In the high-stakes game of technological innovation and market disruption, Tesla has come out on top despite the odds. Meanwhile, Apple Inc.'s recent decision to cancel its electric car project, Project Titan, serves as a poignant reminder of what might have been. What would’ve happened if Tim Cook met with Elon Musk?
During the darkest days of the Model 3 program, I reached out to Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla (for 1/10 of our current value). He refused to take the meeting.
Given its success, it’s easy to forget where Tesla came from. Still, when Apple fails to pull it off, it reflects on the potential strategic missteps of tech giants when faced with groundbreaking opportunities.
Apple's Missed Chance
Apple decided not to make electric cars, even though it had the money and history of shaking up markets. This choice shows they didn't want to stray too far from what the company is good at, even if it meant missing out on a big opportunity. But what did they leave on the table? Apple has some of the brightest minds and the resources to create the unimaginable. Yet Apple’s wonder team could not figure out how to get the technology right and the price point under $100,000 even with razor-thin margins.
Again, that shows what Tesla has been able to do. Not only building amazing cars but also reconstructing the manufacturing process, developing battery technology, and turning the automotive world on its head. Many of these pieces were already in place when Musk was in his “darkest days” with Tesla. Model 3 was a challenge that almost killed Tesla, and Musk claims he has PTSD from the experience. However, he was ready to hand all that technology, knowledge, and manufacturing to Apple for a bargain price.
The Road Not Taken: Apple's Strategic Pivot
Despite its vast resources and history of disruptive innovation, Apple's decision to shelve Project Titan suggests a reluctance to venture too far from its core competencies, even in the face of a potentially market-defining opportunity. While pragmatic, this pivot away from electric vehicles may be viewed through the lens of history as a missed chance to redefine another industry.
It evokes the question: Could Apple have mirrored Tesla's success in revolutionizing the automotive industry had it embraced the same level of audacity and vision that Musk demonstrated? The answer is yes, but Apple reverted to its core strengths, which it has had obvious success. Perhaps it would've continued if the company were more desperate and needed a product to drive the stock price up and rattle the tech world. But Apple is doing just fine without cars.
While this could be considered a win for Tesla and other EV manufacturers, which have avoided a significant new competitor on the field, it may be a bit of a setback. Apple, like Tesla did, would’ve brought a refreshing take to the automotive industry. We can only imagine what the company had in store. Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy. An Apple car would’ve helped that mission.
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After a post on X, Tesla has confirmed that it recently exported its 1 millionth car from Giga Shanghai. That’s a massive number of vehicles from a factory that only opened in December 2019.
Since Q3 2021, Giga Shanghai has been responsible for producing over 50% of global EV production – with the single exception of Q2 2022 – where production fell to about 40% while the factory was retooling. That’s a jaw-dropping figure for a single factory.
1 Million Exports
Giga Shanghai produces Teslas for practically the entire world, including the European, Australian, Chinese, and other Southeast Asian markets. For now, it also produces cars for Canada; however, an upcoming tariff could change this.
Giga Shanghai also celebrated the shipping of 100,000 vehicles to Australia with the 1 million vehicles exported mark. While the majority of vehicles end up in Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia are still massive markets for Tesla.
Going forward, Giga Shanghai, with its continued expansions, will be at or above 1 million vehicles produced per year. A good chunk of these vehicles stay within China, while the rest are exported. Tesla sells on average 40 to 80,000 cars per month in China, depending on the season, with an average of 90,000 cars produced per month in 2024 so far.
Automated Production
This is all thanks to Giga Shanghai’s 95% automated production line. Giga Shanghai is likely one of the most automated and advanced factories in the world, a testament to Tesla’s manufacturing and engineering expertise. Giga Shanghai produces one vehicle every 40 seconds.
We’re looking forward to seeing how Tesla’s expansions and factory innovations continue in the coming months and years.
Giga Shanghai operates a 95% automated production line, enabling a cycle time of less than 40 seconds! From taking 2.5 years for the first million cars to be produced, the second million was done in just 12 months 🚘🪄 pic.twitter.com/IF1w27AFPr
Tesla’s last app update, version 4.37.1, introduces support for critical alerts on the iPhone. These alerts are designed for emergency situations and will override standard notification settings, including the mute switch, Focus modes, and Do Not Disturb. This ensures that owners are notified when immediate action is required, even if their phone is set to silent.
How to Enable Critical Alerts
Activate Dog Mode: Open the Tesla app and turn on Dog Mode.
Main App Screen: After activating Dog Mode, go back to the main section of the app.
Enable Critical Alerts: A new option called Critical Alerts will appear under Live Camera and the quick action icons (Tip: You can add up to 5 quick actions). It’ll state, “Grant permissions to receive critical notifications.” Tap it, and you’ll see a system dialog asking for permission to allow critical alerts for the Tesla app.
Confirm Permission: Choose to allow the Tesla app to send critical notifications, which will grant the app special privileges for sending urgent alerts.
This new feature is likely intended for situations where Dog Mode needs to be turned off unexpectedly. For example, if the vehicle’s battery drops below 20% or if the temperature inside the cabin rises or falls drastically outside of your set temperature, the Tesla app is expected to send a critical alert to the owner, ensuring they are informed right away.
What Are Critical Alerts?
Critical Alerts are a type of iOS notification available only to approved apps, which must meet specific criteria set by Apple. These alerts are designed to be used in emergencies and bypass all standard notification restrictions. This means that regardless of whether your phone is silenced or in Do Not Disturb mode, the alert will play a sound and appear prominently.
By adding support for Critical Alerts, Tesla is prioritizing the safety of pets who may be left inside the vehicle with the expectation that Dog Mode will keep conditions safe. This change makes the app more reliable for alerting owners when immediate attention is needed, ensuring they are always kept informed—even when their phone’s settings would typically prevent other notifications from coming through.
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