fundamentally different from building a phone or computer. A car requires manufacturing at scale, complex supply chains, regulatory compliance across dozens of countries, service networks, and liability insurance. Apple excels at designing consumer electronics and managing software, but automotive manufacturing is a separate discipline with its own decades of accumulated knowledge.
Autonomous driving technology, which was central to Apple's vision, remains unsolved at the level Apple apparently wanted. Even companies like Tesla and Waymo, which have been testing autonomous systems for years, have not achieved fully self-driving cars that work reliably in all conditions. Apple would have had to solve this problem while simultaneously building a manufacturing operation from zero.
The project also faced leadership changes and shifting priorities within Apple. In 2023, the company reassigned the team working on the car, signaling that the effort was no longer a priority. By early 2024, Apple formally ended the project and moved some employees to its artificial intelligence division.
What this means for electric vehicle buyers
Apple's exit does not change the electric vehicle market for consumers. There are already dozens of electric cars and trucks available from established automakers and newer companies. If you were interested in an Apple car because of the brand or the company's design philosophy, you will need to look at other options.
The most direct competitors to what Apple was building would have been Tesla's autonomous features, Waymo's robotaxi service (which uses Jaguar vehicles), and future autonomous vehicles from traditional manufacturers like General Motors and Ford. None of these are fully self-driving in all conditions today, but they represent the closest thing to what Apple was attempting.
For buyers looking for a premium electric vehicle right now, options include the Tesla Model S, Porsche Taycan, BMW i7, Mercedes EQS, and Lucid Air. For those interested in electric trucks, the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and Rivian R1T are available or coming soon. None of these have the autonomous capabilities Apple was pursuing, but they are production vehicles you can purchase today.
Why Apple's failure matters to the industry
Apple's decision to abandon the project is a signal that building a car is harder than it looks, even for a company with $200 billion in annual revenue and world-class engineering talent. This does not mean autonomous vehicles will never happen, but it suggests the timeline is longer and the technical challenges are greater than some optimists predicted.
The project also highlights the difference between designing a product and manufacturing it at scale. Apple can design a phone that millions of people want, but designing a car and then building a factory to produce it safely and profitably are two separate problems. Traditional automakers have spent over a century solving the second problem; Apple would have had to do it in parallel with solving the first.
For the broader electric vehicle market, Apple's exit means one fewer competitor and one fewer source of innovation pressure. However, it does not change the fact that electric vehicles are becoming mainstream, with more models, lower prices, and better charging infrastructure arriving every year.
What happened to Apple's battery research
Apple invested significant resources into battery technology development, including patents for new cell designs and manufacturing techniques. When the automotive project ended, the company did not discard this work entirely. Some of Apple's battery research may eventually appear in other products like iPhones, iPads, or future devices, where longer battery life and faster charging are valuable.
However, the specific battery innovations Apple was developing for a car — which would have needed to power a vehicle for hundreds of miles per charge — are different from what a phone requires. It is unclear whether Apple will pursue automotive battery technology further or whether that informed will be redirected to consumer electronics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still buy an Apple electric car?
No. Apple discontinued the project in 2024 and never released a vehicle to consumers. There is no Apple car available for purchase, and the company has not announced plans to build one in the future.
Will Apple try again with a different car design?
Apple has not indicated any plans to return to automotive development. The company formally ended the project and reassigned the team to other divisions. While companies sometimes revisit abandoned projects years later, there is no public indication that will happen here.
What should I buy if I wanted an Apple car?
If you were drawn to an Apple car because of the brand's design or technology approach, consider premium electric vehicles like the Tesla Model S, Porsche Taycan, or BMW i7. If you were interested in autonomous driving, note that no car on the market today is fully self-driving, though Tesla's Autopilot and other systems offer driver-information features.
Did Apple's battery research get used in other products?
Apple has not publicly stated what happened to the battery technology it developed for the car project. Some innovations may eventually appear in iPhones or other devices, but the company has not confirmed this or released details about which patents or designs are being repurposed.
Why did Apple give up when it had so much money and talent?
Building a car requires solving problems that are different from designing consumer electronics — manufacturing at scale, supply chain management, regulatory compliance, and autonomous driving technology that does not yet exist reliably. Even with resources and talent, these challenges proved too difficult for Apple to overcome within the timeframe and budget the company was willing to commit.