We’re now starting to hear more and more about what Apple might be up to for its electric car plans.
According to The Verge, Apple met with Los Angeles-based electric vehicle (EV) startup, Canoo, in the first half of 2020.
Both companies discussed investment and even acquisition, cite unnamed sources.
Canoo owns a proprietary skateboard architecture, a self-contained unit that directly houses the batteries and electric drivetrain. This allows for more flexible interior cabin designs, unlike traditional electric car builds. It was this exact technology Apple was interested in.
Talks fell apart, as Canoo sought investment from Apple instead of being acquired. Meetings took place both in Silicon Valley, China and elsewhere, throughout 2019 and the first half of 2020.
Canoo launched in 2017, comprised of a small group of executives from EV startup Faraday Future and BMW. Its backers also include Taiwan’s TPK, which supplies touch screen technology to Apple.
The California startup has a deal with Hyundai to license its skateboard technology to the latter. That relationship appears unrelated to previous reports of Apple and Hyundai set to ink an electric car production deal.
