Skip to main content

Is Apple’s ‘Titan’ electric car project being operated by “SixtyEight” shell company in Sunnyvale?

A report from AppleInsider claims Apple is using a shell company called SixtyEight Research and small office building in Sunnyvale, California to work on its secretive electric vehicle project. The report doesn’t definitively confirm that Apple is actually using the site for its car project, but it does discover some connections with Apple and points to recent automotive related renovations at the building:

The results of this extensive investigation led to Sunnyvale, Calif., and the home of a mysterious market research firm dubbed SixtyEight. Nestled amongst a number of verifiable Apple-run offices, it is believed that this location is a key component of the “Titan” project… It is unclear if this secondary campus is ground zero for “Titan.”

But AppleInsider can confirm that Apple does indeed have a large presence at the location, and that numerous automotive-related renovations, including an “auto work area” and a “repair garage,” have been constructed on the premises.

The report does show some connections between Apple and the property — the company leases several neighboring properties in the same complex, and permits for the various automotive retrofits to the building have been pulled despite there not being a tenant listed anywhere.

But most telling is a sign posted recently on the building’s door that the report notes “informs drivers that the company’s lobby has been moved to a new address: the same office complex’s flagship three-story building, leased entirely by Apple.”

Amid Apple’s continued work with adding iPhone integration to existing automobiles through CarPlay, reports started heavily pouring in last month detailing Apple’s plans to build an electric vehicle. We highlighted a number of recent Apple hires that suggest Apple has an interest in not just car software but actual automobile hardware.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. cjt3007 - 10 years ago

    Perhaps it’s a red herring? http://funwithbonus.com/wp-content/uploads/clue-evette-redherring.jpg

  2. Matt Miller - 10 years ago

    Why is the title asking US the reader “Is Apple’s ‘Titan�� electric car project being operated by “SixtyEight” shell company in Sunnyvale?”, like we have any clue.

    • The article tries to answer that question… Seems quite on point to me and much better than a title like “Apple building car in Sunnyvale”

    • lin2logger - 9 years ago

      You don’t read much or have had many classes at an actual SCHOOL, have you? *faceplam*

  3. My thought on this is that we will never see a finished product AppleCar like a Tesla but Apple wants to develop specific car parts, obviously console but also drivetrain, brake systems, power systems, etc. and make those become standards among car manufacturers.

    • Thats a good idea, but Apple currently does do that, so why start? I see why you mean that, but if they are going to produce parts, i only see it being a console that is very very CarPlay friendly. But then again, you also have a different size console in every car, so how would that work? I would like to see Apple have a car.

    • chrisl84 - 10 years ago

      Ready for Ive to talk about how the brake system was machined form a single piece of aluminium.

      • Markos Berndt - 10 years ago

        Those are my favorite parts of the Apple events.

    • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

      Nope that’s not apple like. You make the entire thing or the experience sucks. Hence why CarPlay blows for the most part. Also why Pay will be a as experience a lot of times. Because Apple doesn’t make the hardware. Apple isn’t going to be making parts of a car to sell to other companies. Not a chance in hell.

  4. NerdShouts - 10 years ago

    The Apple Car thing is too overrated. Apple must be thinking about something else, other than producing its own cars. At one end, we are hearing rumors about Apple acquiring Tesla, and then again we have something that is not like an Apple thing.

  5. Aunty Troll (@AuntyTroll) - 10 years ago

    If Apple entered the digital camera business I think they would do really well. However doing so might impinge on a major selling point of the iPhone so they may not bother.

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.


Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications