Hyundai says Apple is talking to various automakers, then withdraws statement

According to Hyundai, Apple is in talks with various car manufacturers about a collaboration to produce electric models. The South Korean automaker has since retracted the statement.

Talks are ongoing with “several global automakers,” Hyundai said in a statement following a story by Korea Economic Daily, one of South Korea’s largest newspapers. Apple would like to work with manufacturers to produce its own electric car in the future, something that was also rumored a few weeks ago.

Hyundai has now changed that statement twice, reports Bloomberg. After the first change, it only said that Hyundai was in talks with Apple about the partnership and left out the other companies. Moments later, a third version of the statement came out, which only stated that Hyundai is talking to other companies about making electric cars together, without naming names.

Apple has not responded to Hyundai’s confirmation. Hyundai’s retraction of the statement may be related to the confidentiality of the discussions between Apple and the manufacturers: Apple values ​​secrecy and draws up contracts to guarantee it with partners. According to Bloomberg it may take five to seven years for the car to hit the market.