Apple Met With Electric Vehicle Startup Canoo in Early 2020, But Talks Fell Apart

Apple held talks with electric vehicle company Canoo in early 2020, according to a new report from The Verge. Apple and Canoo discussed several options from an investment to an acquisition as part of Apple's efforts to further its electric vehicle project.

canoo electric van
Canoo has developed a scalable, modular electric vehicle platform that drew Apple's interest. It is designed to support a range of vehicle applications for consumers and businesses, and as described by The Verge, it integrates more of the car's electronics for more flexibility in cabin design.

Canoo was hoping to secure an investment from Apple, but the talks deteriorated and ultimately, Canoo merged with Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. IV, raising $300 million to finance the production of the Canoo minivan. Canoo plans to create commercial electric vehicles like delivery vans, plus a consumer-focused van.

In a statement, Canoo said that it does not "openly comment on strategic discussions, relationships, or partnerships, unless deemed appropriate," and Apple also declined to comment on The Verge's story.

Apple moved on to discussions with other manufacturers, and in January, news broke that Apple has entered into negotiations with Hyundai that would see the two companies partnering on electric vehicle manufacturing for Apple's self-driving car. Apple and Hyundai could reach an agreement as soon as March.

Apple is aiming to develop a self-driving car that would be available to consumers, but a recent report from Bloomberg has suggested that the car project is in the early stages and it will be at least half a decade before Apple is ready to launch an electric vehicle.

Coincidentally, Canoo in February 2020 signed a deal with Hyundai Motors and Kia Motors for the development of a new electric vehicle platform, but that appears to be separate from Apple's prospective agreement with Hyundai.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Wednesday November 13, 2024 2:09 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 next month, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as well....

Top Rated Comments

mannyvel Avatar
50 months ago
Comments on the outer shell of a car are ridiculous.

Any company can build any body style you want, just like any beer manufacturer can make any beer you want. Choosing one way does not necessarily preclude them from doing it another way, especially if the customer is paying.

In any case, that's a step towards a different kind of car. Without the motor, you don't need the front end to stick out. And you don't need to look forwards if the car drives itself. Why not put a sofa in there, or a wrap-around TV? Heck, for all I care they can make the exterior look like a literal house.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
50 months ago
should have met with Tesla.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Porco Avatar
50 months ago
I immediately thought of...



Attachment Image
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Will.O.Bie Avatar
50 months ago
I should hope so...that lunchbox with wheels is fugly?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mookc1 Avatar
50 months ago


Attachment Image
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tonewheel Avatar
50 months ago
Incredibly fugly. Glad talks broke off. And Tesla? Not quite as fugly but not far behind.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)