According to technology analysts Jefferies and Co, the Apple Car will cost an average of £36,000 ($55,000) . What’s more, the 68-page note produced by the firm goes on to estimate that Apple will sell over 200,000 units of its first vehicle. That may seem expensive, but it’s not when you compare it to the £29,950 ($42,400) starting price of the BMW i3. Jefferies and Co claims this is an average price, and it’s likely that – just like the Apple Watch – the Apple Car will be available in a range of premium and budget trims, with different price points to match.
Taking on Tesla
Interestingly, Jefferies and Co’s forecast of 200,000 sales suggests that the Apple Car will be far more successful than Tesla’s current line-up: despite being in business for ten years, Tesla is forecast to sell 55,000 cars in 2015. So why the difference? It’s possible that the technology analysts are taking two additional factors into account. First, the electric car is already experiencing huge growth, and it’s likely that by 2019 the electric vehicle (EV) market will be much larger, with more potential customers.
Apple Car at a glance
Release date
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple will be launching the car in 2019.
Design
Very little is known about the Apple Car itself, but it's likely to adopt a small, compact form factor.
After Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly visited BMW’s factory in Leipzig last year, it’s looking more and more likely that the Apple Car will be a joint project between the two companies.
Interior
The Apple Car should have clean lines, utilitarian design and the attention to detail shown in Jonathan Ive’s existing Apple products.
It’s almost certain that the Apple Car will feature an advanced version of CarPlay too, but, interestingly, reports already suggest that the Apple Car will not be autonomous.
Drivetrain
We strongly expect the Apple Car to be powered purely on electricity.