After a Reuters report that Apple had revived Project Titan — AKA the ‘Apple Automobile‘ — Tesla CEO Elon Musk determined to share an fascinating little bit of insider info to share. Apparently, “during the darkest days” of growing the Mannequin 3, Musk reached out to Tim Cook dinner to debate Apple shopping for Tesla.
Cook dinner reportedly refused.
In the course of the darkest days of the Mannequin 3 program, I reached out to Tim Cook dinner to debate the potential of Apple buying Tesla (for 1/10 of our present worth). He refused to take the assembly.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 22, 2020
It’s stunning that Cook dinner would refuse to even meet, given Apple has been exhausting at work on self-driving AI for years. Musk’s feedback additionally appear to dispel any probability Apple would collaborate on self-driving tech with Tesla as effectively; rumors indicated there’s an opportunity Apple would possibly promote or license its expertise relatively than come out with a automobile altogether.
Musk additionally expressed doubt about claims within the Reuters report that Apple is engaged on a “monocell” battery; he claims it’s “electrochemically impossible,” and instructed the tech would possibly as an alternative be nearer to Tesla’s structural battery pack the corporate mentioned on ‘Battery Day.’
Nonetheless, rather a lot might change between now and Apple’s rumored 2024 objective. In any case, it’s fascinating to know that in an alternate timeline, Tesla — which has usually been known as “the Apple of cars” — might have truly been owned by Apple.

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Printed December 23, 2020 — 01:05 UTC