Apple’s car is either the worst-kept secret since its watch or a cracker of an inside joke. “Project Titan” has generated massive hype for a product that is five to 10 years off. The iCar may be electric and drive itself or not. Few know. But if it does arrive, it will be stylish, tech savvy, integrate with the iPhone and be in demand. Who will build them? Not Apple: it does not build its phones or computers, and building cars is much more complicated — just ask Tesla.
An existing carmaker might build it. Plenty of carmakers taught Chinese joint venture partners how to make cars as the price of admission to the growing Chinese market, even at the risk of increasing low-cost competition. The iCar market would be large and lucrative. A big global carmaker might be tempted to help with the build, even if Apple monopolised the branding, customer relationship and profitability. The benefits of scale and the brand halo might encourage them to overlook the risk of cannibalised sales.
More likely that a Chinese carmaker would step in. The manufacturer would be cost efficient for Apple and gain needed scale for itself. And premium-priced Apple cars are unlikely to cannibalise sales of low-priced models for the Chinese market.