After a decade-long effort, Apple has officially canceled its effort to build an electric car.
Per Bloomberg, the move was announced internally by Apple COO Jeff Williams and Kevin Lynch, who had been leading the Apple Car project since 2021.
“Apple’s most senior executives finalized the decision in recent weeks,” the report says. The project had reached a “make-or-break point” inside Apple, with Tim Cook also facing pressure from shareholders to make a decision.
The article cited how over 2,000 people had been working on the Apple Car – or Project Titan – team. It’s also noted that some employees will move to Apple’s AI team led by John Giannandrea.
Employees who weren’t shifted over to Apple’s AI effort might be able to “apply for jobs on other Apple teams,” but there “will be layoffs,” according to the article. It’s not explicitly clear how many lay-offs will happen.
Apple is said to have made the disclosure internally on Tuesday. The decision was shared by Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams and Kevin Lynch, a vice president in charge of the effort, according to the people.
Apple had been working on an electric car since 2014, complete with significant changes to its goals and design over the years. It had been reported that Apple was targeting a 2028 release date for the vehicle with a price tag of around $100,000. The company’s initial goal was to ship a fully autonomous car, without steering wheels or pedals. Those ambitions were dramatically scaled back in recent years.
The Apple Car project was led by Doug Field. Field was hired away by Tesla in 2013 to help lead the production ramp for the Model 3. Field landed back at Apple in 2018 to help lead the Apple Car project, before departing for Ford in September 2021.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.