Apple had reportedly secretly partnered with Chinese automaker BYD to counter Tesla.

According to a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple collaborated with BYD to develop new battery technology for its electric vehicle project. The partnership started around 2017 and focused on creating a long-range, safer battery system using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells.

This previously undisclosed collaboration highlights Apple's efforts in its quest to produce an electric vehicle over the past decade. Apple invested about USD 1 billion each year in the project, known as "Titan," but eventually abandoned it in February 2024.

Although Apple does not own the technology used in BYD's current Blade batteries, the joint effort had an impact on BYD's battery pack design. Apple offered expertise in advanced battery packs and heat management, while BYD contributed manufacturing skills and advancements in LFP cell technology.

Alexander Hitzinger led the project for Apple, with Mujeeb Ijaz overseeing a team of around 50 battery engineers. Michael He, BYD's vice president of the battery business, was the main counterpart for the Chinese automaker.

Despite moving away from the BYD partnership later and exploring systems from other battery makers, Apple gained valuable insights from this project. These advancements have reportedly contributed to the development of other Apple products, such as the Vision Pro headset and the Neural Engine AI processor.

BYD has used its Blade battery technology to become a significant player in the electric vehicle market, temporarily surpassing Tesla as the world's top EV seller. The company’s sales increased from 179,054 vehicles in 2020 to 3 million in 2023, making it China’s largest automaker by sales.

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