[단독] Apple secretly cooperated with China’s BYD for 10 years… ‘Blade Battery’ Achievements

Joint development of battery packs started 10 years ago
With joint development technology, each field

Apple logo. (Photo = Yonhap News)

[알파경제=(시카고) 김지선 특파원] It was belatedly reported that Apple had previously signed a partnership with BYD, a Chinese electric vehicle and battery producer, to materialize its electric vehicle project.

According to a person familiar with the matter on the 16th (local time), Apple has been working with Chinese automobile manufacturer BYD since 2017 to develop electric vehicle batteries.

This official, who requested anonymity, said, “Apple and BYD collaborated around 2017 to build a battery system using lithium iron phosphate batteries (cells),” adding, “In the past, “The battery system technology that Apple developed with BYD is now highly evolved and has helped BYD grow into the world’s best company,” he said.

◇ Apple provides BYD ‘blade battery’ expertise

As part of the then-secret partnership, Apple engineers reportedly provided expertise in advanced battery packs and thermal management.

BYD also began collaborating on manufacturing know-how using lithium iron phosphate batteries, better known as LFP.

This battery, which is being developed by Apple and BYD, was designed with the highest priority being improved driving range and safety compared to existing products.

Apple has been spending about $1 billion a year on electric vehicle projects for the past 10 years, but scrapped the project last year due to reasons such as business feasibility.

BYD’s current blade system incorporates the know-how gained through collaboration with Apple at the time. In particular, the battery pack design is a representative result.

Currently, BYD holds full ownership and patent rights to the blade battery.

Apple Car. (Photo = Apple)

◇ Joint development of battery packs started 10 years ago

The collaboration between Apple and BYD began about 10 years ago, when Apple was seeking core technologies for its electric vehicles.

BYD engineers previewed an early version of the Blade battery to Apple executives, who were impressed by the technology’s safety and energy storage capabilities.

Apple ultimately pursued custom features that could improve the driving range of electric vehicles.

At the time, Apple was already developing several batteries using elements such as nickel and alkaline.

It also invested millions of dollars in battery pack design and engineering to secure as many cells as possible.

The companies wanted to combine their separate pack and cell work to produce a safe, long-range battery system for Apple’s electric vehicles.

Apple’s lineup was led by Alexander Heizinger, a former senior executive at Volkswagen AG and Porsche, who oversaw the product design of the electric vehicle project from 2016 to 2019.

BYD car. (Photo = BYD)

◇ Joint development technology and each field

BYD sold 3 million electric and hybrid vehicles in 2023, citing improved driving range, relative safety, and low cost as its strengths.

BYD is currently the number one company in China by sales volume. Last year, it surpassed Tesla and ranked first in electric vehicle sales worldwide.

BYD founder and chairman Wang Chuanfu, a battery engineer, is a billionaire.

Officials said, “Despite working with BYD for several years, Apple considered systems from other battery manufacturers. Ultimately, the electric vehicle project suffered numerous delays, and the economic feasibility of the electric vehicle business became difficult.”

However, Apple’s decade-long efforts have proven useful in some ways.

For example, in addition to Battery Insight, it helped develop products such as the Vision Pro headset and Neural Engine AI processor, which are currently installed in most Apple devices.

This work also contributed to his early forays into the field of robotics.

Alpha Economy Correspondent Kim Ji-seon ([email protected])