Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives says the only question about the Apple Car is “when, not if.” He expects the Apple Car to be available by 2026.
While Apple has yet to confirm reports that it is working on a vehicle, there have been several reports about the vehicle, and the company has applied for and received several automobile-related patents. The latest patent is seatbelt related.
During a Friday morning interview with CNBC, Ives reiterated his previous comments that the debut of an Apple Car is “when, not if.” Ives originally said the phrase in a 2021 investor’s note, that discussed Apple’s possible plans to enter the electric vehicle market.
At that time, Ives said that there was an 85% chance that Apple would partner with an established auto company sometime in the next three to six months. Hyundai and Nissan were mentioned in several rumors about the possible partnership.
Since that prediction failed to come to pass, Ives now says an Apple Car launch will happen by 2026. His comments somewhat agree with previous comments by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said Apple has fallen behind on the project and will not meet a projected 2025 release date.
Apple has been rumored to be working on an electric self-driving vehicle for several years, possibly starting the project as early as 2014.
