Apple’s electric car could debut as early as 2025 | TECHNOLOGY

Apple Inc’s new auto chief Kevin Lynch is pushing to launch his electric vehicle as early as 2025 and refocus the project around full autonomous driving capabilities, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Shares of the iPhone maker rose more than 2% and hit a new high on the news.

The car would have neither a steering wheel nor pedals and the interior would be designed so that you don’t have to use your hands, according to the report.

The company’s automotive efforts, known as Project Titan, have advanced erratically since 2014, when it began designing its own vehicle from scratch.

The news comes at a time when growing demand for electric vehicles is driving the market value of companies like Tesla and Rivian well above traditional automakers, which have been around for decades.

Reuters had reported in December that Apple was targeting 2024 to produce a passenger car that could include its own cutting-edge battery technology.

Apple declined to comment on the article.

The company is also preparing to return workers to the offices starting Feb. 1 and will let staff work remotely for up to four weeks each year, according to The Information, which cited a memo.