Warning: Declaration of plugin_findreplace::addPluginSubMenu() should be compatible with mijnpress_plugin_framework::addPluginSubMenu($title, $function, $file, $capability = 10, $where = 'plugins.ph...') in /home/pg4b1yzvrqqo/domains/test.drivingsalesnews.com/html/wp-content/plugins/find-replace/find_replace.php on line 17

Warning: Declaration of plugin_findreplace::addPluginContent($links, $file) should be compatible with mijnpress_plugin_framework::addPluginContent($filename, $links, $file, $config_url = NULL) in /home/pg4b1yzvrqqo/domains/test.drivingsalesnews.com/html/wp-content/plugins/find-replace/find_replace.php on line 17
Apple Settles Lawsuit With Electric Car Battery Company A123 Systems | DrivingSales News

Apple Settles Lawsuit With Electric Car Battery Company A123 Systems

May 14, 2015 0 Comments

The Apple electric car saga heated up in early 2015. Major media outlets caught onto the idea Apple was building an electric car. The question for Apple seemed to be if now when they were developing a vehicle. To date, mums the word from Apple, however insight is emerging into Apple’s no-doubt automotive strategy thanks to a recent lawsuit.

As we reported previously, Apple was sued by A123 Systems, which claimed the California-based company had poached five of its top employees. A123 Systems manufactures lithium-ion batteries. A123 Systems alleges that Apple poached their employees to work in a similar capacity at their company. The claim on the part of A123 was the five employees who left did so to join the Apple electric car battery division, making them a competitor of A123 systems. The question has now become is Apple making electric vehicle components or even an entire vehicle?

Recently the lawsuit between A123 systems and Apple was settled without terms disclosed. However, no more insight into the Apple electric car program has been released to the media as part of the lawsuit. Nonetheless, a longtime industry insider from Edmunds, Senior Editor John O’Dell spoke to DrivingSales News back in February and he said that he doesn’t feel that Apple will make an entire car. Rather, O’Dell explained, “They (Apple) are (likely) developing a car, but they are developing a car to serve as a platform for a whole suite of Apple – basically a user interface or even an entire Apple operating system that runs the whole vehicle including the power-train.”

Whether Apple is going to build an entire electric car, car batteries, or perhaps just working on some sort of automotive testing, we don’t know. However, the retail automotive world would certainly take keen interest in an Apple Car. Besides, the question of if they build a car, more than more than a few dealers would be interesting to if Apple plans to distribute their vehicle. Specifically, time will tell if Apple will use a company store to sell their cars or sell them though dealerships.

What is your take? Is Apple going to build an electric car? If they do, could you see them using dealerships or selling only directly to consumers? Finally, would you want to be an Apple car dealer?

About the Author:

The DrivingSales News team is dedicated to breaking the relevant and the tough stories affecting car dealers. Have questions for DrivingSales News? Reach the team at news@drivingsales.com.

    Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/pg4b1yzvrqqo/domains/test.drivingsalesnews.com/html/wp-includes/class-wp-comment-query.php on line 399