Apple has given up plans to collaborate with any existing carmaker on the Apple Car. Instead, it has established its own research institute and plans to develop the Apple Car itself. The company has sent a quotation request to global auto component markers while also restarting a development lab that it had previously shuttered.

Apple’s seemingly decided to develop the Apple Car itself because of its discussions with various automakers repeatedly stalling. The company could not further delay the development of the product as it could ultimately delay its launch. Apple currently has hundreds of engineers working on its Apple Car project. It has already sent out a Request for Information (RFI) to major component makers and is in the process of selecting the final suppliers.

The report claims that Apple has been working on its electric car project since 2014. However, due to technological and other limitations, it stopped the operation of the research center around 2016. It decided to work in collaboration with an existing automaker like BWM, Hyundai, or Toyota. However, major auto brands have been reluctant to partner with Apple due to the impending switch from gasoline to electric vehicles. Many automakers are also apprehensive of turning a sub-contractor for Apple.

Apple will likely develop the Apple Car itself but outsource its production to one of its manufacturing partners just like it currently does with all its products.

The Apple Car is rumored to be a self-driving electric vehicle that will feature a new battery technology that’s substantially cheaper than what is used in existing EVs. However, the Apple Car is still at least half a decade away from launch, so there’s a lot that can change.