Another car maker has refused to build electric vehicles with Apple. According to the Financial Times, the corporation contacted the Japanese concern Nissan, but negotiations broke off at an early stage.
The publication clarifies that the parties could not agree on the branding of potential joint products. A newspaper source familiar with the situation said that the companies broke off negotiations after Apple representatives suggested Nissan to produce cars under the American firm’s brand. Apple representatives did not comment on the situation. “We are not going to change our vision of car production in any way,” said Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta.
Earlier in February, it was reported that Apple will invest about $ 3.6 billion in a joint project with Kia (part of the Hyundai Motor Group). The joint venture is expected to reach an operating capacity of 100,000 electric vehicles by 2024 with the potential to expand capacity to 400,000 vehicles per year.
However, later Hyundai Motor and Kia denied such plans. The companies clarified that they have received requests from “several companies” to collaborate on the joint development of autonomous electric vehicles, but nothing has been decided yet as the discussion is at an early stage.