Has Apple Made EVs More Expensive?
After a decade of chasing the EV Holy Grail, Apple has dropped out of the race, which many people thought it would eventually lead. That means it won’t try to use its brand and innovation to eventually become larger, based on unit sales, than Tesla or BYD. How much of an effect might it have had on industry pricing? Would Apple have seen that high prices were a roadblock to sales? Or, would it have assumed it could use its brand to attack the highest end of the market–EVs with prices above $100,000? No one will ever know. But, if it had aimed at the $25,000 MSRP target, prices across the sector would have fallen.
EV Future —Flying Airplanes
Musk’s Opinion —Only The Strong Survive
If Apple launched a next-generation EV, it would have had software as advanced as Telsa’s, and perhaps, it would have been a self-driving car without peers. Apple’s engineering prowess and ability to read the market would have made that possible.
Apple is famous for its design skills and its software. The iPhone and Mac, in particular, are industry standards for the design and use of materials. And Apple’s skill with batteries is among the best in the consumer electronics industry. Battery life is considered a major drawback for potential EV buyers.
Apple’s 2.2 Billion Devices
Apple has something no other car company has. Its total number of active hardware owners is 2.2 billion. Its iOS is installed in every one of those. Many of those devices can be used in the auto hardware and software business. Millions, if not tens of millions, of cars from other manufacturers use Apple services. This is particularly true of essential functions like online maps and Siri.
Apple might have tried to charge more for an EV than any other company in the sector. It has certainly done that with the iPhone. But Apple may have seen that low prices were key to unlocking the market. That would have changed the market radically.
