Apple seeks mammoth warehouse for secret car project

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What will the Apple Car look like? And, more importantly, what will it do?
Work is revving up on the Apple Car. Pun intended.
Photo: Motor Trend

Apple is seeking an 800,000-square-foot warehouse to work on the Apple Car, according to a West Coast real estate giant, who claims space for developing electric vehicles is currently “a hot demand item” in Silicon Valley.

Upstarts like Apple and Alphabet are apparently competing with traditional automakers to set up shop for next-gen research facilities in the tech mecca.

“We’re seeing the Toyotas of the world, the Teslas of the world, BMWs, Mercedes. Ford now is out in the marketplace looking for space,” said Victor Coleman, chief executive of Hudson Pacific Properties, during the company’s quarterly investor call Thursday. “I haven’t even mentioned the 400,000 square feet that Google’s looking to take down and the 800,000 square feet that Apple’s looking to take down for their autonomous cars as well.”

Apple Car research going full-throttle?

The latest confirmation of Cupertino’s Apple Car ambitions comes in the wake of reports that the company’s so-called Project Titan is speeding up again after hitting some tough patches earlier in 2016.

Apple Car parts may already have entered the prototyping stage at Apple’s so-called Product Realization Lab, where mechanics and engineers are testing designs.

Also, Apple recently has picked up two Tesla alumni to work on the Apple Car. The new hires include the electric car company’s former senior CNC programmer for R&D hardware prototyping, David Masiukiewicz. Ex-Tesla VP Chris Porritt is said to have taken over as senior lead of the Apple Car team after Project Titan boss Steve Zadesky left earlier this year.

Although Apple’s desired 800,000-square-foot facility is certainly large, it’s worth noting that it is not big enough to be a car factory. Tesla’s manufacturing plant in nearby Fremont, California, takes up about 5.3 million square feet. In other words, this is most likely to be more appropriate for Apple Car research and development labs and testing sites.

But, hey, at least it suggests that Apple is one step closer to making that rumored 2020 Apple Car shipping date!

Source: Wall Street Journal

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