Following a recent leak that Hyundai was in talks with Apple about producing an electric vehicle and batteries, another leak now suggests that it may be the South Korean car manufacturer’s subsidiary Kia that is working on the project. Kia would be equally well positioned to aid Apple with mass production, if the rumors and leaks prove true.
Hyundai has been working on hybrid and electric vehicles (EV) for well over a decade, even though it fell behind Toyota in terms of worldwide adoption. Its extensive experience and worldwide manufacturing facilities could potentially speed the production of an electric car that incorporated Apple’s autonomous driving technology. Kia has only been manufacturing full-size EVs since 2014, but made a smaller, low-range EV, the Kia Ray, for the Asian market in 2011. Kia also has worldwide manufacturing capabilities and EV experience. In truth, Hyundai and Kia share much in common, including the same platforms and other technologies, but there are differences. Hyundai is typically seen as the more refined driving experience, looking first to comfort and luxury, while Kia is aimed at a younger audience and the designs tend to be more fun and sporty.
The latest leak about the Apple car comes soon after the news that Hyundai could be involved in discussions. Hyundai said that nothing had been decided in this matter, however that serves as a confirmation that Apple is at least researching the possibility of partnering with an existing vehicle manufacturer. An unnamed industry source told eDaily Korea that Hyundai may have decided that its brand is strong enough that an Apple tie-in wouldn't be beneficial. Instead, the potential Apple partnership may be of greater help to its subsidiary, Kia. In response to this rumor, Kia issued a statement much the same as Hyundai, indicating that discussions were at an early stage and nothing was confirmed. Meanwhile, Kia recently issued a press release with its seven-year plan, which places an emphasis on electric vehicles.
Kia has at least seven vehicle-manufacturing factories. Although most are located in South Korea, two are in the Americas, one is in Monterrey, Mexico that has a capacity of 300,000-vehicles per year, and one in Georgia, U.S. with a capacity of 360,000 vehicles annually. If Apple could tap into that production power, it would have a big head start on making its first electric car. Naturally, cars can also be imported, so having U.S. manufacturing is not a necessity. Given the emphasis on the early stage of discussions, settling on a manufacturing facility is more likely to be an unfounded rumor but, regardless of manufacturing specifics, Apple may share a closer brand image with Kia than it does with Hyundai.
Kia is seen as a young progressive company, an image that Apple fosters as well, with its emphasis on music and dance in its advertising. Kia has a new logo, a new name (losing the ‘Motors’ ending) and a new plan for the future. Known as ‘Plan S,’ the idea is to establish leadership in sustainable production and clean energy through electric vehicles and recyclable materials. Part of this plan includes what it calls 'Purpose-Built Vehicles' for corporate customers with skateboard-like platforms that can be adapted easily to work with different types of vehicles. Volkswagen announced a similar plan over a year ago with its ID.4 modular design concept. Whether Apple would want to use a standard component is unknown, but it would seem unlikely. However, if it could be altered sufficiently to allow Apple to claim unique features, that would certainly shave time off Apple car development. Perhaps Kia’s renewed vision for the future has room for a close partnership with Apple.
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January 22, 2021 at 04:47AM
