Will BMW’s i3 Electric Vehicle Be The Automotive Core Of Apple’s iCar?
The German-language business journal Manager Magazin’s Michael Freitag reports that Apple and the German performance/luxury automaker Bayerishe Motoren Werke (BMW) are back at far-reaching negotiations of a deal that if consummated would see BMW supply the body and powertrain of its i3 electric vehicle (EV) to form the automotive basis of the rumored Apple iCar. Freitag says the negotiation began in late Autumn 2014, and broke off with an agreement to keep talking and exchanging views, and suggests that a final agreement is close, and that Apple CEO Apple CEO Tim Cook accompanied by other in senior Apple management recently toured the the i3 production facility in Leipzig during a visit to BMW.
Photo Courtesy BMW
The i3 would seem a logical and appropriate choice of platform for an Apple iCar. Steve Jobs was an aficionado of German automobiles, and of course there’s the legendary tale of how Jobs sold his Volkswagen microbus for $750 (and Steve Wozniak his HP 65 Calculator for $500 to help finance Apple’s embryonic establishment. Apple design chief Jonathan Ive is a Bentley owner and fan, and Bentley is a BMW subsidiary. The electric BMW is also a design advanced enough that one could imagine its being conceived by Apple, Bentley is even though they had no hand in its conception or development. BMW notes that:
” It authentically visualizes the innovative technology of the vehicles and transfers values such as lightness, safety, and efficiency onto the exterior and interior design. The result is a unique aesthetic which gives the vehicles their own unique identity. Born from the desire for sustainability and efficiency, the design of the BMW i vehicles is clean, reduced, homogenous, and dynamic at the same time. The interior of the BMW i3 is distinguished by the visible use of natural materials. The natural fibres in the side trim and the instrument panel, along with naturally-tanned leather, certified wood from responsible sources, and textile materials with recycled resource have a sustainable construction and underscore both the sustainability as well as the premium claim of BMW i.”
Photo Courtesy BMW
Currently, the battery-powered i3 has a range of about 80-90 miles between charges, but BMW is reportedly working on extending that.
Photo Courtesy BMW
If the deal goes ahead, presumably BMW would supply Apple with basic body/chassis and powertrains and Apple would add its own electronics and likely some styling distinctions and interior details.
Sources:
Manager Magazin
BMW