Apple has been involved in the creation of the highly regarded BYD Blade battery technology, which it intended to incorporate into its electric vehicle.
Early Interest in LFP Batteries
The Cupertino team recognized the advantages of iron phosphate (LFP) batteries regarding safety and affordability quite early on, but they sought a specially designed battery pack that could also offer a greater range per charge.
Partnership with BYD
BYD is known as the world's second-largest manufacturer of electric vehicles and batteries. Apple initiated its collaboration with BYD's R&D team back in 2017. The tech giant invested around $10 billion into its electric car project named Titan, but ultimately concluded that sustaining good profit margins in the electric vehicle market would be challenging.
Consequently, Apple abandoned the project earlier this year, reallocated the team to other areas, and pulled back its self-driving test licenses from the California DMV just before Tesla's Robotaxi launch.
Contributions from Both Companies
Reports suggest that Apple approached BYD leveraging its knowledge in custom battery designs and thermal management, while BYD provided its LFP production technology. The BYD Blade battery technology has become crucial in the company's aggressive quest for EV market dominance, enabling a structural battery pack that is more affordable, safer, and possesses a higher energy density compared to older cell packing methods.
This was the initial reason behind Apple’s interest, although they were shown a fairly basic version of the BYD Blade battery. The LFP cells use widely available iron phosphate instead of costly metals like nickel or cobalt, which are prevalent in the battery packs of today’s high-performance electric vehicles.
Adoption Across the Industry
LFP batteries have been embraced by nearly all automakers, including Tesla, even with their slightly lower energy density and less effective charging performance in colder climates. On the upside, LFP packs can be fully charged without significantly accelerating battery wear, while CATL and BYD, the top producers of these cells, have introduced newer generations with energy density nearing that of traditional chemistries and improved charging speeds in cold weather.
Moreover, LFP cells are extensively utilized in energy storage solutions and portable power stations or power banks that necessitate economical cells with extended lifespans.
In addition to the iron phosphate chemistry, Apple’s car investments also covered nickel and alkaline cells. The Project Titan team quickly recognized the promise in so-called structural battery packs, which facilitate fitting more cells within the same space, a feature that the BYD Blade technology ultimately delivered to the market.
