Sources: Apple held talks with EV startup Canoo in 2020; Apple was largely interested in Canoo's unique scalable electric vehicle platform
As part of the Silicon Valley giant's secretive push into the automotive space — Apple held meetings with California EV startup Canoo in the first half …
The VergeSean O'Kane
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple's automotive effort had previously pursued outside partners: it used Volkswagen vans for autonomous staff shuttles while seeking broader vehicle partnerships with BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The Canoo discussions add a different route—evaluating an EV startup's underlying vehicle architecture rather than relying solely on an established automaker.
The connection gained added weight when Apple later hired Canoo co-founder Ulrich Kranz, whose background spans Canoo and BMW electric-vehicle development. Related coverage also places Canoo under financial pressure, making its platform and talent strategically salient to Apple.
First-order effects
Apple had an additional platform option to assess for its car project, alongside its earlier automaker-partnership efforts; the reported talks do not establish that a deal was reached.
Canoo's scalable architecture was elevated as an asset of interest to a prospective automotive entrant, while Canoo retained no reported Apple commitment.
Second-order effects
Apple's later battery-supply discussions with CATL and BYD indicate that any platform choice would shape how it divides vehicle development among an architecture provider, battery suppliers, and manufacturing partners.
Canoo's cash constraints, noted in later coverage, strengthen the leverage of a well-funded prospective buyer or partner over an EV startup seeking capital or an exit path.
Third-order effects
Taken together, Apple's partnerships, supplier outreach, and specialized hiring point to a car-program model built by combining external capabilities rather than developing every automotive layer inside one incumbent.
If large technology companies continue to source vehicle platforms, batteries, and executive talent separately, EV startups with modular architectures may become acquisition or partnership targets before reaching independent scale.
The trend: Automotive entrants from technology are assembling EV programs through a mix of platform evaluation, supplier relationships, and targeted talent recruitment.
“The reason @Apple's market revenue shares are so much greater [than @Tesla's] is because it largely created the markets in which it participates.” — @asymco asks whether Apple is actually interested cars, or something else: https://micromobility.io/... https://twitter.com/...
This Sony EV concept/prototype continues to make me think about what the original (pre-project-Titan-reset) Magna-manufactured Apple EV might have been like. https://twitter.com/...
@Rashomon2 @prabinjoel Chinese not able to produce in US so that leaves Korea. Hyundai is an ersatz Toyota. Apple can pay for tooling even all capex for a new plant but wants to keep labor off its books.
Apple team was drawn to Canoo's scalable electric vehicle platform, but Canoo was more interested in an investment, I'm told. https://www.theverge.com/... $goev
@siracusa This is like a who's who of automotive tier 1s in Europe. Conti, Valeo, ZF, Bosch, Magna-Steyr, Aimotive, Why did Sony not shop around in Japan?
These talks happened at a time when Canoo really needed $, too, as it finished 2019 with just $29 million in the bank. It ultimately took a $7mil PPP loan and $15mm bridge from its principal investors before striking the SPAC deal last summer https://www.theverge.com/... $goev
Even tho the $GOEV & $AAPL partnership/aquisition take didn't end up successful, $AAPL ended up in advanced talks w Hyundai, who $GOEV provides platforms for... sounds like $AAPL got what they wanted, the $GOEV platform. Incredibly bullish info https://twitter.com/...
.@Sony unveils more visuals of its all-electric #VISIONS passenger car testing on Austrian roads. The G number plate may suggest they are working with Magna Steyr, that are based in Graz. https://www.youtube.com/...
APPLE CAR | DESIGNED IN CALIFORNIA, MADE IN ASIA Apple will likely outsource its new EV venture's production to Taiwan-based manufacturers, smashing the conventional design-build-sell vertical integration model used by other automakers. https://asia.nikkei.com/...
For some reason I can't help but think Apple is treating the Hyundai partnership like they treat an industrial kitchen, they just need a place to make their muffins.
First it was Apple & Hyundai now it's Baidu & Geely (parent of Volvo) partnering on an autonomous, electric car. Automobile industry now mirroring Nokia/Blackberry/Motorola being disrupted by Google/Apple. Tesla is obviously the iPhone, who's Android? https://www.cnbc.com/...