Nissan says that it is not in talks for Apple Car

In another twist to the tale of the Apple Car production, Nissan has come out publicly to say that the company is not in talks with Apple. This is an interesting new take as Bloomberg and WSJ had recently reported that Nissan is a serious contender for Apple Car manufacturing.

The report reflects Hyundai’s response to Apple Car talks and says that Nissan is reluctant to become just an assembler for Apple’s upcoming EV, therefore, talks did not reach the senior management level.

Nissan is not in talks with Apple for its Apple Car

A Nissan spokeswoman told Reuters:

“We are not in talks with Apple. However, Nissan is always open to exploring collaborations and partnerships to accelerate industry transformation.”

Nissan did not provide much details apart from the above statement, and Apple refused to comment.

Of course, as a result of this news, Nissan’s share price had dipped slightly. All automobile manufacturers that have been in talks with Apple so far have seen their share prices jump up at the news, but have also seen their share prices dip once news of unsuccessful talks hit the press.

Nissan has an established EV platform and was one of the earliest companies to produce a mass production EV, Nissan Leaf. It was reported that the company was seriously considering signing a deal with Apple as it tries to boost its sales.

Other potential Apple car partners still in the running include Honda, BMW, Foxconn, and Stellantis, however, major manufacturers like Honda and BMW might have similar reservations as Nissan and Hyundai. They would want to partner with Apple instead of becoming just an assembler for the company.

Apple Car is expected to launch by 2024, and the company is aiming for specifications that include 80% charge in 18 minutes, top speed of 260kph and over 500km range. So far, nothing has been officially announced by Apple, and there is a still possibility that we might never actually see an Apple Car, if the company does not deem it feasible enough. Going up against the likes of Tesla is something that is extremely difficult for existing manufacturers, let alone a new entrant like Apple.