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 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
macbook pro blue green

When Will Apple Release the M5 MacBook Pro?

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:53 pm PDT by
Apple regularly refreshes the MacBook Pro models, and a new version that uses M5 series chips is in the works. Apple just finished refreshing most of the Mac lineup with M4 chips, and now it's time for the M5. Rumors suggest that we could see the first M5 MacBook Pro models this fall. Design There have been no rumors of a design update for the M5 MacBook Pro models that are coming this...
Apple Lumon Terminal Pro

Apple's Mac Site Features Fictional 'Lumon Terminal Pro'

Wednesday March 26, 2025 12:19 pm PDT by
Apple is going all out with promotions for the popular Severance Apple TV+ show today, and as of right now, you'll find a new "Lumon Terminal Pro" listed on Apple's Mac site. The Lumon Terminal Pro is designed to look similar to the machines that Severance employees like Mark S. and Helly R. use for macrodata refinement. The Terminal features a blue keyboard, a small display with wide...
Facebook Feature

Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007

Thursday March 27, 2025 1:59 pm PDT by
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out. That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook. Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone

Tuesday March 25, 2025 6:45 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 to the general public as soon as next week, following more than a month of beta testing. Apple's website says some iOS 18.4 features will be released in "early April," so the update should be out as early as Tuesday, April 1. Apple this week seeded the iOS 18.4 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, barring the discovery of any...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Supports 8K Video Recording, Suggests Leaker [Updated]

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:06 am PDT by
Update 7:25 pm: Based on comments from our forums, it appears the original Weibo post may have been mistranslated and "8K" actually refers to the high price of the device rather than 8K video recording capabilities. The iPhone 16 Pro currently starts at 7,999 yuan in China. Our original article follows below. Apple's forthcoming iPhone 17 Pro models are capable of shooting 8K video, up...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

'iPhone Fold' to Feature Metallic Glass Hinge That Resists Deformation

Thursday March 27, 2025 4:21 am PDT by
Last week, we covered a report claiming that Apple's book-style foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold," as we are provisionally calling it here) will use liquid metal hinges to improve durability and help minimize screen creasing. Today, a Chinese leaker provided more details on the properties of this hinge material that help to clarify why Apple chose it for its first foldable device. According...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

Gurman: Jon Prosser's iOS 19 Mockups 'Aren't Representative' of Redesign

Tuesday March 25, 2025 4:47 pm PDT by
The iOS 19 mockup images that leaker Jon Prosser shared today are not representative of the actual iOS 19 design, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on social media. According to Gurman, the images that are "floating around" are based on "very old builds" or "vague descriptions," and are lacking key features. Gurman says that we can "expect more from Apple in June." Gurman made the same comment ...
iOS 18 4 Ambient Music Control Center

How to Use iOS 18.4's New Ambient Music Feature in Control Center

Thursday March 27, 2025 7:45 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone adds an Ambient Music feature to Control Center. Below, we take a closer look at how it works. iOS 18.4 is currently in beta, so the Ambient Music feature is not widely available yet. The update will likely be released to the general public next week. To use the feature on iOS 18.4, open Control Center and tap on the plus sign in the top-left...

Top Rated Comments

mannyvel Avatar
55 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
55 months ago
should have met with Tesla.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Porco Avatar
55 months ago
I immediately thought of...



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


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